When we purchased this building in 2015, I lost all hope at the closing.
Lucy and I had just finished a final inspection of the place before signing the papers. I looked around at the building, which was 85 percent painted purple and was filled with glitter that was so pervasive that it would soon enter my digestive tract.
Buying this place, I thought, was a dumb idea. And too much work.
This month marks our fifth anniversary of having our storefront on Willard Street in Covington, Ky. And after five years of hard work and spending tons of money, I’m glad we did it (and so is Lucy, which is important).
The work is far from over. Later this year we plan to demolish the two sketchy bathrooms on the first floor and replace them with one nice bathroom (with a shower) and a small kitchen. And finish up some cosmetic work in the library and bench room.
After that, we’re going to replace the main bathroom on the third floor and then throw some money at the machine room to make it a nicer environment. Then some work on the facade to restore the main window bays to their historical appearance.
Then…. OK, I better stop typing out this list or I’m going to despair again.
Though the work never ends on an old building (this is our third one), we love this street, our neighbors and the city. We walk almost everywhere. Some days I forget where I parked my truck because I haven’t driven it for a week.
And despite the warnings from readers that I would hate living where I work, the opposite is true. I really like having the shop downstairs. I can cook our meals upstairs while I keep things going in the shop below. And I see my family far more, too. Plus, it’s less stress than maintaining both a residence and a business property – one electric bill, one insurance bill, one water bill.
It’s difficult to complain – until I look up at the rotten plaster under the library window.
— Christopher Schwarz
Cool. Really cool.
Re: living where you work.
In your case this is not an issue, because it is not work in the 9 to 5 break your back sense. You live, breathe – purely exist as the woodworker (and publisher and author and…) you are, at least that’s what comes across from your writing. Same with many scientists that I know. It is not a job, it is what they are.
So you live where you live.
I live with my workshop too, it’s perfect for me. Continued success y’all!
I think the live/work combination is ideal. I love everything you’ve done with the building! Let us know if you find more glitter.
Five years? It only seems like half a decade. Here’s to many more years there!
I know all the emotions involved! My son and daughter-in-law bought a large century-old Main Street building in a small courthouse Virginia town near me. The street level had already been modernized extremely well for long term lease office space that pays the mortgage (now almost complete) and all expenses of ownership. The 2700 square feet second floor had been a dance hall and then a pool hall decades ago and was empty. We designed an open plan loft space with two large bedrooms, two baths, walk in closets and showers, utility and pantry room, installing a second cantilevered loft (12’x22’ with a added workroom for electronics and 3D printing) for my son’s office (self employed). We could do this since the ceilings are 17’ high. We spared no expense and did all the work ourselves – five to six days a week for eleven months! The sale of the house they owned for 20 years covered the entire effort. They have been in since Thanksgiving and really like living and working in a single place. There is a full basement with plenty of storage space and his woodworking shop and CNC equipment. It is a lovely living space and will be featured in local publications. They also can walk everywhere and have come to know and like the people in the neighborhood – business and residential mix.
Time does fly! Look at all that you have accomplished. Its a great space!
As a wordsmith, I would have thought you might have used the term “lustrum”. It is an under used word that I think should be brought back into common usage. You have done a wonderful job on your home/shop. I hope to make it to an open house one day.
You have made tremendous improvements and will leave the world a better place when your done, if your ever done.
It’s been fun watching the process. I look forward to more.
Please reconsider, and build that room for me above the machine room. I’ll be the cantankerous caretaker about whom young children start rumors.
Man, 5 years already?
Time sure flies.
“Glitter is the herpes of the crafting world,” I came across this quote in a recent Washington Post article. I instantly thought of you Chris and your blog post from many years ago where you mentioned your disdain for the sparkly stuff. Look forward to a rescheduled Follansbee class when things become safer.
I really admire you and Lucy for investing in an old building. Being an administrator at a university with lots of old buildings, I understand the joy and the pain concerning old buildings. Thanks for the update on your work. By the way, I would love living above where I work. If only…
I thought of you and Willard Street recently. An epidemiologist was describing Covid-19 spread. He compared it to opening a tube of glitter in your basement, and in two weeks there was some in every corner of the house, even the attic. You’d swear it wasn’t possible, but it was everywhere.
Sounds like the guy has had young children in his home.
Or exotic dancers.
Hi Chris, I enjoyed reading this post today and since I’m a conservation architect, I can fully appreciate the feelings you’ve expressed, which echo those from many of my clients. Regret, and fear of the looming unknown (and the potential expense associated with repair and renovation) at the beginning, which then give way to pride and joy when a heritage structure is brought back to a state where the details and craft of the building shine. A building needs to be used to have meaning, and your ongoing work has provided a place for new memories to be made for you, your family, and the larger community. Well done – keep going! Kind regards from Canada.
It’s amazing what you’ve done. I look forward to getting back down there post-plague.
Thanks Joe!
And you scored some crazy big speakers
Sadly (not sadly) those were not part of the transaction.
Anybody else get the vibe that the whole living above a workshop thing is just asking to become a sitcom? All the makings of a modern day Tool Time but with “less power” hand tools.
Less power? You really need to visit the machine area in the carriage house. I suggest visiting an open house when the ‘clock’ is available to see upon request. 🙂
You’ve done an AWESOME job! Can’t wait to see what you do with the other renovations.
Congratulations! You have ongoing mental gymnastics and satisfaction of rejuvenating the labor’s love from times gone by. I cannot wait to return to your open house, ogle your benches and talk shavings, sharpening and sticks. Working (thank G-d) from home has been a COVID silver lining for me. Be well!
Time flies like and arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.
It’s a terrible burden you must bear to love, appreciate, and yes, even revere, the works and artifacts of the past, when you also have the ability to create a new, entire whole-cloth, well-designed, future with your own imagination and skills. I don’t envy you that purgatory you seem to inhabit. Nevertheless, I enjoy and appreciate your constant accomplishments, and more than that, your willingness to share them with us. I also greatly envy the patience and participation of your family. Thank you!
Hardest parts are behind you and the place looks beautiful. Happy anniversary! Btw isn’t the traditional fifth anniversary gift… wood?
PS the before pictures look like so many places I used to spend too much time.
I remember reading this at the time as if it were yesterday.
Chris,
First of all, I take my hat off to you for a venture not only ventured but brought to great success!
After consistently working from home for the last six months (for the obvious, current reason), I find that what you say about what one stands to gain from a “commute” that is but going up or down the stairs really resonates with me. Although not self-employed like you, I still find it a most positive experience, with a marked gain in efficiency and work/life balance. On top of which, even though my “normal” commute is not that long, I have not been sorry to all of a sudden have my available daily free time (for, e.g., woodworking) prolonged by about an hour 🙂
And, having grown up in a town not much larger than Covington (+/- 70,000 back then) I am very familiar with the concept of being able to walk most places one might want to go, and with the many positive effects thereof! It also makes me recall the first time I found myself in an American suburb (one in Toledo, Ohio, I think it was) that had no sidewalks at all: just streets, with people’s front lawns coming all the way down to the roadway. It looked very weird to me, and my friend and I felt rather strange and out-of-place as we walked (!) rather than drove through it …
Many thanks for having let us (virtually) join you on your journey so far, and looking forward to hearing what you find out further down the road!
Cheers,
Mattias
You know you’re old when a bar looks familiar, but you can’t remember where.
When I see the photos, I can see why you wanted to buy it. There was so much potential, and it has cool bones. Well done!
The LAP Studley book was a big influence on my current WFH setup. I’ve been doing animation freelance work from home for nearly 30 years and had to downsize a few years ago, so wanted a more compact work setup. My desk was too big and collected too much junk, so I made a copy of the Studley tool chest exterior and put my drawing tablet on an adjustable arm that folds back into the cabinet. Now I can close up my “office” and it no longer impinges on my living space. Being in a small apartment, and with long term deadlines rather than regular business hours, it’s valuable to have that sort of demarcation.
Congrats! From the various pics I’ve seen over the years on your blog, you did an awesome job!
It’s amazing how fast the time flies. I can’t wait to get out there again and see all the more recent changes in person when things open up more. Keep up the great work.
Man, that was a fun weekend. Ready to do it again, any time.
I’m waiting for the carpet covered shelves and ramps to be installed for the cats in the bench room.