Hoboken Brownstone: Steel

In the last post we talked about pouring the new basement slab... so now they were ready to start the structural work in the basement. Many brownstones in Hoboken have a beam or bearing wall that runs the length of the building to reduce the overall span for all the joists. Typically the bearing walls will create the hallways and center stair on the upper floors.  Given the 24' span on this house, the beam and column support are doing more work than on say a 14' wide brownstone.  

Basement looking towards front

We located the new steel columns under the beam in different locations from the existing columns so that new footings could be poured while the existing supports remained in place.   You can see in the photo above that we also provided a column at the end wall because we couldn't rely on the old brick and mortar to withstand the load of the three floors and roof on a 24' wide joist span. 

  

The undersized existing wood beam that sat below the joists was replaced with an 8" steel beam that would sit within the joist depth. This required that all the joists be cut so they could attach to the sides of the new steel beam.

Basement looking towards rear

There's a shift in the beam location that you can see here at the double column. It was required to pick up the end of each beam at the shift.  This allowed the proposed wall layout at the upper floors while maintaining the existing masonry openings at the rear facade. 

Double column at beam shift

Here's a photo of an old iron strap connection at the stair header that would be replaced...

Stair Header Connection

At what will be the future TV room in the basement, we made two smaller windows into one large opening.  We had looked at digging out the back yard to get taller windows here, but given the small yard depth we decided to maximize the yard size at one level.

Rear window at Basement

At the First Floor, we also needed steel to keep the floor plan as open as possible.  The steel columns continued up to the second floor and you can see the beam at the rear of the house where the kitchen would be.  This beam was also set within the joist depth.

First Floor Structure

At the living room the existing beam had been offset from the bearings walls at the upper floors.  It was too great a distance for the load to transfer, so we needed a beam to allow a generous opening from the entry into the living room as well as picking up the bearing walls above.   

Living Room Steel

This column at the face of the building picks up the living room beam load rather than relying on the existing old masonry and mortar. You can also see in this photo the wood that is scabbed to the sides of the steel beam to accept the hangers of the cut existing joists.

Column Support at Front Wall

At the back of the First Floor where the kitchen would be, we wanted to open up to the backyard. A steel beam and lintel picked up the masonry load for the over 9'-0" span opening.  Again, we didn't rely on existing old brick and mortar, which would have carried a significant point load at each end.  

  

Here it is from the outside.   We kept the existing masonry openings at the backdoor and adjacent double hung window, which will become a sunny office nook in the kitchen.



Where you see the big opening there had been two double hung windows.  It will become one large steel window wall...  but that's for another post!

Hoboken Brownstone: Basement Slab

On the last post, I talked about digging out the basement. Test holes showed that we could gain an additional 6" in ceiling height if we aligned the top of the new slab with the top of the existing footing.  If we went deeper, we would have to underpin the foundation or create a new foundation ledge, which would have been obtrusive and taken up space.

Digging out also allowed more room for gravel and insulation under the slab.  The gravel gives us the drainage needed should there be collected moisture under the slab.  As you may have heard, a lot of Hoboken is under water during big storms so we also included a sump pump that's connected to the underslab perimeter drainpipe.  This photo shows the preparations before the slab pour.  The PVC pipe and plywood form to the right is for the sump pump and will be located in the future mechanical room.

Typically we'd call for at least 4" of rigid insulation but given the limited depth we gained, the best we could do was a blanket thickness.  We used Insul-tarp, which claims a 7.5 R-value.  We needed something since we didn't want to loose our radiant heat through the ground.   But even if you don't have radiant, all basement slabs need to be insulated... as you can lose over 20% of your room heat through the ground! 

The grid laid over the insulation is the reinforcing that will sit within the slab.  At the far end of the basement you can see the bright orange tubing for the radiant heat over the reinforcing grid.  We chose to put the tubing within the slab to limit additional thickness needed if we had put it in a subfloor above the slab.

Because we were aligning the top of the slab with the existing footing, a wood form was put at the edge.  In the photo below, you can see the exposed footing.  Later a curb would be poured over the existing footing to clean it up.  A compressible fill joint should be provided between the slab and curb to prevent uncontrolled shrinkage cracks.  We planned for cabinetry on these perimeter walls to hide the curb.  

Here are the underground utilities below the stoop.  I couldn't tell you what's what, but ultimately they will each be capped with a brass plate level with the slab. New water supply and waste lines were installed.   Sanitary and storm water waste are handled separately, each with their own valve.  This is a good thing, as you don't want storm water backing up into your basement plumbing fixtures in a big storm!    

Because we lowered the slab elevation we needed to modify the front entry stairs into the basement.  We originally hoped to just add another step at the bottom, but in the end we decided to modify all the steps to give them an easier and even rise... and just adding a step would have been tight to the basement door. 


Well, that's it for slab prep.  Next time you'll see the finished concrete and then we'll talk steel!

Hoboken Brownstone: Demolition

This is the second post in the series, Hoboken Brownstone.  I plan to document the entire construction process so we'll start with the not so glamorous stuff... demolition!  

Brownstone Street Facade

But first, we needed to do some exploratory work at the basement slab to finalize the drawings for the building department... and in our case zoning approval.  As it currently stands in Hoboken, by renovating the existing unlivable cellar we were adding a floor to the house, which didn't meet the 3-story zoning for the R-1 area.  It's an odd interpretation of the zoning and hopefully will be rectified soon.  The purpose of the story requirement in zoning is to limit extra height and floors so the street facade continuity is maintained.  But that discussion is for another post.  The good news was... we were given zoning approval and the okay to fully finish the basement.

Test Hole Rear

The ceiling was 7'-0" from the existing slab and we wanted to get at least 6" more inches to make it livable per code.  It was only a thin rat slab, which was buckled in some areas, so it needed to be repoured regardless.  We hoped that the footings for the perimeter walls would be low enough that we could keep our slab elevation to the top of the existing footing and thus not need to do any underpinning or buttressing of the perimeter foundation.  We made test holes in several places along the foundation.  In some cases, like the photo above, we had a good foot before we hit the top of the footing.  In other cases like the photo below, just 6"...

Test Hole Front

So rather than stepping the slab relative to the footing, we decided to keep it all at one level since we were able to gain the 6" we were looking for. As we moved away from the footing, we dug more to allow for a good gravel bed, insulation, and a perimeter drainpipe that would be connected to a sump pump. 

Once we had our permits the demo began.  Let's start at the bottom, the basement...

Basement toward front

The cellar had a series of old stall-type storage partitions that needed to be demolished and removed.  Then the systems equipment was disconnected and services were capped.  The pieces of equipment were like archaic monsters... the kind of things found in your childhood basement that you'd have nightmares about! 

Once all was cleared out, the slab was jack hammered, as well has the hard packed earth underneath.  All was hauled out in buckets to the dumpster out front... one of the many you see around town. 

Cellar towards rear

Later we would address the structure once the new slab and footings were poured.  The beam and pipe columns seen in the above photo would get removed because the timber member, connections and footings were not adequate to hold the three floors above.  Also we wanted to upturn the beam, meaning we would cut the joists so the steel would be set within the floor depth and allow for a clean flat ceiling at the finished basement. 

At the First Floor, you can see that the interior walls were made of thick studs, wood lath and plaster... typical for a house this age in Hoboken.   It makes for a lot of debris!  

Backside of Vestibule

In this photo, you see where the masonry chimney was removed.  This was at the rear of the house on the First Floor where the kitchen will be located. The chimney projected from the wall a good bit and we didn't want to lose the straight run for cabinetry.  We talked about supporting the chimney that continued at the upper floors but it was more economical to remove the masonry at every floor.

Masonry removed at Kitchen

The fireplaces were kept in place at the front of the house like this one that would be in the future master bedroom.  The load bearing stud wall also remained...

Master Bedroom Bay Window

But ultimately, even this bearing wall would be replaced with new stud construction because the existing thick framing was wavy and not plumb, thus more difficult to sheetrock. 

Bearing Wall at Second Floor

In most cases there was no subfloor with the finish floor attached directly to the framing.  We would install new subfloor over this existing surface and then new wood flooring.  The stair treads would all be modified to make up for the additional thickness and provide an equal riser height throughout.

Master Bedroom Fireplace Mantel



The master bedroom fireplace surround will get dismantled so it can be refinished off-site and then reinstalled.  The insert covers were also removed and ultimately the firebox will be open and cleaned up with a black painted interior. 

Through this opening in the floor, you can see the skylight that had been located over a light well that housed those bathroom vent pipes extending up to the roof.  All plumbing, waste lines and vent pipes were removed. 

Old Chase Skylight Above



This is a great photo at the top floor... with the skylights white washing the old brick party wall with natural light... 

Third Floor

There had been a bathroom on each level where you see the flooring is removed.  The structure had been butchered to run piping and waste lines.  All new framing would be needed for adequate support.   The cavities in the brick wall would also be filled with new masonry.  In future photos, you'll see that the masonry party walls will be covered with metal furring to run electrical and plumbing.  

Old Bathroom Floor



The ceilings were removed at the top floor.  You can see the old plaster line on the wall...

Third Floor Front

I loved the feeling on the Third Floor with its high roof framing, skylights and open space.  Would make for a great brew pub... not that Hoboken needs any more bars!

Third Floor Rear



The roof deck required some repair but for the most part it was in good condition and the members were adequately sized.  There was some previous water damage where the roof drainage trough was located.  We kept the roof pitch and drain location, but areas of damaged substrate were replaced and all new roofing and flashing installed.

Roof Repair

All the existing windows would be removed once the new windows were on site.  Here you can see the unfortunate faceted cladding that would be removed to allow for new full glass round top double hung windows.

Faceted Window Cladding

The rear fire escape could be dismantled now that a three-family was becoming a one-family.  The paint on the back facade would be power washed and the brick wall repointed.  

Rear Facade

So that's the demo!  You can see it was quite extensive with just a shell and the floors remaining.  One might have tried to renovate the building in a way to keep the old intact.  But given that it was originally a three-family and each floor was chopped up into small rooms, the layout would not be practical for a single family today.  Much of the plaster and trim work was already in poor condition and modifying the wall locations and installing new systems would have butchered almost every surface. 

It's something that needs to be taken into consideration when buying an old home... think about how much you would change the layout, what needs to be upgraded, how pristine you want your finishes and what's your budget.  Then it will become more apparent whether you're talking about a gut renovation or a restoration. 

Hoboken Brownstone

I thought I'd start off the New Year with a series of posts recapping a full brownstone renovation project here in Hoboken.  I'm excited as it's coming together in the final months, but before we jump to the final product, I'd like to look back at the progress... maybe along the way we'll shed some light on the process for those considering a renovation.   This will be my first series, so we'll see how it goes.  I'm hoping it will help motivate me to do more blogging in 2012!

So, it all starts with lots of planning.  First... we review the client's wishlists, pour through all their images, discuss what's important to them and talk about their dreams.  From there, we come up with a schematic plan based on this information and also overlaid with structural and code restraints.  I find this phase to be the most fun.  It's not real yet... a design exercise in shaping spaces to meet needs in such a way that they bring delight to those that will use them.  The client may not get that sense of delight yet, but I know the foundation is there and it just needs to be developed.

These are the final floor plans for the brownstone.  They are pretty much what we started with, just further refined with structure, systems, and construction methods as the project developed.

 

...so those are the plans.  It's a 24' wide property, which is quite generous for Hoboken, and allowed for sizeable rooms and a good amount of amenities at each floor.   It was a full gut renovation with only the facades, party walls, staircase and floor joists remaining... giving us lots of freedom to create a layout that met all of the client's program requirements in a thoughtful, efficient plan. We did keep the location of the central bearing wall, which delineated the corridor circulation space from the series of rooms and simplified the structural layout.  New steel beams and columns were needed at the basement given the 3-story load and also at the living room to pick up the bearing wall that was offset at the upper floors.  The lightly shaded areas are built-ins, which help further define the spaces while providing coveted storage options!  These areas also add a layer of detail and craftsmanship to the design that enriches each room. 

Now that we've got the lay of land on the project, next time I'll start posting some construction photos.  Let me know if there is anything in particular that you might like hearing about on this project!

Architect's Choice

Residential Architect is a magazine publication distributed within the architecture trade and each year they do the 'Architect's Choice' which highlights a few architects and the products they like to use in their projects.  

I was fortunate to be asked to participate and offer up some of my own valuable product references for high and low budgets.  I was happy that they chose to include something as simple as the minimal robe hooks that I had included in one of my first posts.  But I found it comical that they were enlarged so much that they appear bigger than the sink! ...what are actually dainty modernist pieces, end up looking like dumbbells...  trust me, they're nice.    

Some other products I mention are Marvin triple pane windows, Carlisle Wide Plank floors and Duravit  tubs.   I really appreciated seeing what other products my colleagues like to use... and thought you might find it useful too! 

So be sure to check it out... you can view the entire magazine online here.  Flip through to page 44 for the article.  Let me know what products featured interest you!

Hey, what's my style?

Now that the eye of the storm has passed but we're all still trapped inside... let's talk about renovating!  We've started (again) on the design of our own house renovation...    

Backyard Elevation #43.5

We've gone around with so many ideas over the years that I thought maybe I should step back a minute and do what I tell clients... write down a wishlist and compile some design pictures of spaces we love!   Since I'm constantly looking at images for my professional work, sometimes it's difficult to realize my own design style.  So I wanted to find a website online where I could systematically look through thoughtfully designed spaces and get reacquainted with what I  like.  Then I remembered... Houzz!

Houzz Image by Coburn Architecture and Interiors

It's a great resource with tons of inspiring residential images.  You can browse by room, style, and location... this allows you to get to the images that will help you most.  For example, I typed in Modern: Bathroom: New York... and to my surprise the 4th image was a project of mine!

Mowery Marsh Architect

Apparently, the photographer had posted it and I was excited to see that over 2,500 people had added it to their 'ideabook'.  This is a great feature that allows you to keep a virtual binder of all the photos you like.  You can put a tag on it so you can remember what elements you liked about the image.   This comes in handy when the design phase is 5 years like ours!  You can have your selections be private or public which could be nice if you want to share your renovation ideas with family or friends... or better yet, your architect!

You can also search by typing in any kind of item and relevant images will come up.  For instance, our place has exposed brick so I typed it in to see some different ideas at how others integrate it into the rest of their design.  It's such a strong material element that it will have a huge impact on the overall aesthetic.  I particularly liked this one for the color palette...

Tim Cuppett Architects

Another great feature are the tags on many of the photos that give information on products and materials.     Nothing more convenient than finding a light fixture you like, clicking on it, and seeing that it's from Ochre and will run you about $6,000?!  

  Sugar Bowl Residence by  John Maniscalco Architecture

It's addicting though... you could be on there forever.  Especially with the photos on the right that relate to the style and content your currently looking at... they just keep feeding you more stuff to browse!

So I'll leave you now so you have some time go check it out.  Just one final image that will be my design inspiration for our house... at least for today :)

 Feldman Architecture, Inc. 

Pizza Night!

This is my first post about food ...and most likely my last.  Cooking is not my forte, but I have gotten better at it over the years. Well today, as I was sliding our pizza into the oven (this doesn't even count as 'cooking') and said to myself  "Self, that is beautiful!"  So of course, the next thing that pops into mind... I must blog about this!  I guess that's my criteria for making the blog... beautiful design... where ever it may be. 

I've made many a pizza before but never have I done three kinds with the dough fitting ever so perfectly within the pan and the sun shining in our kitchen window offering the perfect light to capture all the colorful ingredients.  Typically I do 2/3 with everything I've got in the fridge (broccoli, spinach, tomatoes, peppers, onion, sausage, pepperoni, blah, blah, blah) and the other 1/3 with just olives, sauce and cheese for a certain someone in the family.  But today I happened to have fresh pineapple cut from the core and a leftover slab of ham... so Hawaiian pizza entered the mix.

I use to get those Boboli pizzas, but they aren't that good.  Then I remembered how my Dad used to bring home dough in a bag from the bakery on the weekends. It was fun to watch him throwing it up in the air and we'd get to pick the ingredients.  It was our late afternoon snack on a Saturday.  Dad is still a snacker... walking around the house offering tidbits on small plates to whomever he can find. 

So then I got to thinking... we have great bakeries here in town what am I doing buying this shrink wrapped prepared crust?! So one day I called up Dom's on Grand Street in Hoboken and ordered myself a couple bags of 1 lb dough. Awesome.  So good.  And only 1 buck a pop!  Has to be the cheapest food ever. Thank you Italy! 

What's your favorite 'go to' meal? 

Handmade Friends

I can't believe all the talented artistic people I've met over the years.   I have some of them listed on the right side of my blog, but thought I should feature a couple that you might appreciate... but do check them all out!

I remember when a friend of mine in college started making guitars (how cool is that)... and now he's venturing into kids furniture (which now I think is even cooler!).  If I were looking for some toddler chairs, I'd snatch these up quick and paint them in any fun color I could imagine. You can buy them on Stephen's website.  

And if you're in the market for a moose, here's a pretty good looking one.  My daughter wants it to hang her hats on...

Another college friend has started an amazing jewelry business, Stubborn.  Melissa studied architecture along with me at Penn State and she went on to do the whole architect thing...   but on the side she was making jewelry...and I think she found her calling.  Always an amazing artist, it's no wonder that her pieces are like wearing works of art.  

And I just discovered that she offers fun ornaments on her website too...

    

And who couldn't use a versatile felted tote!   Yes, she has those too...

Speaking of bags... I've got a friend here in Hoboken that makes THE most fun bags around... along with dresses, hats,  and other accessories at M Avery Designs.    She uses vintage fabrics for her pieces and again the creations are like works of art...

She even has the supplies on her website to make your own.  Or you can buy her book or read her blog! Who knew it was so hip to sew... well,  Megan offers lots of great classes so you can get in on the fun too. Right now she's offering a class to make this versatile bag found at BurdaStyle...

 And my daughter loves the kids classes... with my favorite project being the most adorable house slippers!

All this arsty talk has gotten my creative juices going. What kind of craft project can I come with for a 6 year old who happens to have no school today?!  Any ideas... anyone... anyone?