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QUICK SUMMARY in TWO PHOTOS:
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. . [L] May 18, 2016 (at the sidewalk) and [R] July 21, 2018 (moved back and elevated)
above: [L] south side of 4 Washington Ave., July 21, 2018; below: rear of 4 Washington Ave., seen June 15, 2018, from Western Gateway Bridge . .
update (Aug. 10, 2018): The Times Union reported online last night that “the work to move, elevate and fix up [4 Washington Avenue in the Stockade] is all but done.” “Stockade house move nears completion as pump station project in limbo” (by Paul Nelson, August 9, 2018). Owner Meredith Anker is quoted saying, “The inside is the same structure but because it’s elevated the sun comes in and it’s unbelievable.” Moreover,
“[Jim Plowman of Plowman Construction] said that Anker received $300,000 from the NY Community Reconstruction program, part of the Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery, and [sic] chipped in about $150,000..“That out of pocket expenses came in higher than anticipated in part because once the structure was raised, it revealed that all the structural beams were rotted out and had to be replaced.”
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. . update at 4 Washington Ave. (May 21, 2018) : above: [L] on Nov. 9, 2017, the day the foundation was completed; and [R] on May 21, 2018, the day when the old tree at the street was removed, showing sod on the lawn and paint on the siding.
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. . . update: more than baby steps (March 15, 2018): 4 Washington Avenue is starting to look a lot more homey and approachable (if you can handle all those steps). another look (April 10,2018):
flood-ready (January 2018): The landscaping was not completed before the winter freeze, but 4 Washington Avenue was safely above the flood-plain, as seen in the above photo display, taken a few days before our January 13-14 ice jam and flooding, as we reported in depth.
Foundation Follow-up (Nov. 9, 2017): The new foundation under the re-planted house at 4 Washington Avenue, along the Mohawk River, in the Schenectady Stockade, is complete. See the Slideshow immediately after this update. I was told this morning by contractor Garrett Plowman that as soon as this afternoon, trucks will be bringing in the fill dirt — some 80 cubic yards delivered by 60 trucks. Click here to see an artist’s rendition of the finished house, held by the architect, Frank Gilmore.
. . above Slideshow, photos taken November 9, 2017 . .
BIG UPDATE (September 13, 2017; 1 PM): Larmon House Movers did final preparations this morning for rolling 4 Washington Avenue to the new location on its lot. By noon, the move to the final location of the house was completed. Photos are being added to the Slideshow below, near the bottom of this posting (showing the process of this project, with images since May). The house will be jacked up in place about another foot, with “cribs” [stacked blocks] placed under it to hold it up while the foundation is being built under it.
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. . above: 4 Washington Ave. has moved to its final destination; [L] Contractor James Plowman at start of today’s move; [R] onlookers view house at final location (11:30 AM, Sept. 13, 2017); below (3PM): northeast view of house [L]; wheeled jacks removed, cribs in place:
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- press coverage: “1840 Stockade home makes a 20-foot move” (Times Union, by Paul Nelson, Sept. 13, 2017); “After months of prep, crews move Stockade house on wheels” (Daily Gazette, by Brett Samuels, Sept. 13, 2017). The TU article has a gallery that includes a photo of architect Frank Gilmore showing a sketch of his design for the relocated 4 Washington Avenue project; here is a detail
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ORIGINAL POSTING
. . above: rear of 4 Washington Ave. [L] & 6 Washington Ave. during flooding post-Hurricane Irene (Aug. 28, 2011) . .
. . left: flood waters from Hurricane Irene at River end of Washington Ave. with #4 & #6 on left . .
. . left: floodwaters at end of Washington Ave., with neighbors at stoop of 6 Washington Ave. (vintage photo from collection of Schenectady County Historical Society, undated)
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Meredith Anker’s home at 4 Washington Avenue, in the Schenectady Stockade Historic District, was constructed circa 1820. It was built along the Washington Avenue lot line, with no front lawn, but a spacious rear and side yard that borders the Mohawk River. Flooding in 2011 due to waters associated with Hurricane Irene did dramatic and traumatic damage to the first floor of Meredith’s home. Immediately below are photos of the front of the house and its yard taken last May:
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. . above: 4 Washington Ave. & yard (May 18, 2016) . .
In response, Meredith has asked the Schenectady Historic District Committee for permission to raise and move the house to another location on its lot. If the current project is successful, sometime this summer (2017), the house will be elevated about 12.0 feet and set back 15 to 20 feet from Washington Avenue, in order to remove it from the River’s flood plain. See “Stockade project to move historic home from flood plain underway” (Albany Times Union, by Paul Nelson, July 20, 2017). It took the homeowner, her architect (and across-the-street neighbor) Frank Gilmore, and contractor Jim Plowman, several sessions before Schenectady’s Historic District Commission approved the lift-and-move project, which is the first such project in the Stockade Historic District, where paint colors and removal of window shutters need Commission permission. See “Panel OKs plan to elevate Schenectady home above flood zone” (Times Union, by Paul Nelson, November 17, 2015); and “Homeowner allowed to raise, move Stockade house: After nearly half a year of discussion, the Schenectady Historic District Commission reluctantly agrees” (Schenectady Daily Gazette, by Haley Viccaro, November 16, 2015; $ub. req’d). The sketch to the right of this paragraph is the rendering submitted to the Historic Commission when seeking its approval for the project.
The blank wall in the sketch represents 6 Washington Avenue, the home of Scott Andrus and Jone Jensen, who are watching the process closely, and are not sure what to expect. The Historic Commission made it clear that they have not yet reviewed or approved the final design scheme (colors, landscaping, etc.).
. . above: the rear lawn of 4 Washington Avenue, with Mohawk River on the left (photo by Peter Barber of the Daily Gazette) . .
[T]he structure will remain at a temporary site for upwards of a month, which will give the crew time to fill in and shore up the foundation at the new spot, said [contractor Jim] Plowman. A one-car garage will be built into the foundation.
update (September 7, 2017): I learned this morning from James Plowman, the general contractor for the project, that they have decided to move the house directly to its final location (15 feet back from the street and 20′ farther from the River), rather than risk more jostling of the old structure by moving first to a temporary location while the new foundation is being constructed. They will be bringing in dirt for fill and then the big wheels on dollies for the move, with Monday, September 11, 2017, now seeming like the likely day for the move.
We have had a lot or rain lately, and many sidewalk kibitzers and amateur engineers have offered me and other neighbors skeptical predictions about the likelihood that the ancient structure, with its flagstone and brick foundation, can be successfully and safely moved. Like virtually all Stockade homes, the original home has had additions appended to it. Whether it is out of an abundance of caution or true necessity, yesterday (Friday, July 28, 2017), workers strung a metal cable and chain around the structure. See the photo to the right of this paragraph.
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- As always, you can see a larger version of an image in the Slideshow by pausing it on the image, right-clicking and choosing See Image in New Tab.
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According to an article posted online this evening at the Schenectady Daily Gazette website, “Stockade home elevated ahead of move” (by Brett Samuels, Sept. 5, 2017), the house is about 10 feet above its foundation, but the crew will probably not be back to finish this phase until next week, when it will be moved on wheels or using steel girders to a temporary spot while the new foundation if poured, etc. The Gazette also said that they had to stop lifting to figure how what to do about a chimney that was not part of the original structure of the house, that was separating from the structure. They put some straps around it (see image at right). .
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. . above: 1-9 Washington Ave., Aug. 28, 2011 . .
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. . above: construction crew, Western Gateway Bridge, and a fancy boat viewed from in front of elevated house at 4 Washington Ave. (Sept. 7, 2017) . .
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. . above: Garret (standing) and Jim Plowman watch Lorman crew securing girders under the elevated house to prepare for the big move (Sept. 11, 2017)
October 8, 2017
September 13, 2017
suns along the Mohawk 
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