First a little background. There are six groups of two windows on the south side of the building, seven groups of two on the north. (The seventh grouping was taken out when the glass elevator was installed in the mid-1970s.)
One of the first things done to get rid of the green covers was a mural contest with area high school students. Twelve were selected, and they were placed on the south side.
On the west side, you will see two rows of three which cover three windows, one, then three more, and one long expanse of green.
One day, a couple of us were adventuresome enough to peek under the green in
the bottom row. We found stucco. In order to help further dress up the Center, it was decided to remove that row of green, repair any cracks, and paint it black to help match the other windows that were open.It came off quite easily. In this area were transom windows. While it was a long shot that they were covered up under the stucco, crazier things have happened. There was a noticeable hole in which we stuck very long crowbar through. It hit nothing. No windows. But the hole that was there needed to be squared up in order to patch it.
I'm not sure how, but we reached a point where it was decided to remove all the stucco, which turned out to be concrete, and replace it with plywood and trim to simulate the windows that were there. We found another board member who we knew would be most agreeable to this plan and give the go ahead.
(I stress that this is not the best way to move things forward in an organization. However, we had a traveling Smithsonian exhibit coming, and the majority of us were willing to do almost anything to spruce up the place, and more importantly, draw attention to the Center.)
We completed one half of the work that weekend, and spent the rest of the following week on the other half, plus exposing the brick surrounding our efforts. Signage across the front and down the corner were added a few months later.
Now then, let's take a tour upstairs.
This is looking down the center hallway. The layout today is closest to the original configuration of the building after it was completed in 1909. Over the years the roof leaked, and there's plaster everywhere. The owners fixed it a few years before selling, and I never noticed any new signs of leakage.
I'm not sure if this numbering is original. The style looks like it might be, but I'm not holding my breath. You know, the more I think about it, glass should be up there.
This is a really skinny door; it's barely two feet wide.
A close up of the glass in one of the original doors leading to the hallway. I know it wouldn't be up to code, but it would be nice to see it in use after the remodeling.
The original flooring would have to come out to do the structural work. I would love to see it refinished and used as part of the new flooring, or as a wall treatment.
Several layers of patterned linoleum? If it's not linoleum, it's a forerunner. Interesting designs nonetheless.
One of the seven window groupings on the north side. The building has settled, hence the exposed brick below the windows. And you can see where the ceiling patch became waterlogged.
Same room, looking towards the hall. Each room has some rewiring with fluorescent tubes or standard bulbs for lighting. But that is definitely the original lath. Why it is exposed I have no clue; it is in some rooms, it isn't in others.
One of the connecting doors on the south side.
The water damage was at its worst on the east side (the back) of the building.
This could be where one of the original walls was torn out. It's too clean of a cut to be anything else.
One of the biggest surprises was the discovery of tin ceilings. This section was painted brown just outside the elevator. I'm a little amazed it was left there because of all the work done to that part of the building.
Remember when I said the back end suffered the most water damage? You know where this room is? The back end. Aside from a few rusted points, this ceiling is in great shape. Hopefully it can be preserved.
Apparently at one point, there was something requiring this exhaust pipe. That something is no longer there, and this pipe does not stick out of the roof. Am I surprised? Not really.
Tucked away in a small room is the only radiator remaining. How it escaped being sold for scrap is a mystery. You can see a heating vent on the floor just to the right.
Here's another view. It would make an interesting conversation piece in the lobby. I wonder how many people would stand next to it during the cold months hoping to get warm?The success of the main floor as a multi-purpose space is leading the Building Committee to seriously consider reconfiguring the second and third floors in a similar fashion. A lobby at the front of the building, open area in the middle, and service areas in the back.
The second floor would be dedicated to classes but also able to handle private events. The third floor (in my ultimate dream) would see use as a performance space. Blackout curtains on the windows, portable seating for up to 100, and a light and sound booth would make for a very nice black box theatre.
Support columns will be needed towards the center of the upper floors as well as steelwork. On the other end of the scale, it would be wonderful to completely re-engineer the building to have those wide open -- and unencumbered -- spaces, column free. Also, since the roof is the highest point for several blocks, solar panels to offset increased energy needs is a practical idea to explore further.
There are a lot of progressive minds on the Board at the Kirksville Arts Association; the Center is in very good hands.
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