The 1919 Project. Lanesboro Iowa

[KevinP73]

Built in 1919 and abandoned around 1985. A single story brick building with a basement. The last occupant was a branch of a community bank and as such is still configured as a bank including a vault in the basement. Restoration will begin in the spring with the final configuration yet to be determined. It may remain a commercial building or will be converted to a private residence.







This is going to be a new adventure. I have no idea what I'm doing. What could possible go wrong?

[herr_oberst]

I've always wished I'd do something like that. Live in an old commercial building, with all the room I need or want for all my interests, I'd live in it and build it as I go along. But I'm not brave like you.

I hope you'll keep us posted on the adventure.

Hey, maybe you can call 'This Old House', get them interested, get some help with the costs and labor...

[stevej37]

Definitely leave the vault in the basement.
Will add a big value to someone. (is it a walk-in?)

[A930Rocket]

So you’re doing the work? Cool! I thought it was something online.

[pwd72s]

Any chance to restore that tile flooring?

[Gogar]

That's great! Have fun and good luck. I have a weird dream about doing the same thing. Maybe the town I pick would have 10,000 instead of 150 people lol.

[varmint]

i was born in Belmonde, about a county over.

those little towns were wonderful. and you could near buy one whole for the price of a house in a b=major city.

[Mark Howard]

I did a similar project for my office in 2019. The Tony Michelli building, constructed in 1934. Solid masonry, 2 story. It was a Italian Grocery Store just south of downtown Baton Rouge near LSU campus. Had been numerous different businesses / a branch library since the 1970s. I am the first owner outside of the Michelli family. The first floor was the grocery and 2nd floor 7- 1 bedroom apartments with a toilet and sink, no bathtubs. The family told me that Tony ran the grocery and brought in Italian immigrants who lived up top and worked at the grocery until they had enough money to move on. Great stories.

We did a complete gut renovation and my office is on the 1st floor, and keeping with the spirit of the Michelli family, 5 apartments on the second floor. Was a challenging project being mixed use commercial / multi family. We love it and think it turned out well.

Before:


After:

[KevinP73]

Originally Posted by stevej37

Definitely leave the vault in the basement.
Will add a big value to someone. (is it a walk-in?)

I haven't actually seen it yet. The basement is under about three feet of stale stagnant water. The stairs leading down were too rotted to navigate. I sent a camera down on the end of a telescoping painter pole but couldn't see a thing between the lack of light and the piles of floating debris. One of my first challenges will be what to do with all that toxic waste water.

[KevinP73]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

Any chance to restore that tile flooring?

I'd like to. I guess it all depends on the condition of the underlayment.

[Mark Howard]

After:

[KevinP73]

Originally Posted by Gogar

That's great! Have fun and good luck. I have a weird dream about doing the same thing. Maybe the town I pick would have 10,000 instead of 150 people lol.

The 2020 census shows the population of Lanesboro at 112.

[KevinP73]

Originally Posted by Mark Howard

After:

Very nice. I should be so lucky to have those results!!

[pavulon]

Most shows only take a half hour to fix that and flip it for good money. Being a first timer, take a couple hours and really soak in the experience!

[stevej37]

Originally Posted by KevinP73

I haven't actually seen it yet. The basement is under about three feet of stale stagnant water. The stairs leading down were too rotted to navigate. I sent a camera down on the end of a telescoping painter pole but couldn't see a thing between the lack of light and the piles of floating debris. One of my first challenges will be what to do with all that toxic waste water.

Yes...that will be very important.

[Rot 911]

Hmmm, about 140 miles from where I live. I’ll have to put that on my list of motorcycle day trips to check out. When it gets warmer that is!

[DonDavis]

Sub'd

Can't wait to see the progress. Beautiful!

[Gogar]

Originally Posted by KevinP73

The 2020 census shows the population of Lanesboro at 112.

Yes but there was a greyhound bus passing through when I made my post

[herr_oberst]

(Kevin, if you'd rather I remove this post, just let me know)

I went looking for vintage photos of the building; I haven't found anything yet (lots of Lanesboro Minnesota photos interloping on my search) but I found this recent. Looks like Don and Daisy are the Lanesboro Landbarons - to the left, Don and Daisy make "Tops" and to the right is a cafe apparently run by Daisy...

[jamesnmlaw]

A great project! I am envious. Save the tile floors and the vault! Make it yours.