The Albina Skarp

Sprucing up with cedar. Cedaring up with spruce?

2010-04-26T15:24:00.000-07:00

I still don't see it at this point. Gallows? Drive-in?

Good lord, those are really in there. We got phone complaints from China about the other end jutting out into Tian'anmen Square. Protests next?

Oh.

Ohhhhhh.

Ooooooooooh.

The sickest sign this side of Mississippi. Street.

2010-04-26T15:14:00.001-07:00

It migrates with us to our work area. Like a puppy, it's too adorable to shoo away.

Thanks, Joyce.

Your gift gives us wings.

Doorways, in more ways.

2010-04-26T15:08:00.000-07:00

This is what we looked like without doors.

The beginnings.

Bob works wood.

Bob stands on stool and wills doorways to finish themselves.

They do not, but they are finished. And they are lovely.

How to build an office in 6 months.

2010-04-26T15:01:00.001-07:00

Begin with crackhole cement prison cell. Dog and shoulder not included.

Add paint, drywall. Refinish & reglaze windows.

Patch up rotten hole in floor. After painting, of course.

Add a month of procrastination, gathered free furniture, wires, papers.

And a desk usurping brother. Note squiggly reflection of badass neon sign in laptop. More on the sign later.

2010-04-26T14:55:00.000-07:00

Staging in the stage.

Painting, or unpainting?

Someday this kitchen equipment will be something more than a heavy immobile inconvenience.

Ancient dot hieroglyphs of Drywallian origin.

Are...but...I...thought we were done building. Oh. Oh.

ACTION

2010-04-26T14:50:00.000-07:00

Mudulation; adoration.

Coloration; acquisition.

Grindulation. Sparkification.

Paintification. Smugulation.

Insulation. Smellulation?

the mouth of the beast

2010-04-26T14:42:00.001-07:00

Excuse me, but is this your space? What are you guys building here? (standard response.) Wow that's really exciting. I'll send some more strangers by in a few minutes to distract you from accomplishing anything.

Quite the salient changes.

Future home of the Lunchbox.

Looks a bit like a post-hurricane restoration. Probably not so different. Less initial effort in demolition, I suppose.

I see it, I see it...do you see it?

The struggle continues...

2010-04-26T14:25:00.001-07:00

My uniform for many weeks of grinding and painting. Not as lewd or enjoyable as it may sound. Note the shapeliness lent to my overgrown facial hair by the fashionable dual rubber band.

INside.

OUTside.

lights ON.

lights OFF.

2010-04-26T14:11:00.000-07:00

More has happened here than can possibly be recounted in words. The history of six months distilled into pictures.

Yes, we did tear all the siding off the building and replaced it. Yes, we did reframe the entire Melvillian behemoth for insulation and drywall. Here is we doing it.

Minor improvement.

You'd be amazed how much sunlight you can get without walls. Almost makes you wish you could tear down your walls.

The ghost of a dream.

Onward to the Cadborosaurus Room

2009-09-24T13:18:00.000-07:00

Yes, there were these others.

The upstairs office area.

Outside looking up one of the corners.

Pictures from the Doting Mothers of Innovation

2009-09-24T13:04:00.001-07:00

Exterior of the WHC from Albina St.

Looking toward the Lunchbox patio corner.

The old crane from afar.

What are these pillars made out of, you may ask.

Waters Heaters! The entire building is constructed from old commercial water heaters! Hence, we have decided The Water Heater Collective is the way to go.

You Go Grease Lightening!

2009-09-24T11:13:00.000-07:00

Srub-a-dub-dub, two men in a warehouse with masks and degreaser.

Where the wild things do stuff.

2009-09-23T15:25:00.000-07:00

Important stuff, like go through the door to the Lunchbox!

Before Shots of WHC's Afterlife

2009-09-23T15:07:00.000-07:00

It does deserve some mentioning, the before of the whole thing. We came to a land of untouched grease and grime, and proceeded to get really dirty cleaning up the place. Here's a look at what we saw:

The office upstairs.

Closer to those gorgeous hanging ceilings.

View from the master boss chamber. Get to work you windows!

Old bikes, beer glasses and bottle openers chat for a moment about the golden 80s.

Crane wires running the length of the building. Birds do not alight on them.

It was here that we had tea and internet browsing services for the recently imparted.

Progress Report:

2009-08-24T08:48:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was full of awesome acquisitions! Our new and indispensable friend, Mr. Pete Lang, has continued helping us with construction materials. These include:

- 3000 lbs. of bricks

- 1000 lbs. of lumber
- Chain link fencing
- A twelve-foot long awning

Also obtained were several commercial kitchen appliances for the food-space at front of house. Very, very cool.

Flickr Phot Set!!

2009-08-24T08:44:00.001-07:00

Here's a link to the new flick-set.

2009-08-24T08:41:00.000-07:00

Hello and welcome to the Albina Skarp's progress blog! This site will document the build-in progress of our space at 750 N. Fremont in Portland Oregon! Here is a link to the google street view.

More to come!