projects
Entry Level Housing Update
Jeff Kenney’s Culver Citizen article on the Entry Level Housing decision by the Town Council popped up on The Pilot News website over the weekend. (You can find The Pilot News version here or the Culver Citizen version in a previous post here.) Unfortunately in the interim, the Council rescinded the decision to move forward this year and instead chose to delay our application until next year. Thus like the wispy home I’ve shown multiple times in the past (see left), affordable housing in Culver has slipped from our grasp until at least 2017. (Wow, that was one of the sappiest sentences I’ve written in a long time!)
I can’t help but be frustrated by this. First because we had been working towards the grant deadline of November 2nd for the last 9 months. Second, after the decision on September 22nd (the meeting in the Citizen article) I was asked to rush around to get the necessary items lined up which included a special Culver BZA Hearing and a tax abatement hearing with the County Council. Both of which had been arranged prior to finding out that the plug had been pulled. (The final piece was completed at 4:55 against a 5:00 deadline. No stress there!)
The abatement hearing has been cancelled. The developer has been told to cool his heels. No follow-up meeting for the Entry Level Housing Task Force has been scheduled. The only thing that is continuing forward is the BZA Hearing. If the BZA is still willing, I plan to go ahead with that hearing. I am thinking that it can’t hurt to vet the location ahead of time. All the neighboring property owners have been alerted.
I hope our development partner hangs with us. I hope we don’t lose opportunities with our target audiences. I hope the grant availability is there next year. I hope the County Council is still supportive next year. I hope any changes in the Council following the election doesn’t realign the will of our leadership. I hope the subsequent changes in the appointed boards and commissions doesn’t change their will to move forward. That’s six “hopes” we now have in trade for the momentum we previously had. Let me throw in one more for lucky seven and say I hope all this works out.
Image Source: www.homeloanstoday.com
Image Source: Unknown (found on Pinterest)
Easterday Dental Clinic
Dr. Greg Easterday and Dental Assistant Cindy Tusing
I am again mining from one of Jeff Kenney’s Throw Back Thursday articles. Dr. Greg Easterday is one of our founder’s grandsons and as such commissioned Easterday Construction Co., Inc. to complete an addition and renovation project at his dental clinic at 303 North Main Street in Culver. Unfortunately this isn’t one I can shed a lot of light on since it was well before the beginning of my tenure with Easterday Construction. At that time there were still several employee’s that had the Easterday name here including an uncle and cousin of Greg.
Image Source: Jeff Kenny – The Pilot News
Corner Tavern
Corner Tavern Renovation underway in 1995
I need to start watching for Jeff Kenney’s Throw Back Thursday entries. I never know when one of our past projects will show up.
Last week’s entry featured the expansion of the Corner Tavern back in 1995. Will Pearson owned the Corner Tavern then and since his wife Kathy worked here in the office, it was natural that he came to Easterday Construction Co., Inc. to do the work. This was also another collaboration with Don Scearce of Scearce & Associates, now SRKM Architecture. The expansion provided additional seating, better natural light and improved access to the basement. It also improved the kitchen and restrooms bringing them up to code. There were plans to expand into the upstairs, but there were various code issues that prevented that at the time.
Will Pearson
The upgraded facility thrived under Will’s management for several years. Will often worked the kitchen and the bar continuing a tradition of Owner/Operator interaction with the patrons. Many local residents worked there over the years and Ginny Munroe, current Culver Town Council President, often comments, “Willie was my favorite boss!”
The restaurant later sold to George Pesek and went through another renovation to become the Corndance Cafe’, its current incarnation. It remains a fixture in Culver and continues to be a source of pride and income to Culver residents.
Expansion Image Source: Jeff Kenney – The Pilot News
Charley Creek Inn Announcement
Always nice to be recognized! We were mentioned in the Business Briefs in The Pilot News June 27-28, 2015 Weekend Addition as seen to the right. Charley Creek Inn in Wabash, Indiana has selected Easterday Construction to guide them through their expansion project. We’re pleased to continue our relationship with the Ford family on this project. See our previous post with a rendering of the proposed street view of the project here.
Rendering of Charley Creek Inn addition and courtyard
Fletcher Cemetery Veterans Memorial Dedication
I attended the dedication ceremony for the Fletcher Cemetery Veterans Memorial on Memorial Day last week. Despite an inordinately windy day, the rains held off and the ceremony was well received. Easterday Construction was contracted to provide the new memorial foundations, plaza and retaining walls. We donated the flag pole foundation and erection of the pole as well as some modifications to the sprinkler system.
As discussed previously here, we were a bit hesitant to take on the relocation of this priceless monument, but things came off without a hitch. (Move pictured here.) It looks good in its new location. It is now flanked by two new stone obelisks ready to receive the memorialization of future veterans.
Congratulations to the Fletcher Cemetery board for the completion of a great project. It will stand as a symbol of their respect for veterans for generations to come.
