Sisters Image
Andy helps Lauren move our Debra Beers sculpture from the front window of the Personalist Center - the sculpture is now in the cafe.  I think he likes you, big guy!

Sisters Image

Sisters Image

Sisters Image
Bobby shows the sheetrock who’s the boss

Sisters Image

Sisters Image

April: the SJM crew readies the new Loft for action!

Sisters Image
Johnny and James don’t take no guff when they strut their stuff.

Sisters Image

Sisters Image

Sisters Image
Boss-man Michael surveys the happy wreckage.

Sisters Image
Dan livens up the construction zone with found objects.  Disco ball, anyone?

Sisters Image
The crew must tear down some seriously ancient lath and plaster in order to build the new doorways and wall.

Sisters Image
Here’s what the door looked like on the PC side before cutting.

Sisters Image

Sisters Image
After cafe closing-time, small crowd of excited staff and customers watch

Sisters Image

Sisters Image
Customers and staff get ready to push the hole down

Sisters Image
Bobby triumphant

Sisters Image
Patrick, Kate and Steve pose in our new doorway!

Sisters Image

Sisters Image
Andy spokes-models the new HVAC heating/cooling system - ooh la la!  We are just so happy to see it installed, considering the old heater sounded like a B-2 bomber taking off, and air conditioning was naught

Sisters Image
The beginning of the wall of recycled windows, upper left.

Sisters Image

Sisters Image

Sisters Image

Sisters Image
Michael chisels the recycled window-frames to make them fit; that’s a lot of custom work, boy howdee!

Sisters Image
All that and he does windows too!

Sisters Image
Stewart muds the ceiling in the PC loft .. .

Sisters Image
. . . while James muds the newly remodeled cafe loft.  That is, when this country boy’s not busy catching baby birds that wander into the PC and try to hide in the cabinets!

Sisters Image
The next Village People member, James.

Sisters Image

Sisters Image
The cafe loft floor gets a makeover, seen here in the pre-sanding stage.  Hard to believe it’s recycled gymnasium flooring!

Sisters Image
We counted at least 11 layers of paint on the front door of the PC - what history!

Sisters Image
Kate and PC architect Christine check out the new cafe loft

Sisters Image
Too cute . . .

Sisters ImageMichael carefully replicates the existing trim in the PC to go all around the room.  It’s this kind of detailed, custom work that sets the PC apart from many other remodels.

Sisters Image

Sisters Image
The new PC loft floor, isn’t it lovely!

Sisters Image


Personalist Center Construction Pics

Pictures are in chronological order and will be updated about once a week.

Renovation began in February with the demolition of interior walls:

Sisters Image

Sisters Image

Sisters Image
Andy and Bobby take time out from demolition to mug for the camera

After demolition, Dan readies for the next phase - building the loft above the back door

Sisters Image

In March, electrician John Kelso (below) donates his time diving into the wire-morass in the loft ceiling.  The cafe loft and the new Personalist Center loft will connect when the renovation is complete:

Sisters Image

Sisters Image

Sisters Image

By April 4, the crew has framed the new loft that will connect to the cafe loft and provide office space for the Systemic Change staff and the Civic Action Group!  Under the loft will be a nice meeting room for Sisters.

Sisters Image
Patrick waves from below the new loft, Dan above.

Sisters Image
Our lovely new loft stairs

Sisters Image
James, Dan and Bobby take a break to mug for the camera. Industrious Johnny attacks the old lath and plaster wall with a vengeance, making way for a new door to the cafe loft.

Sisters Image
Bobby, never one to fear life’s precipices, gets the loft-ledge ready for the new heating system.

Sisters Image

Sisters Image

April 16, the crew punches a giant hole in the wall between the PC and the cafe where the future doorway will be!

Sisters Image
The cafe wall before the work begins; it housed our info and referral board.

Sisters Image
Bobby readies his Big Ole Saw! Let the Cutting Begin!

Sisters Image

Sisters Image
Customers and staff ham it up while they watch the proceedings - Myoko, Catharine and Genny

Sisters Image
Thar she blows!

Sisters Image

Man, that was fun!  On to other advances, framing continues with a lot of custom building to work around all the PC’s tight corners and unique spaces.  The crew is undaunted, or at least in high spirits

Sisters Image
The boys practice their YMCA moves in the loft

Sisters Image
HVAC-o-rama!

In late April, the drywall begins to go up.  Ah, drywall wrangling.  Everybody shake your gypsum!

Sisters Image
Watch those bright eyes, Bobby

Sisters Image
James TCB.  Thankyouverymuch.

The wall of recycled windows from the Rebuilding Center begins to go in . . . how exciting!

Sisters Image

Sisters Image

April 25, and the window wall is finished, yeah!

Sisters Image

Sisters Image
Kate at the new door between the cafe and PC lofts.

May Day (May 1), testing paint colors

Sisters Image
Paint test around the new window between the PC and the cafe

Sisters Image

May 5, spraying paint and re-doing floors

Sisters Image
James gets ready to rumba, I mean paint

Sisters Image
Cool!

May 10, and the cafe loft floors are now polished to a beautiful luster.  Big thanks to historic building conservator Ron Powell, and Rusty and crew for really making it something special.

Sisters Image
Mmmmmm, shiny!

May 14, and the paint is rollin’ and rockin’

Sisters Image

Sisters Image
The adorable and all-powerful Rusty rolls it out!

May 23, and doesn’t the paint and trim look great!  Michael starts the big job of building the custom cabinets that will be tailored to our mail, hygiene, phone service etc.  What a labor of love.

Sisters Image

Sisters Image

Sisters Image