Category: Construction

Bridge repairs

A sign appeared on this bridge a couple of weeks ago announcing that it would be closed for repairs from June to September. They will begin starting June 17th.

It’s called the “Ward Bridge” on Woodcock Road and it crosses the Dungeness River just east of Ward Road. The repairs are planned on three concrete piers under the bridge due to erosion caused by river flooding.

The repairs are scheduled and organized to avoid disrupting summer salmon runs on the river.

The surface of the bridge will get new asphalt while it’s closed. It’s likely this broken railing will be repaired, too. A tree crashed here during a storm.

Click here for more information about the project. Tomorrow I’ll show you some of what’s under the bridge now.

Waterfront prestige

This building is a prominent sight in Victoria, sitting on the edge of the Inner Harbour and steps from the mainstay tourist center, the Empress Hotel. The Victoria waterfront is marked by the white fencing in the foreground.

Move in closer to a street level view and you’re greeted with nothing but a shell of the old building. Only three original walls still stand.

The original interior remains in bits and pieces but the building is destined to house waterfront condominiums. A bus driver mentioned that the penthouse has already sold for $10 million. Units on less prestigious floors will be had for a cool $1 million or so. Perfect for my weekend getaways, don’t you think?

Back to the one dollar house

I was in the neighborhood recently and checked on the progress of the “one dollar house,” a 1916 Sears kit house that was purchased for one dollar and moved to Sequim last October. It came by barge, then pulled by truck up a hill and along local roads to the site shown above. Click here for more about its October journey.

I revisited last December to find that the house had a solid new concrete masonry unit or “CMU” foundation, shown here. The house is now surrounded by an orange construction fence and it doesn’t look as if much is going on. But I was able to take a peek at the back of the house, above. It looks as if the next steps will be more CMU to form the foundation for a back deck. Similar rebar has been sunk in front for a possible porch and entry access.

Update on the one dollar house

I first told you about the one dollar house here, in October. I didn’t want to miss too much of its story so I returned to its new, permanent location last Saturday for an fresh look. As far as I could see it’s now sitting squarely on a solid foundation, including a base for its fireplace.

Tyvek now covers some of the previously raw openings and it looks as if the subfloor has been renewed above the foundation. It’s a lovely old house and I want to follow its progress. Stay tuned.