2005 Renovations

In 2005, we removed the interior staircase from this floor to both the basement/first floor and 3rd floor. The staircase was extremely steep to the 3rd floor. We found wood from ships in the walls. We saw wood that had “cleat” markings.

In removing the staircase, we were able to remove the staircase wall in the dining room. The staircase was in front of the left most door on the Bangs Street porch. We closed up that door and made what had been the bottom of the staircase a closet. To remove the staircase, they had to open the ceiling and run a new beam from the kitchen through the dining room.

Removing the staircase and staircase wall. Note the CLEAT holes in the wood.

Removing the staircase and staircase wall. Note the CLEAT holes in the wood.

Framing the floor where the staircase was removed on second floor.

This is the view up from the removed staircase. It was so steep that our dog was leery of going down the stairs. Humans with even medium sized feet had to turn their feet sideways to go down because the treads were narrow.

Light removed. No longer needed once the staircase was removed.

Dining room staircase removed. NOTE THE CLEAT HOLES in the wood.

Dining room staircase removed. NOTE THE CLEAT HOLES in the wood. The door is now a “dummy” door not in use.

Dining room ceiling was opened to add a new beam once the staircase wall was removed.

Dining room staircase removed. Floor closed. Closet framed. The door is now a “dummy” door not in use.

Dining room staircase removed. Floor closed. Closet framed. The door is now a “dummy” door not in use.

Staircase removed and wall opened; closet framed. The doorway is now a “dummy” door inside the closet.

Additionally, we added a bulk head entrance to the first floor from the Bangs Street side of the house. We don’t seem to have photos from that work. We did this because we did “finish” work on the first floor. There is a long hallway connecting the front of the apartment to the back bedroom. We put carpeting, lighting, enclosed the ceiling, and put the bulk head entrance here. The boiler and furnace rooms for the house are off this hallway.