RenovateDSM.com - Story - Comments

Back Glazing

Anonymous — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 09:20:55 -0700

The new glass should NOT be placed into a dry rabbet as shown. BEFORE placing the glass apply a small but continuous amount of putty against the rabbet in the frame. Then press the glass into this bead so the putty squishes out on the interior side of the glass and secure the glass with glazing points. Then apply the exterior bead of putty as shown. The glass should be bedded in putty on both its interior and exterior surfaces.

Also, applying boiled linseed oil (or priming with an oil base primer) is NOT optional. With out this sealing of the wood the bare wood will suck the oil out of the putty and the putty will fail in a few years.

Excellent point. Next year,

RenovateDSM — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 20:04:51 -0800

Excellent point. Next year, assuming the connector continues to move forward (at a slow pace, but forward nonetheless) perhaps someone will nominate some of the notable buildings to the Most Endangered Buildings list.

Old buildings

Anonymous — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 20:20:56 -0800

The buildings are lost but the stories do remain and we can,and should, research them. FYI - the North/South Connector was originally planned to end at Euclid and join MLK. The new plan includes taking out all of the buildings on the west side of MLK from University to Euclid. There are several significant structures, homes and businesses, in the path.

River Bend

Anonymous — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 11:56:22 -0700

I am President of the River Bend Association and was asked to reply to your question. First, I'm very pleased that you have fallen in love with one of the neighborhood houses. There are many folks who felt the same and have bought and rehabbed wonderful old houses here. I am one of them! Second, River Bend generally has a lower rate of crime than surrounding neighborhoods. However, that continues to be a challenging issue for us. Last summer was definitely not good. We are fortunate to have a new Chief of Police who has become very involved in improving neighborhood/law relations. Last summer she formed the Neighborhood Enforcement Strike Force (NEST) which had a huge impact on crime in our neighborhood and other neighborhoods. We have been told that a similar initiative will be launched this spring and summer. We have also been told that a new vice and narcotics patrol unit is being formed and will start this summer. This will be an evening patrol for the whole city, and it has been many years since such a unit was part of the police force.

We also strongly believe that landlords who are indifferent to the activities of their tenants are contributing factors to crime. In the last two years we have successfully sued landlords to hold them responsible for the criminal and nuisance activities of their tenants. We are getting the message out that landlords cannot just collect rent without being held accountable.

Lastly, we cannot do any of these things without the committed participation of members of our association. We have a strong organization and we do our best to address the concerns of the neighborhood.

I would be happy to put you in touch with other residents to get their perspectives. Thanks very much for your interest in River Bend.

Jeanne Johnson

River Bend

Pamlyn — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 14:18:24 -0700

Do any of you live in this neighborhood? I'm afraid I've fallen in love with a house... right by the corner the man was shot last summer. It seems that there is slow improvement there-- can anyone give any comments?
Feel free to contact me directly.

What a great article!

kelli.griffis — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 11:29:04 -0700

Thanks for sharing this! I'm so excited to see the rehabbing crowd getting press in Des Moines.