The Jipp is now stable and enclosed to face the winter!!

It may not be pretty but it is dry and no tarps to deal with.. 

Some Highlights: 

Fund Raising Goal of $10,000 actually raised $16,005 plus an additional $786 from Architectural Rescue Shop’s first sidewalk sale. 

An estimate of over 300 Volunteer hours in the demolition and cleanup work, a $5,000 job done for total cost of $300 for our first dumpster. 

An additional 368 actual recorded volunteer hours for reconstruction, plus over 200 volunteer hours for fund raising and administration. 

Phase 1 estimate of $10,000 - preliminary actual cost is $12,130 but besides rebuilding the foundation and the rear half of the house we were able to replace the front hall floor and re-sheath and cover the entire south roof of the house, leaving the loading dock as our only reminding major structural problem. 

We started Phase 2 now, the restoration of the original 1868 store front with a $2,500 budget estimate. The NE Brick corner column has been replaced and 3 of the six needed windows have been ordered. We are well on our way to the original store front! 

We have electric service (construction pole) and a monthly bill. 

Complete termite treatment is underway.

How has all this been done? 

Besides the $16,005 we have raised, we have received:

Free Dumping from the Scott County Waste Commission thru the entire construction cycle

Free Containers and hauling from Rush Roll-off

Free dumpster from United Neighbors plus their partnering to become our fiscal agent for the RDA emergency grant

Free Electrical Wiring from TriCitys Electric

Free Electrical supplies from Square D

Free Termite treatment from Iowa Illinois Termite and Pest control

Free Salvage rights for the Rescue shop from St. Ambrose

 What’s next??

We did not get the RDA grant we had hoped for and we have to wait until January to hear about the states HSPG request. But we will still move forward looking for other sources of funding and material help.

With our present resources we plan to do some basic wiring, continue to rebuild and unboard the windows and try to find an inexpensive way to get some rudimentary plumbing and heating. Depending on the winter weather we will continue on inside framing work, finishing the store front and rebuilding the store floor. In the spring we will tackle the loading dock.