Restoration of the Bangor Elevator

      Anyone who has a connection with Bangor will surely agree that the old Elevator Building is truly a landmark in the community.   It is not hard to see that the structure is also in dire need of some TLC.  An agreement has been reached and plans are being drawn up for a lease with an option to buy, between the DDA and a partnership consisting of Mike Fritz (representing Michigan Summer Blueberries, Inc.) and Bob Emmert.  The partnership is known as Bangor Restoration, LLC.  To say that this event will rival the coming of the railroad in the early 1870’s is probably an overstatement.  However, the restoration to the Bangor Elevator will be a welcome and enlightening improvement to the downtown business district. 

     The following is a tentative plan for the restoration of the Bangor Elevator

Phases

1.     Completely clean up the interior of all trash and debris.  Gut the entire first floor down to bare walls and bare floor.  Remove the remaining remnants of the grain elevator in the basement.  Scrap the iron truck lift on the east side of the building.  Repair or replace all windows in the basement.  Plug all holes around the foundation where animals might enter.  Remove the cement dock and walkway on the east side of the building.  Remove the cement floor that covers the wood floor in the front of the building.  Repair the bin walls where they have rotted through.  Replace the upper three feet of the bins that have been removed at an earlier date.  Remove the steel overhang on the east side of the building.  Make plans for a new roof to be added before next summer.  Have an architect draw floor plans and exterior plans for a new Elevator.

2.     Have the new roof installed before or during the summer of 2004.  Add another dormer on the east side of the roof to match the one on the west side, before the roof is replaced.  Make plans for the exterior siding to be replaced as it was originally.  Remove the front porch and repair and enforce the existing porch roof.  Replace the front of the building where it was removed when the existing front porch was added.  Replace the cement dock on the east with a weather resistant wood dock.  Place a dock or walkway on the west side of the building along the railroad tracks.  Replace the overhang on the east side of the building with a smaller, lighter one.  Remove the large lift elevator.

3.     Make plans and decide what to do with the second floor per the plans submitted by the architect.  Cut a hallway through the bins and create rooms from the bins.  Replace the siding. 

4.     Add and or remove electrical fixtures, including breaker and fuse boxes, conduit, and lighting fixtures.  Add a furnace and ductwork.  Add a smaller lift elevator.