GOSHEN —
A total reconstruction of the Main Street building that housed Graber Designs Gallery, 208 S. Main St., which is set to re-open June 1, is the 40th downtown construction project completed by Jeremy Stutsman and his firm, Lofty Ideas.
“There is not a surface that did not get changed, from the basement to the ceiling,” Stutsman said this week, after he stripped the walls and floors and replaced the Main Street facade to the building.
He said five layers of flooring were removed to expose the original wood floor, which was then restored. The facade was removed and replaced by one designed by Dave Pottinger, Stutsman’s father-in-law and sometimes partner in the restoration business.
The drywall and plaster were removed from the brick walls, the back wall was rebuilt with new insulation, the basement stairs rebuilt and the original metal 14-foot ceiling exposed, restored and repainted. Jeremy explained he uses a process of replacing the missing metal ceiling panels by vacuum-forming plastic replacements. He said 32 new panels were made and installed before a coat of grey paint was applied.
Replacement doors have been installed at the Main Street sidewalk with old wooden ones that Stutsman has rescued from other projects.
The new basement stairs will allow the business to expand and use the front half of the basement for retail sales space.
Stutsman said he was assisted in this project by fellow carpenters Joel and Alfonso Jimenez, a father and son team.
“This is my 40th major project downtown,” Stutsman said after starting his business with his wife, Maija, 11 years ago.
The projects have included four or five new facades, painting and improvements at Jon Wieand’s The Famous, Kelly Jae’ Next Door, Jules Boutique, Chuck’s Photography, work at Snyder Men’s Store and on the streetscape projects.
Jeremy said the Grabers plan to reopen their business on June 1 with a new name, “Found.”
“I admire him for what’s (Stutsman has) done,” said Virgil Snyder Jr., of the men’s store. “He enjoys it. Dave and Jeremy have had a lot of input in the redevelopment. They have been major contributors.”
Dave Daughterty, president of the Goshen Chamber of Commerce, said Goshen is “blessed to have him.”
“It has been enjoyable to see what he’s done” Daughterty said of the many downtown improvements. “Without question, when we talk about all the things that are happening downtown, they have taken a lot of work by a lot of people. But the visible things we see every day, those old buildings are being re-energized by the work Dave Pottinger and Jeremy have done.”
Stutsman is a husband, father, business owner and city council member, as well as a member of the Downtown Goshen Improvement board, Daughterty pointed out.
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Jeremy Stutsman, owner of Lofty Ideas, is pictured at the door of the Graber Designs Gallery, 208 S. Main St. last week, where he is restoring and remodeling the building. This project is his 40th downtown Goshen project. He installed a “new” wooden door that he rescued from a building in Michigan. ROD ROWE | THE GOSHEN NEWS
Stutsman completing his 40th downtown project
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