Original hand-made nails and old-growth pine have been discovered during renovations of one of Steveston’s oldest buildings.
Construction is underway on the Richmond Hospital Auxiliary Thrift Store, which received a heritage alteration permit in the spring and a grant of $100,000 from the city for the renovations.
The building is the former Steveston Methodist Church, built in 1894.
As the construction crew set about renovating the Richmond Hospital Auxiliary Thrift Store, at 3731 Chatham St. - at the corner of Second Avenue - they are trying to salvage as much of the original siding as possible for reuse.
The stucco will be removed “as carefully as possible,” a report to city council noted earlier this year.
Pieces that can’t be used will be replaced with similar siding.
There will be new replica windows and the front doors will be replaced with a doors that are “sympathetic to the historic original appearance.”
As they stripped the building, they found the original frame in almost pristine shape – there were only a few spots where there was water damage.
The old-growth pine wood had stood the test of time.
But the roof was another story.
It will need to be completely redone, explained store manager Rajan Paul.
Paul said the grant will cover the siding renovations, but not the roof renovations.
The exterior renovations are the second phase of restoration. Previously, a new foundation was installed and the building was stabilized.
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