The Model Window

Of the nine (9) dormer windows of the Francis House only these were salvageable. One and a “half” of the nine. For a building that was left unattended and uninhabited for 50 years, it is a marvel these “survived”. Below, is the “half” window.     Below is the only dormer window that is without…

Like a Vermeer Painting

Esteemed Napa Photographer Adrian Gregorutti shared some of the photographs he took of The Francis House in June 2008 : Eight years before we gutted and demolished the interiors of the building. The photographer’s grasp of the place show the time -worn building which teems with contrasting shadow and light: like a Vermeer painting.    …

This Place Matters

  “This Place Matters”. Successful tactical urbanism projects around the U.S. — from parklets to pop-up shops — show that sometimes all it takes to bring a community together is a simple, accessible project. That’s why this month, the National Trust for Historic Preservation is once again encouraging people in neighborhoods around the country to…