Washroom Construction at the Pitt House

 This is excerpted from an email report by Nina Reyes to CHS committee members, dated August 20, 2025. Belden Merims suggested it be posted here. The work is part of an ongoing effort to obtain a Certificate of Occupancy. The Spring 2025 newsletter previewed this project: ”At last, spring! As frost leaves the ground behind the Museum, heavy equipment will move in to replace the out-of-code septic system with a tight tank. Next step: structural work to allow the installation of a handicap-accessible bathroom at ground level, which state code requires for a certificate of occupancy. It's been a long haul, and costly.”

1) The tight-tank installation is complete. When I left the job-site this afternoon, he was completing the PVC connection between the tank and the plumbing remnant from the septic tank. Tomorrow, Scott Denison’s electrician is going to run an alarm into the mud porch (because there is no crawl space beneath that area, the connection will likely have to come in via conduit, and it seemed least obtrusive to not bring it into the museum itself). I expect an inspection will be required before the thing can be covered over entirely. 

2) Roger’s crew installed a series of five support posts that will be used to install laminated beams to span the entire length beneath the eaves timbers, which were merely cobbled together. They will be removed once the laminated beams are in place and secured to the eaves timbers with steel plates, and facsimiles of the original posts will be installed in their stead. To my understanding, the northern wall will receive its own series of posts for the same purpose tomorrow. This work is all being done in preparation for hanging the building, which will allow for the digging of footings. 

3) The crew also padded out the west wall of the office in preparation for installing R-19 insulation. It’s a little hard to see in the picture below, but 2x6 boards were sistered to the existing 2x4 studs, creating a cavity capable of accepting the R-value prescribed by the architect’s drawing.