Raising Funds for Foundation Repair
The Cohen Bray House foundation is made of brick and was built in 1882.
Our mission is to repair or replace the bad sections of the foundation as we have the funding to do so. Luckily, with help from our members and a bequeathment, we have raised the funding to repair two very bad sections in the failing original brick foundation.
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We need your help to raise the additional funding for the repair of 3b -the sun porch.
Current Projects in process
Architect Kirk Peterson and Engineer Gene St. Ong have submitted plans for the permits.
We are waiting for approval. We have found a contractor to do the work when the permit is issued.
We have the funding to repair 3, & 3a.
We do not have funding for 3b- the sunroom.This porch was added in 1907 and has been remodeled before. Luckily, this porch is only one story and not dependent on the original structure. This is where our store, restroom and the exit place for all our tours. Now, the windows frames on the west side are covered in plastic and installation of the windows need to wait until the funding is found. We need to replace the post and beam supports under the floor, reframe the walls and windows, repair the sliding glass barn door and make the restroom handicapped- accessible. We need your help to do this.
Existing Conditions
Project 3a.- our biggest concern.
This is where the sewer pipe comes down from the second story bathroom to ground level. For 40 years the connection to the ground lateral pipe was leaking. This has caused the soil to collapse and the mud sill and bricks to move. The pipe has been fixed but the damage has been done. The weight of the building has caused almost a 3-1/2" subsidence so far. We have researched leveling the building up 3.5" and learned that that process will damage the plaster, and the historic wallpapers and possibly pop out the windows. This will not comply with our mission, to do no harm. So, we are planning to replace the failing wood and bricks and re-support the building as it is, in place.
Project 3- Before
In March, 2025 we replaced the 40 year old jacks under the laundry room (indicated as #3 on the plan) with wood framing and drilled the sill plate and inserted a threaded rod which is epoxied in place. Turns out, the mudsill on the right was water damaged and had to be replaced.
Project 3 after
Below is the after picture. The bolts have been tightened down now.
Next, we need to replace the crumbling bricks and re point with line based mortar .
Can you see how the part of the 6"X6" corner support that was cut out? It was replaced with the exact piece (found on the floor) that had been cut out 40 years ago!
Before and after
