Supporting the Cohen Bray House matters. ​

 

We had a successful year in 2024, due to a very large bequeathment, donations and your membership dues. We have been able to partially accomplish our fundraising goals to repair some of the failing parts of the original brick foundation, a crucial project we hope to complete in 2025. We are still in need of funding for this project, it is a major problem.

Unfortunately, time and decay have a head start and we are encountering its effects every day. See the sixteen photos at the bottom of this page that show you first-hand what the problems are. Unlike the other historic landmarks that are owned by public agencies or come with a large trust fund, we are supported by our membership and gifts from thoughtful people like you! We are eligible for grants and have received them in the past.

The sun porch is used for our education projects and our small gift shop. It has the only bathroom on the main floor. We need funding to replace the foundation of this room! We need funding to re-frame two walls, the wood and windows damaged by water, to secure them for the future:

• Repairing and replacing the south wall and windows—adding window sills so water damage doesn't recur

• Repairing parts of the sun porch floor

• Making the restroom ADA compliant

• Rebuilding the sliding barn-door windows and supports

• Rebuilding the west wall so we can install the rebuilt sun porch windows.

We need talented people to help. We are looking for grant writers, craftsmen and project managers to join our board or just offer to help in the process. All contributions/donations help. Together we can maintain this house for the future. We have no paid staff. Your donation goes directly into maintaining the house, gardens and workshop in the back.

​

Here is  a list of small projects/repairs that you can donate toward, followed by a list of the large projects. We hope you can help by adopting a project with a donation of any amount. 

​

WISH LIST: Small items that will make a difference

​​​

• Repairing the grandfather clock in the front hall

• Repairing the clock on the mantle in the library

• Reupholstering chairs in the Craftsman room, allowing us to hold more events in that room

• Holding a private dinner party or tea party for your friends in the house

• Assisting with the effort and the cost of the NEW “Celebrate Preservation & Restoration” event in the back yard. Here we will have restoration and preservation professionals—Artistic License Guild and historic trades people will provide lectures, workshops, and demonstrations. We will teach community members interested in learning historic restoration skills to care for their old homes properly. The fees from these workshops helps our long-term goal of creating an apprenticeship program and pairing interested people with retired craftspeople, using our facilities for restoration and preservation education.

​

Funding is needed for these other  large projects described below (we are currently waiting for the quotes from the contractors to update these numbers).​​​

Painting main house—The house has not been painted for over 50 years. The deterioration of the unprotected wood is everywhere:

• Repairing exterior woodwork and trim in preparation for painting: $5,000–$15,000

• Painting the outside of the house to protect the exterior from the weather: $25,000–$60,000
  ​

The house has survived major earthquakes since its construction, but time and a wet forecast are not on our side. These additional jobs need to be done:​

•    Clean-up and encapsulation under the house for moisture control         

•    Tie in major walls to future foundation

•    Replace portions of subsided existing brick foundation