Tag: Lehigh Valley

4/4 Architecture is located in Bethlehem, which is part of the Lehigh Valley. Many of our projects are also within this region. While a majority of our portfolio is made up of Lehigh Valley projects, 4/4 Architecture has also worked with clients all across the Tri-State area.

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It Was ‘Destiny’

When You Open a New Business, Don’t Let the Bumps Knock You Off the Road

New Business - Destiny Nail Salon's grand opening in 2020
Dina Iley (right) with one of Destiny Nail Salon’s first customers. Dina and husband John Iley had the courage to open a new business in the age of Coronavirus.

Destiny Nail Salon | Clients: Dina and John Iley

Are you getting ready to open a new business? In early 2020, so were Dina and John Iley. For Destiny Nail Salon, Dina had the pedicure chairs all picked out even before she and husband John found a space to open such a new business. She knew the decor, the functional requirements, had chosen the color scheme. She and John, who gets up early for his job each day, felt it would be good for their family and give them flexibility. They had the finances managed down to a T. A family member recommended Gary to Dina and John when they needed an architect. Despite the best made plans, though, the couple still had a few bumps in the road ahead of them because of world events that spring. It’s important not to let those bumps knock you off the road to opening your own business.

What the couple had not anticipated was the local building code requires a special level of ventilation for nail salons. This was news because Dina had worked in many salons and none had special ventilation. They initially wanted to skip it but we connected them with our mechanical engineer to get the job done right, from the start. Anything else means delays, do-overs, and dollars. 

As the April 2020 grand opening neared for the new business, so did something else: Coronavirus. The month slated for Destiny Nail Salon to open would go down in history for the pandemic that shut down the economy. The shutdown impacted salons more than most businesses. Most of the population went around for months in need of haircuts and nail care.

By early June, the state of Pennsylvania loosened restrictions, but Dina and John still couldn’t plan their Grand Opening — they didn’t know when the governor would allow salons to open. After that finally happened, on Friday, June 26, John and Dina opened the doors of Destiny Nail Salon at 348 Main Street in Emmaus, phone number 267.977.2429. That morning, they welcomed their first customers. 

We visited the following Sunday during the Emmaus Farmer’s Market. The shop faces the Triangle and the sidewalks were full, with people stopping in to find out more. “I didn’t even know there was a nail salon here,” one woman said as she picked up the brochure.

“There wasn’t, until this past Friday!” came the answer. Looking back, what seemed to take forever, generating more than a few sleeplesss nights, now seems to have gone quickly. The results are better than the couple envisioned. But Dina and John knew from the start that it would be — after all, it was Destiny.

If you need design help or construction drawings to turn your dreams into reality, contact us at gary@44architecture.com.

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Historic Farmhouse Preservation

Historic Farmhouse Diagram

‘What will it take to make this building usable?’

Unlock the front door of a home being considered for historic preservation and you open a view to layers of history. I’ve seen some doors chained shut with padlocks and others boarded up with hammer and nails. This Historic Farmhouse could still be opened with a key, though, a good sign. It stands on an attractive site, at the far end of a subdivision and adjacent to a stream. The backyard is even on a trail where I like to go for bike rides with my sons. But on that, my first visit to the Farmhouse, my purpose was to determine: What will it take to make this building usable?

As a first step, I examine and document existing conditions, including: Site conditions. Building envelope (exterior) and structure. Accessibility. Major systems like mechanical, electrical and plumbing. So I got started.

The exterior of the Farmhouse hides its promise behind boarded up windows. Inside, solid timbers supporting the floor and roof were visible. Some even had family names and dates written on them. The house dates all the way back to the early 1800s.

Layers of history on display

Renovations were done now and then over the years. The first and second floor reveal the hand of someone who had tried to redecorate in a contemporary 1940s fashion. These modifications were fashionable for only a short time, yet here were layers of history on display. Overall, the place conveys a feeling of opulence, now faded.

More significant for today’s purpose, though, would be what the building could offer new occupants. Unusual for an old homestead, the room size and ceiling height seemed generous.

The basement and attic revealed the “bones,” still strong. This is probably a result of the quality and size of the timber framing and because it has been kept dry through the past 200 years. That’s no small feat.

It was evident the roof can stay. Notably, even though it is slate, it is probably not original. Pine decking above the timbers suggests the Farmhouse originally had wood shingles.

The Farmhouse was built well before modern plumbing. Later owners must have decided that a bathroom would be more important than a formal front entrance because the space is now occupied by a powder room, a lamentable choice. Probably these same owners also put ductwork though the front entrance to heat the house.

Goals for the historic preservation

When you approach historic preservation, it’s important to identify the goals upfront. These could range from just making the space usable to fully restoring the building to its original historic period — though usually with modern systems.

In my role on the South Bethlehem Historic Review Board, I’ve seen most owners opt for the former. Rather than restoration, they want spaces that are comfortable and practical for today’s uses. Likewise, the Township of Whitehall’s charge for this Farmhouse is to determine the cost of making the building usable in order to make an informed decision on what to do with the property.

To keep everybody on the same page, we get specific about what this means. For starters in this case, usable means everything is in good repair, signs and causes of mildew and water damage are addressed, and specific systems are updated and working properly.

Moving the project forward

The good news is that the Farmhouse appears structurally sound. The Township is considering the report on existing conditions and will decide how to move forward.

From there on out, good communication helps the project flow smoothly. Almost any project involves agencies and engineers, departments and contractors who need to be part of the conversation. In addition to design work and construction drawings, the architect has a central project management role in bringing a historic preservation project to fruition.

There will still be many decisions to be made. An example in this case: Next to the house is what is believed to be a mid-1700s domicile that later became a summer kitchen. While it’s easy to look back and be fascinated, it’s at least as important to look forward toward new uses.

If you’d like to determine the potential of your historic building, contact me at gary@44architecture.com.