Downtown Facades

As many of you know, some of the best things that come from building and remodeling are the stories and history that surface during construction. As construction progresses, stories unfold of what the building used to be, who owned it, events that took place at that site, and what lies beneath each layer. In talking with Jim “Pep” Peplinski, even some of Gregory’s most recent downtown Bay City façade projects have unlocked some neat history.

One of the most recent Bay City façade renovations was the office of Smith, Martin, Powers & Knier Attorneys at Law. The building originally served as Davidson Bank back in the 1920s and 1930s. At the beginning of the Great Depression, the bank was going under and, unlike many banks, was able to pay people off in cash. As shown in the photo to the right, people came in masses to salvage what money they could.

At some point over the building’s lifetime, the second story windows were removed as well as the four columns in the front. As part of the façade renovation, Gregory crews restored the windows on the second floor to replicate the original windows. The four columns in the front of the building were unable to be restored as two of them are missing and the other two are currently part of a residential home.

This is just one of three downtown Bay City facades Gregory has completed in the past four months. Others include the Commerce One Building and the Citizens Bank Building on Washington Avenue. All three buildings were remodeled and covered in E.I.F.S. (Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems), a synthetic stucco. E.I.F.S. not only provides insulation and weatherproofing, but it is also easily carved into shapes for decorative edges and details; perfect for restoration projects. Congratulations to each team member on a job well done.

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