Renovation Project at the Geneva History Museum
July 3, 2024 – Highlights from this week.
To make room for the elevator pit, the floor in the former men’s bathroom was removed.
Holes were cut into the walls of the Research Room, Photo Archives, and other rooms on the lower level for the heat pumps.
Framing started in the Hucker Gallery.
June 27 – There was a lot of activity at the museum this week. While work continued on the heat pump system, electricians spent this week tracing wires to coordinate the relocation of our electrical boxes.
In the gallery space outside the Research Room laminated beams were installed to support the first-floor joists and supporting wall for the stairs. This work became necessary to create an accessible passageway to the elevator.
June 21, 2024 – Demo of the museum’s lower level continued this week.
Lower Level of the Geneva History Museum, March 2024
Former Women’s Bathroom, June 2024
Lower Level of the Geneva History Museum, June 2024
Lower Level of the Geneva History Museum, June 21, 2024
June 14, 2024 – Demo of the lower level of the museum and installation of the heat pump system continued this week.
Exhibit space outside the Research Room.
Ceiling of the exhibit space outside the Research Room
Former men’s bathroom at the Geneva History Museum
Former women’s bathroom at the Geneva History Museum
Heat Pumps for first floor on the east side of the Geneva History Museum
June 7, 2024 – When you start a renovation project you never know what you may find… This week a chimney was found in the exhibit space outside the Research Room.
As part of the 1870 renovation of the house a 3-story bay was added to the north side of the building. This included a first-floor dining room (recently our Gift Shop) and rooms above and below it. A dumbwaiter connected the dining room to the basement. It was probably during this renovation that the kitchen was moved from its original location (our Research Room) to the north side of the basement. In moving the dining room, it made sense to move the kitchen closer to the dumbwaiter. Yet by the 1870s fireplace cooking had been replaced with a wood or coal burning cookstove. Could the cookstove have been vented up the chimney?
At some point in the late 20th century the basement was converted into an exhibit space. The chimney was painted white and enclosed behind a wall.
May 31, 2024 – Over the past two weeks the installation of the heat pump system and insulated distribution pipes has continued. The work has primarily been concentrated in the attic and second floor. Once completed the heating and cooling of the museum will be controlled in sections. The unit in the attic, for example, will serve the second floor.
Distribution pipes in the attic.
Distribution pipes in the attic.
Holes had to be cut for the distribution pipes. View of an office from the attic.
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