Go!

Friday was the day when the house first began to move, by coming off the foundation and sliding back. Here are some pictures as the Cheney Cottage first started moving off the site where it had been since 1902.

The first floor begins to slide out from under the second floor, which is suspended 15 feet up on cribbing

The first floor has been pulled back about half way.

Another view as the first floor slides back.

More progress

Tom stands in front of the remains of the chimney, with the second floor overhead

The first floor front windows, underneath the second floor back bedroom.

The first floor is almost out from under the second floor.

The first floor is off the site, sitting on the parking lot, waiting to be put on dollies.

Phil and his crew start the slow process of lowering the second floor down to the ground.

Today, the first floor is being loaded onto dollies, and the second floor is being lowered down. Then Sunday morning at 5 AM, the first floor will be hooked up to a truck and towed down to Albany Village. The dollies will be removed from the first floor, and hauled back up to 2243 College. On Monday and Tuesday, the second floor will be loaded onto dollies, and at 6 PM on Tuesday, the second floor begins the trip down to Albany Village. By Tuesday evening, the Cheney Cottage will be in Albany.

The trip from 2243 College to Monroe Street in Albany is somewhat nerve wracking. First, the house has to climb up the hill to Gayley, then make the turn onto Bancroft. On Bancroft, there is a point where a temporary construction sidewalk blocks part of the street. We measured, and the eaves for the second floor will clear the top of the sidewalk enclosure by about 3 inches. The house then continues down to Shattuck Avenue, turns right, and goes down to University (on one block, we'll have to go into oncoming traffic to avoid a narrow squeeze between two traffic signals). Then we turn onto University, and we should have smooth sailing down University and down 6th Street. Finally, we turn onto Harrison for one block (which will be tight) and then a left onto 8th, and down into Albany Village.

We hope that we'll be able to sleep well on Tuesday night, with both pieces of the Cheney Cottage safely in Albany Village.