Getting Grounded

The back room of the Cheney Cottage hovering above its new foundation

The Cheney Cottage has a beautiful new foundation. The house isn't sitting on it yet, but the foundation is there.

Looking at the Cheney Cottage is a bit like looking at one of those Time-Life diagrams of how a house is put together - it's kind of the "exploded view". The new foundation is in place, then 4 feet above it hovers the first floor, and two feet above that floats the second floor. The pieces are all there - they just aren't together.

This week, Eric and his crew will build the walls on top of the foundation that support the house. Then Phil will come back on Thursday to gently lower the first floor down onto the walls, and the first floor will finally come to rest on its new foundation. Then Phil will begin work on lining up and lowering the second floor onto the first.,

Soon the Cheney Cottage will be done moving, and will be ready to face another 100 years in its new location on 62nd Street.

The east side of the Cheney Cottage, with its new foundation and the cribbing that supports the second floor