Adventures of Restoring a Home on Chambers Street one Room at a Time

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New Newburghers and urban pioneers are canvasing the entire landscape of the city. It is especially exciting when someone purchases a home in disrepair on a block that has yet to be pioneered. So is the case with Bob, who has been in love with this 1890’s Chambers Street house for quite some time. After a long and laborious process he finally closed on the home March 15. His first entry as a homeowner was on St. Patrick’s day for which he hangs his ancestors Irish flag.

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Bob is now tackling projects one at a time. One of the first projects was the bath. How amazing is it that he chose to restore this tub instead of throwing it in the garbage and buying a new one? He still has one more tub to go! He also started working on the tower bedroom.

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This is a before shot of the tower bedroom. As Bob said, he started by “concentrating on the one room over the last three weekends, first the ceiling painting, then the woodwork painting, then the wallpapering, then the furnishing, it’s like establishing a beachhead from which to launch the invasion further.  It’s a wonderful feeling to contemplate what I’ve managed in less than a month’s ownership.” Indeed it is amazing what he has accomplished in such a short period of time. Below are the beautiful after results.

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Lifting that heavy marble dresser up to the third floor was no easy task, but oh so worth it. Bob, with the help of his sister are working on other projects like the backyard, a creepy cellar, and scraping the floors. He plans on sharing more projects with Newburgh Restoration readers in hopes that his work will inspire others. Bob said it best, “Another property has gone from rental to owner occupied and that, I firmly believe, is the only way Newburgh is going to get back to where it should be.”

If you would like to share your home renovation adventures email me.

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6 Comment

  • Beautiful work…you must feel so proud!

  • wow that is looking so beautiful. and what in the world did Bob use on that tub to make it perfect like that?

  • I’m with Nina..That is an awesome tub….You can’t get them like that anymore.. Think it’s awesome that you kept it..

  • That house on Chambers is beautiful congratulations Bob I promise you will not be disappointed. A great investment, Chambers St is going through some major progress. I noticed 162 Chambers totally renovated for 135K, not a bad deal!

  • Per Bob- “My sister did the main work. She used Comet, mixed with Tilex and Chlorox Mold & Mildew and a scrub brush and lots of elbow grease. The Tilex and Chlorox product were bought at Target. I’m glad it’s getting a reaction! That tub is the symbol of my entire job at the house!”

  • THAT LOOKS SOOOO COOL! I want to live there!