A Little piece of Paradise… College Hill, Ohio - SELFCRAFT

The new building was designed in a T-shape of the most fire proof materials available; there are nowooden floors or stairways, the roof when built was of red tile and iron, the outer walls of buff brick thathas been vitrified. Even the interior partition walls were of hollow tile. Designed to house 300 peoplewhen the entire building was completed, “...the watchwords of the Building Committee were Simplicity,Symmetry, Capacity, Security, Durability, Adaptability and Comfort.” The plans called for the latest inconvenience: elevators, steam heat, steam laundry and electricity. The projected building costs were$200,000. After all the funds were secured, architect and supervising architect, Samuel Hannafordprovided the structure plans gratis as his personal contribution. This may have been the last building hepersonally participated in.Twin Towers has a comprehensive archive on the building’s history. The following is a letter fromSamuel Hannaford showing his involvement in the building:April 8 1905 Winton Place O.My dear Mr. WilsonIn reply to your inquiry regarding the progress of the Home for the Aged. I can state that forthe last three weeks the work has been on the market. We have received bids by departments, and as anentirety, or lump bids. We have also had bidders from abroad, that is from reliable contractors fromother parts of the State, as this was deemed advisable by the Building Com. And we consider that we havethoroughly sounded the building market with the following result. The lowest estimate, based upon acombination of the lowest department bids, amounted to the sum of $131,548. for both buildings.The lowest lump bid, all the work going to one bidder, is that of “Hazen & Co.” for the sum of$131,273. or $275. below the combination estimate.This is remarkably close bidding considering the magnitude of the work, and may be regarded as aclean competition without any collusion or attempted fraud.I may state that the above figures do not include all the items, as for instance the facing brick is beingfurnished by the Trustees. The same being mostly on the ground. Then again Mr. Weakley has receivedseveral thousand common brick as donations-these to be used by the Contractor and paid for by him atcurrent market rates.Neither does it include the “roofing tile” which is donated by the “National Roofing Tile Co.” ofLima, Ohio. (I think that is the name of the Co.)In regard to the plumbing-it has been determined to have this done by The Gibson Co. on the basisof 10/100 profit.The heating also is outside of the contract.As you are aware the letting of the contracts was postponed last summer in hopes of more favorableprices but this has proved a disappointment (sic). There has been no decline in prices-indeed an advancebutvery slight. Our building demand, that is Cincinnati, has held its flood height in a remarkablemanner; indeed the building permits of February and March 1905 far exceed in number & value those oflast year. It is one of a half dozen cities in the country in which this is the case.In regard to the North wing. The cost will exceed slightly the sum of $60,000. I have not the amt. ofthis separate estimate with me. I regret this but it is impossible to exactly gauge the building market inthese days. If you desire the exact statement of the expenditures to date and the figures of the lowest bidon the North wing I can furnish them early next week.In conclusion I would state that it is intended to award the contracts immediately, to that end I havean engagement with Hazen on the ground on Monday 10 th inst. to look over the site. That there may be athorough understanding of the condition of the buildings and the work to be done.I have been on the site several times within a month. My latest visit being on Thursday 6 inst.Everything is in good condition and has passed through the winter without damage from frost or weather.As you may be aware I had the walls well covered with tarred paper last fall. The retaining wall is alsoingood condition. There is a slight amount of grading to be done. We hope to begin the same immediately.The main driveway I propose to macadam as soon as the grade of same is fully made. This driveway willbe about 600 feet long & 20 feet wide. We also propose to build a parapet wall about 3’0” high the entire156