The garage space—a 25-by-45-foot area fronted by four garage doors—had an 11-foot ceiling and no interior walls. Originally home to a sugar baron's Model Ts, it was lined with structural white-glazed brick, and its oil-stained concrete floor came complete with a mechanic's pit.
But the couple already knew what they wanted it to look like: One bay would hold the kitchen, the next a casual dining area, and the last two a sitting area with a new wood-burning fireplace.
But first contractor Wayne Eberle had to jackhammer up the floor and pour a new concrete slab, filling in the pit. This allowed him to replace the old galvanized and cast-iron pipes with copper and PVC. Changing the plumbing also gave them a chance to switch from the old, bulky radiators to a radiant-floor heating system.
A herringbone oak flooring and vintage-style light fixtures refined the space. The garage door openings were filled with French doors and transoms that now open onto a gravel courtyard, and drafty double-hung windows were replaced with energy-efficient models that match the originals in style.
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