Henry came into our lives very unexpectedly.
North, my Frank Lloyd Wright love affair… a tree house that brings the outside… in.
Then… there is Henry… the oops.
As I developed North, I neglected the reality of aging, and living on a second floor.
I assumed two small dumbwaiters would accommodate our living bounty (Costco/wine/dog food). I never considered the need for accommodating us.
It was our county building inspector who condemned one of our two stairways and flagged changes necessary in the other that initiated a difficult conversation between Kip and I. With our advancing age in the front view mirror… How do we get up into our treehouse if for physical reasons the stairs are not an option. This conversation caused a significant pause in our project.
Henry (the elevator) was conceived on Mother’s Day 2025.
Three weeks ago, the life of Henry began. It started with his anchor into the earth. In the area of the condemned stairway on the main floor, a 62″x73″ opening was cut into the concrete slab floor. Shovels were used to dig a 26″ pit . Five gallon buckets were used to remove the debris. It is not a common practice to incorporate an elevator into existing construction. We were fortunate that our current space could accommodate the required specifications.
Supporting rebar… preparing for concrete
the pour … 8″ deep with 8″ side walls.
Two (2), two-story rails were constructed to secure the hydraulic lifting system. Each column included glue laminated beams screwed and glued together to 2×6 wood inserts, to support a moving weight requirement of 3 ton.
The shaft, that houses Henry followed. The goal in this build is twofold: the rails perfectly aligned with no movement as the hydrolytic unit moves vertically 40′ per minute between floors, and a perfectly symmetrical two story shaft that never impedes the vertical operation of Henry getting us safely home.
… to be continued
“finishing North”
BEFORE: Old window: wood, single pane…installed 1970’s
I chose double hung, black vinyl with upper and lower snap-in grilles. I had never used “snap-in’s” because of the lack of authenticity. Over the past 10 years this concept has improved significantly so I chose to go this direction for two reasons: the ability to snap out the grilles for easy cleaning and the double hung window has an exterior screen. The screen shadows the way light filters into the window: creating an acceptable visual of true divided-light. 
The grilles are painted black on one side (outside) and white on the other.
These drawings outline the core of this project. They tell me what is….So, as I study what is…I can begin to envision what could be. As I study each drawing, I place myself into its “space”. All space must have purpose. I ask…. Is this space purposed correctly? Does this space need physical alterations to fully utilize its purpose? As my mind responds to these questions, cost is waving its red flag above my head. What are this projects’ priorities? What is the budget?
There is 2024sf of interior living space on two floors. The upper level is where you live: great room, fireplace, kitchen and bath.
The backside overlooks Pyramid Point and Good Harbor Bay.
is my “Frank Lloyd Wright”. So many of her”markings” reflect his philosophical belief : .A home is an extension of our earth… It should flow into “one”.
It has been 18 year’s since I have found an extraordinary “space”…where I fell immediately in love with its bones…Unexpectedly in May…one came into my life…in Leelanau…a touch of Frank Lloyd Wright.
"walk with Me"... 