SDF Properties LLC - Ramsey Building Rehab

06/17/2022

12/23/2020

A quick sneak peak...so the floors are done. Here’s a peak at the main floors after they were sanded. They took a lot of work, but they look great! I’ll get some finished ones up after the first of the year, maybe. They’re all covered for protection now.

09/17/2020

So it has been a LONG time since I last posted an update on work at the building. So long that I am going to break this up into several posts. The first one is of where things stood in May. At that time Absolute Construction & Home Repair had completed the framing & blocking for both the upper and lower floors, as well as the steps and deck for the entrances to the upper apartments (minus the final deck boards and railings). Their crew stayed on the job through the entire COVID-19 lockdown period. The subs also finished up the plumbing and electrical rough-in. On May 1, the drywall for the building was delivered and starting the next week they had the drywall up for the entire building. The final touches the the rear roof membrane were also completed in late April. That same month was also when the new window and door openings were cut into the west brick wall. March, April and May were very busy!

03/04/2020

So, did anyone notice something different in this picture? A cloudy day would give better light for this picture, but we’re happy to have the heat & sun! Speaking of light, there’s a lot more inside now!

I’ve told people there was stuff going on inside, now you can see for yourself. Thanks to Jake Snider and his crew at Absolute Construction & Home Repair. They’ve stuck with it throughout the cold of winter and other challenges and things are really starting to take shape!

02/23/2020

So people have asked...what's going on with the building? Well, there's a lot going on, you just can't see it from the outside. During the past 2 months, subcontractors have been busy on the heating/cooling, plumbing and electrical systems. When the weather improves, you'll see some more activity outside again. The footings have already been poured for the steps & deck that will lead to the apartments on the second floor. So, there's a lot going on, just that most of it is inside! We'll get some updated pictures up soon!

11/27/2019

So we were mentioned on the page for the State Historical Society of Iowa for the work we are doing on the Ramsey Building here in Keota!

10/06/2019

The Full Story of the Ramsey Building - So this week is going to be a big week in the Ramsey rehabilitation project. We will be starting the removal of the deteriorated 2nd floor roof and replacing the structure with new trusses. The exact day and time will be dependent upon the weather and how advanced preparations go, but will certainly start by mid-week.

So many of you took the opportunity to review the description of the building at the time it was nominated for the National Register of Historic Places. Facebook's posting options don't lend themselves to longer posts, so we haven't posted the full story of the Ramsey building here. However, in the words of Buffalo (Bob Flynn, my grandfather to those that didn't know him) "Boy, ya gotta put a good story with it" if you want people to remember your message. Well, the Ramsey building has a pretty good story, or so we think. A link to the full story in the National Register application can be found here:

https://www.keotalaw.com/userfiles/National_Register_Application.pdf

Just to warn you, it is a long and detailed account. That document includes lots of references to the various businesses that operated out of the Ramsey Building and sets out its full history as we have been informed. I'd be curious to find out how far back people remember those businesses being located there. This building has ties to one of the families tied to the earliest days of Keota, Iowa. The story will tell you why the name "Marsh" appears above the front door and how that name is tied to the Powell Funeral Home in Keota.

Sadly, as it is located on the south side of the street, there are few pictures of the outside of the building as the south side of the street didn't get as good of light as the north side of the street. There are many more pictures of the north side.
There are even fewer pictures of the interior of the building, whether from modern or early days. We've followed up with all living former owners and none have pictures of the building from their days associated with it.

For those that are not connected, you can also find a hard copy at the Wilson Memorial Library in Keota in their Keota section.

We are interested in hearing your thoughts about the Ramsey Building story and the work to the building. We are excited with the progress to date and look forward to pressing on!

09/23/2019

So why is the Ramsey Building significant? Perhaps a look at the National Register Application would help you understand this and how the Ramsey Building fits within the early history of Keota. We hope this helps you see this building matters and why it is an important part of Keota's past (and the future too, we hope).

09/22/2019

So for those that saw the storefront open a few weeks ago, the plan is to restore the large windowed front on the building. To give you an idea of what that may look like. Take a look at this photo postcard of the south side of Broadway circa late 20s or early 30s.

09/20/2019

Our project is underway! We will post updates from time to time. Checkout our progress!

09/20/2019

So people have been asking how our little project has been going. We’ve gotten a great start on the historic rehabilitation of the Ramsey Building in the middle of downtown Keota, IA. Jake Snider and his crew with Absolute Construction & Home Repair, are the general contractor on the project.