Eshaver Posted January 20, 2019 Share Posted January 20, 2019 In the 1920's , 937 W Grace in Richmond Virginia was known as Paul's Sandwiches . . Actually, the building dates back into the 1880's . The origins of a retail sandwich shop go back at least to the 1930's . The Saint Luke's hospital was on an adjacent corner and it's known hospital staff ate there had a beer. Now the hospital was razed in the late 1960's . Still, Pauls which had become the Village Restaurant in the mid 1950's had been owned by Greek immigrant , Steve Dikos . Meanwhile a few of Paul's relatives remained on as occupants living upstairs on the second and third floor . Because of the proximity of the village being a block away from the campus of Richmond professional Institute college , the Village was a natural hangout for students who went there primarily as a result of RPI's extensive art program . This is where the author , yers truly enters the scene ! I began my tour as a freshman Night school student studying print Medea . I was minoring in the School of business as an advertising student and learning the ropes of becoming a advertising writer . Now I was building plastic model cars as you all were . I also had dreams of doing dioramas , but that wouldn't become evident until the 1980's . This is the first of three buildings that lined West Grace street by 1968. The Village was the first . I'll follow with a frontage vignette of a bar known as The Stone lion , formerly Eton's and a scale model of one of the former Toddle House Restaurant's . Together , these will comprise a historical look back into Richmond Virginia's underbelly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbowser Posted January 21, 2019 Share Posted January 21, 2019 Watching with interest! Those old brick buildings are very attractive to my eye, my grandpa was a brick mason so that may have something to do with it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gramps46 Posted January 21, 2019 Share Posted January 21, 2019 Ellen, I like seeing your historical buildings and having the background history on them. I will be following. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misterNNL Posted January 21, 2019 Share Posted January 21, 2019 Another massive project underway by a diorama master builder. I'll be following along for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyjim Posted January 21, 2019 Share Posted January 21, 2019 This should be interesting to follow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red318 Posted January 21, 2019 Share Posted January 21, 2019 Following with interest. As a European these American buildings with narrow frontages that run a long way back look very strangely proportioned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eshaver Posted January 21, 2019 Author Share Posted January 21, 2019 41 minutes ago, Red318 said: Following with interest. As a European these American buildings with narrow frontages that run a long way back look very strangely proportioned. David , I agree . Generally speaking , the outside walls were usually three and four courses thick. The wood in these building was usually made using Band saws and as such , a 2 X 4 was indeed , 2inches by 4 inches Years back , I did a lot of maintenance in this building overhauling worn out refrigeration in the basement . I was surprised when I discovered the remnants of Ice cream making machinery still in place . it seems Steve Dikos who took over the business from Paul had no interest in making ice cream . Steve's specialty was Greek food . In the succeeding years , his wife Stella has become a city wide chief in her own right Her son in law , Nick Stavros who bought Joe 's Inn in Richmond Virginia . This place too quickly became an icon . I'm proud to be doing my part to try and preserve this small portion of RVA history because the current administration of Virginia seems to be on a raze and build tangent . They have come in , wiped out countless turn of the century buildings and replaced them with Dryvitt wall attached to metal stud monstrosities without any character at all . The fact that the Dikos children were able to wrench the former restaurant away from the developers who wanted to tear down this building to me are nothing short of miracle workers ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eshaver Posted January 28, 2019 Author Share Posted January 28, 2019 Dealing with old building permits can be a chore , especially when additions were added and no one has the complete sets of drawings . I'm dill on the top second floor of the building trying to re create the molding on the Turret roof here . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dptydawg Posted February 1, 2019 Share Posted February 1, 2019 I like where you're going with this project. Will the dome shell get a glass resin overcoat? Its looking good Carl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Van Posted February 1, 2019 Share Posted February 1, 2019 WOW!!!! What a project!!! I am a model railroader and build structures.....this is a great project...nice work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eshaver Posted February 2, 2019 Author Share Posted February 2, 2019 2 hours ago, dptydawg said: I like where you're going with this project. Will the dome shell get a glass resin overcoat? Its looking good Carl Carl, I just got a delivery of half scale shingles this afternoon ! In addition , there is a small fence that adorns the second floor . I'll get going on these two projects this evening and hopefully have some fresh photos to share by Sunday afternoon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belugawrx Posted February 2, 2019 Share Posted February 2, 2019 E ! you got a Wip going !! Loved the coffee shoppe,..will be following this one for sure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eshaver Posted February 2, 2019 Author Share Posted February 2, 2019 Bruce , this restaurant was where Bruce Springsteen , Robin Thompson and I used to sit and have beers and subs together at . Yes, he moved to Richmond from New Jersey and formed a band known as Child . I had a part time job writing commercials and on the side , i built P A cabinets . The actual building we knew as the Village ceased being the Village in 1995. The booths moved across the street and the building was more or less vacant and the former leesor's children actually bought the building , thus saving it from the Pac man claws of Virginia Commonwealth university which has put in place another BODACIOUS GAUDY structure across the street known as housing . This building along with two other buildings VCU has already turned into dust will be saved , but in 1-24th scale . These models will go to the Valentine History center on the Medical campus of Virginia Commonwealth hopefully for a 2020 exhibit opening . it is my objective to showcase Richmond Virginia's 900- 1000 blocks of Richmond Va in 1968 ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eshaver Posted February 2, 2019 Author Share Posted February 2, 2019 My vendor is feverishly working with me as I have placed a large wood order on her . Lo an behold , I'm able to get real close on the fence posts on the second floor fence railing and 100% on the moldings on the st floor , whoopie ! Would ya'all believe this is a full bag of "Half scale shingles ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
echo Posted February 5, 2019 Share Posted February 5, 2019 Your work is very nice, one can tell you have a connection with your subjects. It should be beautiful when done. Lots of effort in the build. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eshaver Posted February 5, 2019 Author Share Posted February 5, 2019 6 hours ago, echo said: Your work is very nice, one can tell you have a connection with your subjects. It should be beautiful when done. Lots of effort in the build. I won't touch a project if I don't have appreciation for it . I did commercial work for several other state historical societies over the years . This building will actually be a part of a larger exhibit at Richmond Virginia's Valentine History center Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eshaver Posted February 9, 2019 Author Share Posted February 9, 2019 I'm finally making all the corrections on the lower front . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misterNNL Posted February 10, 2019 Share Posted February 10, 2019 Ellen, maybe I am looking at this from an odd angle but the tower section your structure seems to be leaning backward at an odd angle. The porch section appears to be warped just below the tower as well. Are these issues you are planning on addressing or am I looking at it incorrectly? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eshaver Posted February 11, 2019 Author Share Posted February 11, 2019 1 hour ago, misterNNL said: Ellen, maybe I am looking at this from an odd angle but the tower section your structure seems to be leaning backward at an odd angle. The porch section appears to be warped just below the tower as well. Are these issues you are planning on addressing or am I looking at it incorrectly? Yes , the Turret leans as it's just stuck in place currently . It will be fixed as soon as I complete the front . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eshaver Posted February 14, 2019 Author Share Posted February 14, 2019 (edited) A lil more progress at the Village diorama I'm plugging away on ..... I'm finally becoming satisfied with the front . By the way , my son did the "Art work" to re create the green shaded transom window work Edited February 17, 2019 by Eshaver Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eshaver Posted February 17, 2019 Author Share Posted February 17, 2019 Looking back to vintage shots of the Village , one can see where the exterior Trim was either unpainted , or painted Black or in some cases White It wasn't until Steve turned over the operations to Mike Fleck ,about 1991, did exterior changes get made . My intention is to make this a tribute to Steve Dikos . or 1968 .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Hamilton Posted February 20, 2019 Share Posted February 20, 2019 Stunning work Ellen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eshaver Posted February 20, 2019 Author Share Posted February 20, 2019 Thanks Ron. I'm waiting on supplies again . I'll post something when I get materials to work with Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eshaver Posted February 27, 2019 Author Share Posted February 27, 2019 I've decided to make it to where the building can be shown without the front window . This will allow visitors to see the Upside down Christmas tree, food platters the owner had suspended off the ceiling that patrons comment on even today ! With anything needed to complete the front , I'm now spending time making fireplace chimneys on the side . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flat32 Posted February 27, 2019 Share Posted February 27, 2019 You know that bell shaped roof armature could very easily be cut from a styrofoam block rotated on a turntable or even on a nail using a hand held hot wire cutter clamped to a support. Rudimentary lathe, change wire position as needed. Narrower strips of smaller shingles (like in the reference photo) would conform easier and the slit masking tape need only be just a bit wider than the exposed shingles, I assume those shingles are tape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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