Gazette newspaper home undergoing repairs
Gazette newspaper home undergoing repairs
By ALLAN TINKER
The old, familiar glass-face of the Gazette building in McClusky has been repaired and altered. The large windows, which were neither safety glass nor very energy efficient, have been replaced with “Pella” brand windows with enclosed blinds and reflective glass and good insulation.
Another major repair was to the brick and metal front sections, as well as an earlier repair to the front door. The door now has a super-strength closing device that makes it much safer and convenient for customers to enter and exit the building. The removal of one of the three doors and replacement of an inner door should make access much easier for older individuals or anyone carrying a parcel.
The metal front, which included the high false front that used to hold signage, leaked with nearly every bit of precipitation that fell in McClusky. The leaks were ruining both the ceiling and the floor beneath and rendered the space unusable for many years. The leaks have been sealed and the ceiling and floor are also undergoing repair so that the area will be useful. The energy savings should also help the ‘green’ part of the current stimulus package efforts to limit waste and increase productivity in the North Dakota and national economies.
An interior wall that was installed many years ago to provide some relief from the cold and hot extremes of North Dakota weather was also removed, restoring more of the natural light to the front office space.
Other repairs were made when the building was first acquired by Brian Tinker in 2002. At that time, the back stairway was muddy and unstable, with the rain and snow melt water seeping into the basement. A water break in the city had filled the basement at one time with nearly floor deep water, adding to the destruction of everything stored in the basement.
