"The paint is almost non-existent. The tattered roof is partially covered by a tarp, which hasn't kept the rain out. The porte-cochere seems to be held in place by a wooden scaffold. Invasive vines have crept into the home through the windows," reports the Montgomery Advertiser ("Neighbors hope to save Madison Avenue mansion," by Allison Griffin). "But a group of neighbors, many of them experienced in restoring old homes - though never one on this scale - has stepped in to save this historic structure."
The effort called for some creative networking, starting with local real estate broker Cindy Keeping, who lives around the corner. After the owner approached Keeping about a possible sale, a core group of neighbors created an LLC to acquire and manage the property. Others have pledged to contribute labor instead of capital. The group has an action plan to address the worst issues, starting with the tarped-out, leaking roof. "Once the roof is stable, the work will focus on the other exterior problems, such as replacing patches of rotten wood siding, caulking and painting and replacing the window screens on both levels of the back porches," reports the Advertiser.
