Restoring
the Past
The Historic Everglades City Hall
Originally built
in 1928, the historic Everglades City Hall was almost completely
destroyed in 2005 by the ravages of Hurricane Wilma. In
the winter of 2006/2007, the once stately building was lovingly
restored to its majestic stature with funds raised by the
dedicated citizens of Everglades City, Florida.
Creative Tile
& Hardwood Floors of Naples and Sarasota, Florida was
commissioned to participate in the $3.5 million dollar restoration,
which not only required preserving the historic integrity
of the original building, but also bringing the facility
up to code and into the 21st century.
The challenge
was to find a durable and stable hardwood flooring that
would withstand the test of time and be as historically
accurate as possible, thus replicating the building’s
original pine flooring.
For this important
project, Creative Tile & Hardwood Floors selected a
natural, reclaimed Heart Pine flooring from Ua Floors’
Olde Charleston Collection, an expansive array of engineered
wood floors. The company specializes in woods that have
been salvaged from abandoned textile mills, distilleries
and warehouses.
The flooring
for the Everglades City Hall renovation came from a deserted
Cannon Towels factory in North Carolina and was hand-selected,
piece-by-piece, for its rich tonal quality, distinctive
graining and subtle nuances, all which were characteristic
of the building’s original wood flooring.
According to
Steve Agius, vice president and general manager of Creative
Tile & Hardwood Floors, and a 20-year veteran of the
hardwood flooring industry: “The beauty of using an
engineered wood flooring is that the planks are actually
built to endure extreme climatic variances such as humidity
and heat. In addition to its proven durability and flexibility,
engineered flooring tends to be more impact resistant and
comfortable to walk on or stand on for long periods of time.”
Utilizing an
engineered hardwood flooring, which consists of a thinly-cut
veneer of the original wood flooring, backed with multiple
layers of thicker marine-grade plywood, is also considered
to be environmentally responsible in terms of green building.
Since the original planks are being reused, or in “green
terms,” renewed, the end product is an authentic wood
floor that combines aged materials with new technology.
Because of its
environmental impact, green building, once thought to be
a trend, is no longer the exception, but rather the industry
standard for being the most appropriate and conscientious
way to build. Using recycled materials such as old flooring,
bricks and tiles in new construction and renovations is
fast becoming the only way to build.
“Using reclaimed
materials gives people a sense of security and a connection
to the past,” says Agius. “Over the past few
years, the popularity of using recycled hardwoods, which
are typically distressed and slightly marred, has grown.
“Flooring
can make a tremendous design statement and create an feeling
of comfort - both physically and emotionally - for the homeowner,
or in the case of commercial construction such as the Everglades
City Hall, the general public.”
Agius also notes
that in addition to the increasing popularity of using renewable
hardwood flooring, many manufacturers have begun to think
about the impact of the industry on the environment and
have begun to aggressively adapt eco-sustainable practices
and strict forestry management into their everyday business
acumen.
“The consequence
of preserving our forests is not a temporary way of thinking,”
notes Agius. “It doesn’t matter if the flooring
is being engineered from salvaged planks or directly milled
from the forest, it is our responsibility to constantly
think about the impact of our actions on the environment
and how we can positively effect the preservation and/or
regeneration of our natural resources.”
For more information,
or to schedule a private consultation, please call or stop-by
the Creative Tile & Hardwood Floors showroom in your
area.
Creative Tile
& Hardwood Floors
1853 Trade Center Way, Naples, FL 34109
239 513.0200
and
Creative Tile & Hardwood Floors
5678 Fruitville Road, Sarasota, FL 34232
941 724-0803
Written by Marla
J. Ottenstein
Photography by
Tom Harper Photography
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