Restoring the Wilson residence turned into a lengthy labor of love for Mr. Carr, a longtime U.S. history buff who bought it in 2003 for about $2.1 million.
The house had remained vacant for two years and gone through 19 owners since Woodrow and Ellen Wilson left. 'There was very little preserved,' he said.
威爾遜夫婦搬走后,這座房子空置了兩年,之后又19次易主??栒f:“保存下來的東西少之又少?!?/div>
Mr. Carr wanted to recapture much of the house's original character and update its amenities. His efforts were guided in part by his review of Wilson's correspondence about the home's construction. The renovation cost more than $7 million and lasted until spring 2007.
卡爾想重現這幢房屋最初的風貌,并對其設施進行更新。他研讀了威爾遜有關建房的信件,將其作為指導房屋修繕的部分依據。房屋翻修耗資逾700萬美元,一直持續到2007年春季。
'There was no budget and no time restrictions,'' Mr. Carr said. 'It seemed like the right thing to do as the custodian of a bit of history.'
卡爾表示:“這項工程沒有預算和時間限制,感覺自己是歷史的守護者,在做一件正確的事情。”
Except for a new solarium, the three-story residence with pale-lemon stucco walls looks from the outside as it did 110 years ago. Mr. Carr even pulled up the concrete circle driveway and replaced it with the type of red stones used by the Wilsons.
除一個新建的日光浴室外,這幢有著淡檸檬黃灰泥 的三層住宅從外面看起來和110年前沒有區別??柹踔羚P除了一個混凝土環形車道,換成了威爾遜當年使用的那種紅色石頭。
While showing a visitor around, Mr. Carr paused in the unusual foyer with a fireplace where Mr. Wilson, a Princeton University professor, often taught his students as a fire roared. To restore the foyer to its original condition, contractors disassembled, structurally reinforced and reassembled the room using the same individual pieces of vertical-grain fir.
在帶領一名訪客四處參觀時,卡爾在一間不同尋常的門廳里停下了腳步,門廳里有一個壁爐,威爾遜在普林斯頓大學(Princeton University)做教授時,常在熊熊燃燒的壁爐邊給學生講課。為了讓門廳還原成最初的樣子,承包商對房間進行了拆卸,并使用相同的縱切紋杉木進行結構加固和重新組裝。
'This room and the ceiling are exactly the way they were when Woodrow Wilson lived here,'' the chief executive said.
這位首席執行長說:“這個房間和天花板與威爾遜住在這里時一模一樣?!?/div>
Despite his attention to detail, Mr. Carr worries about Princeton's proposed creation of a historic district that would cover the Wilson home. 'People tell you if you can paint your house,'' he said. 'It may not help the resale value.'' He and other disgruntled owners wrote a letter protesting that the district would 'significantly chill the market for owning and investing in these homes.''
盡管卡爾對細節一絲不茍,他還是擔心普林斯頓一項設立歷史街區的提議,該街區會將威爾遜故居囊括在內。他說:“這樣一來,你要經過允許才能粉刷房子,這對提高房屋轉售價值可能沒有好處。”他和其他持不滿態度的房主寫信抗議此項提議,認為設立歷史街區會“導致這類住房的購置和投資市場顯著降溫”。
Princeton officials declined to comment, but in a September report recommending creation of the district, the town's Historic Preservation Review Committee said supporters cited studies showing 'a positive effect of historic districting on property values.''
普林斯頓的官員拒絕就此置評,但當地的古跡保護審議委員會(Historic Preservation Review Committee) 9月份發布了一份建議創建歷史街區的報告,報告援引支持者的話稱,研究顯示“設立歷史街區對房地產價值有提振效果”。
Meanwhile, the executive loves to celebrate his home's famous former owner. He threw a 150th birthday party for the former president at his home in December 2006. He gives talks about Mr. Wilson's life at local schools. And in October, he hosted a centennial celebration of President Wilson's election. As an extra treat, his 530 guests could view a newly framed note in Mrs. Wilson's handwriting that restoration workers found behind a fireplace frame.
與此同時,卡爾也愛通過活動紀念這棟房子的前主人。2006年12月,他在家里舉辦了一場前總統誕辰150周年紀念派對。他在當地的學校里做講座,介紹威爾遜的生平。今年10月份,他主辦了紀念威爾遜當選總統百周年慶典。他的530名來賓還享受了一項額外款待,他們看到一個剛裝裱起來的威爾遜夫人手寫便箋,這是房屋修繕工人在壁爐架后面發現的。
'It's a privilege to live in a house like this,'' Mr. Carr said.
卡爾說:“能住在這樣的房子里實屬幸事。”
來源:可可英語 http://www.ccdyzl.cn/read/201212/212949.shtml