What Can You Do With A Historic House?

CARMEL, Calif. - June 10, 2013 - PRLog -- Ocean Woodworks (www.oceanwoodworks.com) will be holding a free seminar and demo presented by Brian Congleton, AIA, an award-winning Carmel architect, and Deven Finnie, Operations Manager and Robert Grummons, Projects Manager of Ocean Woodworks. Their presentation will be: ”What Can You Do With A Historic House?” at Homescapes Carmel, located in the lower level of the Carmel Plaza (Northwest corner of 7th & Junipero in Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA) on Wednesday, June 26th  from 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM with light refreshments. For more information and to RSVP, please call (831) 899-9055.  

Brian Congleton received his Bachelor of Architecture Degree from the University of Colorado in 1970.  He was licensed in Colorado as an Architect in 1974.  Following nine years of practice in Denver, he relocated his office to the Monterey Peninsula of California and obtained his California Architect license in 1985.

During twenty seven years of practice in California, Brian has designed commercial and office projects, college campuses, multifamily housing, and renovation of existing and historic properties.  Project Master Plans have been prepared for the cities of Carmel (Forest Theater, Scout House), and Marina (Fort Ord Barracks Adaptive Reuse Project), as well as Marina Coast Water District and several Non-profit organizations.  

A resident of the Carmel area, Brian has become involved in community design and planning issues.  Following three years of service as a Planning Commissioner in Carmel, he was elected to the Board of the Carmel Area Wastewater District and the Economic Development Corporation of Monterey County.  From 1997-2001, he served on the Carmel Traditions Committee to prepare revised Design Guidelines and Zoning Ordinances.  He was co-chair of the AIA Monterey Bay Concepts Competition, an international web-hosted design competition for housing for Monterey County, in 2004.  He is a past president of the Monterey Bay Chapter of the American Institute of Architects and the Rotary Club of Carmel-by-the-Sea. Brian Congleton was awarded the Award of Honor in Historic Preservation in 1985 by Historic Denver, Inc. for the disassembly and reconstruction of a building listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

For the past decade, Deven Finnie has been the Operations Manager of Ocean Woodworks. Deven has over 30 years of experience in the construction industry and is well-respected for his innovative problem solving and high quality finishing work. He has worked on many historic and new homes as well as commercial properties on the Monterey Peninsula.

Robert Grummons has more than 35 years of experience in the construction industry and has been a licensed general contractor since 1991. Since 1985, he has worked on many high end remodels of homes on the Monterey Peninsula, including a 1995 historic restoration of the barn of the first house in Carmel that was also remodeled by the legendary Hugh Comstock in 1945. During a year and a half break from local construction, Robert worked with the US Military, in Kirkuk, Iraq.

Ocean Woodworks, located at 398 Shasta, Sand City, CA 93955, (831) 899-9055 (tel:%28831%29%20899-9055) is celebrating its 10th Anniversary with a year of special events, on site and off site, demos, films and seminars, a new furniture line launch, and more.  Ocean Woodworks combines over 80 years of experience within its company team to bring its clients throughout the United States the best in custom fit architectural millwork. Ocean Woodworks has done work on many historic homes in Carmel, Monterey and Pacific Grove, including the oldest home in Carmel. It also worked on Rocky Shores, the newer stone home built along the ocean in Pacific Grove.

Ocean Woodworks is a trusted source for a wide array of custom building projects and maintains a very high standard of professionalism.  Deven Finnie works wonders with wood and is able to craft and mimic exacting reproductions of centuries’ old, period specific moldings and striking custom windows and doors. Ocean Woodworks’ range is limitless from plan specific architectural details to custom crafted furniture. The projects span an amazing range from simple and straightforward to complex and extensive. The finishing touches are done in-house to complete the replication of weathered antique, contemporary or any other aesthetic look the owners want to incorporate in their homes. There's no limit to the ingenuity and artistry of Ocean Woodworks’ output, pride-of-craftsmanship and attention to detail.  

Ocean Woodworks is committed fully to saving and maintaining the historical architectural details that are vital to the integrity of the historical preservation guidelines. Many municipalities’ architectural review boards have fairly strict guidelines regarding what can and can't be done to a historic structure. But with persistence and careful planning, a home can be modernized and added to without detracting from its historic significance. Generally speaking,  homeowners can keep the spirit and charm of the home- the reasons that attracted them to the home in the first place, while increasing space and modern features.  It's important that any updates don't over shadow the original character, retaining the feeling of what the house used to be but modernized in such a way that the changes don't stand out unnecessarily.  This is the concept Ocean Construction approaches all historical building challenges. The process, known as rehabilitation, enables the firm to make repairs, alterations and additions, while preserving those portions or features which convey its historical, cultural and architectural value.

Ocean Woodworks was created to support the in house cabinetry and custom millwork for Ocean Construction founded in 1998. Ocean Construction completed the last truly ocean front property on the Monterey Peninsula (one of three homes) in 2010 located at 1400 Sunset, just past the Pacific Grove Lighthouse. Built on the Rocky Shores property, this home is a prime example of Ocean Woodworks’ long term planning and engineering to bring this one of a kind property to market after seven years of planning and two years of construction.  Ocean Woodworks believes that it’s important to understand how each client will live and what they want to draw from a home- -inspiration, energy, imagination, calm or pure beauty. Please contact Ocean Woodworks for any bidding and pricing for any current and up-coming projects.

"Hand crafted and custom built" - every Ocean Woodworks new home is built on tradition including meticulous planning, precise execution and spectacular results.  For more information, go to www.oceanwoodworks.com, or call Deven Finnie at 831 899 9055 (tel:831%20899%209055) or email oceanwoodworksd@gmail.com.

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