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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend February 24, 2006 This image blends a photo of the existing Hubbard�s hardware building with computer additions to reflect what it will look like after a three-month overhaul. Hubbard’s is closed for renovation Urban renewal is helping the venerable downtown hardware store update its fa�ade and other improvements By MEG LANDERS Mail Tribune Nail benders take a break, the oldest existing hardware store in Oregon is closed to tweak a few of its own. Downtown’s Hubbard’s Ace Hardware is getting a major overhaul, inside and out, thanks in part to the Medford Urban Renewal Agency’s fa�ade improvement program. "We’ve been planning this for a long time," said Bob Seus. Seus, along with his four siblings, Mark, Dan, Paul and Leslie (DJ Leslie Hayes on Beat 93) own the business on the northwest corner of Main Street and Riverside Avenue. The pressed-tin ceiling and original wooden floor will still establish the ambience of the 100-year-old building, but the old ceiling fans will be replaced. "We’re going to do a little better on the ceiling fans," said Seus. Advertisement As for the bell that rings each time the door opens, Seus was undecided. "I hadn’t thought about that," he laughed, adding that customers have been asking him if he’s going to keep various elements of the historic store. "The scale will stay," he said. Hubbard’s still uses an old-fashioned scale with adjustable weights to weigh nails and screws by the pound. There will be some surprises, but Seus wouldn’t let on what those would be. "I can’t tell you — they’re not surprises any more." As to the renovation cost, that’s up in the air. "I’m still waiting for the final mock-up from the architect," he said. George Kramer, historic preservation consultant who also works with MURA on its fa�ade improvement program, has been working on the Hubbard’s building project. "The building has such potential it’s not reaching," he said. The red aluminum exterior panels will be removed and fluted pilasters will be restored, the transoms will be rebuilt and the glazing will be opened back up along Riverside. Kramer said the building is being restored to its 1930s look. The exterior will be painted in tans and black, with black tiles and a new neon sign adorning the building. The building will have a cultural flair with a series of poster cases along Riverside that will be made available to local organizations, such as the Craterian Ginger Rogers Theater and the Southern Oregon Historical Society, said Kramer. Eric Iversen, MURA senior planner, is excited about the high-profile building remodel. "That’s an awesome cornerstone to downtown," he said. Iversen said though the cost to revamp the hardware building has yet to be determined, the fa�ade improvement program provides up to $37,500 in matching grants for buildings in the historic district. The program has been a success downtown, he said. Roughly $500,000 of public funds have gone into renovating 30 downtown buildings, he said. Hubbard’s was founded in 1884 in Jacksonville by Fortunatus Hubbard Sr., and the store moved to Medford within a couple years. In 1898, it moved to its present location, 335 E. Main St. Around 1906, the brick Hubbard-Woods building was built, according to SOHS records. Three generations of Hubbards owned the business until the family sold it in 1972 to John and Kathi Ehrlich. Kent and Tish Cohee bought the business in 1987 but sold it a year later to the Seus family. In 1990, the Seus family opened a second Hubbard’s Ace Hardware on South Pacific Highway and in 2000 opened the Crater Lake Highway store. From buggies, carriages and farm implements to modern power tools and sophisticated gardening equipment, Hubbard’s has evolved. The store closed last week, and work is scheduled to begin on the exterior in March, with all work scheduled to last three months. Reach reporter Meg Landers at 776-4481 or e-mail Hubbard�s is closed for renovation ">[email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker Custom Build Computers Computer Security Discount Hotel Reservations Debt Consolidation Generic Viagra Windermere Van Vleet Deep Muscle Stimulator Sports Equipment Online Casino Reviews Online Bingo Entertainment Guide Online Casino Fundraisers Sudoku Online Casinos Canada Advertisement s Advertisement