Gearing up for their grand opening for tours, today the new owner of Lizzie Borden’s Maplecroft has installed a handicap ramp for guests. I hear from the caretakers that the ramp has been leased for 6 months.
I was invited over to see the new water sprinkler system that was required by the city and the fire marshal. It has done some damage to the inside of the house, I won’t deny that. Piping abounds, but it looks like every effort has been made to paint the piping a similar or complementary color to the room it is in. In rooms where there is no piping, there are sprinkler heads protruding out of the house’s original moulding near the ceilings, which will necessitate some color fixes as they are white disks. It had to be done, it has been reported, and I am sure the new owner would not have spent that much money for the fun of it.
The ramp seems a bit steep to my eye, but I am certain that the makers of the ramp are adhering to code. I wouldn’t want to lose control of a wheeled cart/vehicle on that slope, however. I fear I would plow right into the garage column!
It is a shame, however, that such damage to the original home was necessary in order to possibly open as a B&B. We shall see if and when that happens. I have been told that the plan at this point is to offer tours alone for a period of time.
