By vanessa Mccray, vmccray@record-eagle.com
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TRAVERSE CITY — An old building is becoming a new neighborhood destination thanks to the work of a local artist and renovator.
Kim Bazemore is putting the finishing touches on a renovation project at the corner of Maple and Third streets in Traverse City. Once a furrier and then a dry cleaners, the Coddington building holds a few remnants of its past. But Bazemore is transforming the space into a gallery, studio spaces for artists and craftsmen and, possibly, a bakery and cafe.
She's already put in a lot of work to restore and adapt the structure. During a tour of the building, she stopped to point out historic features, artistic touches and improvements she made.
"The walls were cinder block; it had three different ceilings," Bazemore said.
Bazemore kept intact a heavy door to the former vault where furs were stored. The original part of the building dates to about 1907, she said.
Concrete floors and black-framed windows are just a few of the features she has preserved in the 6,000-square-foot building. Bazemore calls the project Cog's Creek, after her dog and the water that runs by the site.
The space will house her own metalsmith studio where she makes jewelry as well as a gallery that will feature other artists, almost all of whom are local. She plans to feature many mediums of art, including paintings, contemporary art quilts and furniture.
Also in the building, there's a sewing studio for a local clothing designer and room for a knife sharpener who sharpens tools for local restaurants and hairdressers. A bakery and eatery may open at the site. Ralph Humes, formerly affiliated with the Soul Hole in Traverse City, could open a bakery and cafe called Sweet Alchemy at the site. He said this week he expects to make a decision on the location soon.
Gaia Nesvacil, of Traverse City, located her design and sewing studio at the site. She plans to host sewing classes and work on her clothing line, Neashasha.
"Being a designer is everything about your environment. This is a perfect place to do what I love to do," she said.
Bazemore is an experienced renovator. She fixed up a smaller building on Eighth Street that served as her studio space until she outgrew it. She purchased the Maple Street building in 2009 and began construction work early this year. Bazemore studied interior design in school and has renovated a handful of houses. She helped with the physical work for the projects.
"It's fun, and I've learned a ton. All these walls, I helped build," she said.
