KENJI?

[eeyore]

Welcome, I see you are fairly new here.

I have not been active on the site for a few months and am trying to get caught up this morning. I have a question of you.

Did you previously work as a gardner at the estate or did I misinterpret?
If so, I have been trying to solve the "mystery" of the boathouse. I would love to talk to someone who has actually been inside and can describe the layout and construction.

Thanks!

[Styles Bitchley]

This has been discussed at length over the past year or so. I'm not sure which thread though... I think Pahonu holds the answers to many previously unanswered questions. Not positive it's him though.

[eeyore]

Yes, you're right, I followed all of that but I dont recall ever seeing anything from someone who had physically been in the guesthouse and could confirm all of the speculation. I've been over and over the screen shots from "Don Luis.." and tried to piece together the bottom floor based on the postion of the floor joists above and the placement of the windoes related to the elevations. I'm pretty good at this since its what I do for a living, but there are just enough pieces to the puzzle missing that I don;t feel I have a good idea.
I'd be very surprised if there are interior stairs linking the two levels. Even though you can see "stairs" in the background in some screen shots where Magnum is entering from the porch, I suspect they are only props to imulate the inside and to hide what is probably junk stored inside.
The newer photos on the internet show what appears to be a huge patch in the wall to the north of the front door as if something too large to fit through the door was removed. Hard to imagine anything in residential construction that would fit that description. )In commercial construction we build buildings around air handlers and walk in coolers sometimes.) It may just be that the stucco fell off and they patched it .
Sigh, I suppose we'll never know. I wish Mrs Anderson would relent and let someone document the architecture of her property. There are too few old homes left on the Islands and it is a shame there may never be good records, or drawings or photos.

[Pahonu]

It's true (unfortunately) I've never been in the boathouse. However, using external pictures and the one internal picture from the "Who is Don Luis Higgins..." episode, plus the property tax record, you can get a pretty good idea of how it's arranged. I used to think the stair rail shown in a couple of shots was a prop too. Now I am not so sure. It was the property tax records that gave me the biggest clues to the structure.

First of all, the tax records show that the storage area, listed as unfinished basement does not extend the entire length of the lower level. Rather, only the area under the lanai (listed as porch ceiled roof 368 sq ft) and the shed roof extension toward the beach side are storage. This area totals 585 sq ft. It seems the area below the portion with the door Magnum uses, listed as main, is also included as a habitable part of the structure.

This implies the habitable portion is two stories. Hence my reconsideration of the stair rail. It is listed as one bedroom, one bathroom structure. This would easily fit on one level, probably the lower, with a living/dining and kitchen space above. The other building records do not list living/dining/kitchen space either, only bed/bath.

There is also a plumbing vent on the roof of the building side near the perimeter wall. This side would logically have the bathroom and kitchen spaces. The photo showing Magnum in front of the open door clearly shows an interior wall partitioning this space. I guess the only question is which level has what. Upstairs the windows are much larger so I would assume that is the living space with the bed/bath below.

As for the shot of the interior of the storage area, I think the photo is looking at the north and west walls (beach and perimeter wall sides). The window behind Magnum's head is facing the perimeter wall with some foliage. The other looks out to the beach. The beam over his head is beneath the half wall separating the lanai from the shed roof on the beach side.

I think the latest version of the Sketchup model I sent James shows all of this. It's much easier to understand in the model.

[eeyore]

I've studied the property tax records too. I dont think the
Ground floor would be habitable or taxable because it is
Listed as unfinished and it has a dirt floor per the screen shots
In don Luis.
Where is the link to your google sketch up plans?

[Styles Bitchley]

Here's the link to the most recent version (with some of the trees added): http://magnum-mania.com/pahonu.skp

[eeyore]

Thank you! I actually found it before I saw your post, but I do appreciate the help, I also need to edit my post above about the guesthouse layout. Of course the unfinished space is taxable, I didn't think it would be habitable other than a utility space. What does not show up as taxable space is the area directly under the 23' x 11' space indicated as Main which is the area on the second floor behind the lanai. I often wondered if this was a crawl space underneath, however later screen shots show that there is glass in the window openings. But the presence of glass doesn't necessarily mean its NOT. It is a curious little building. When you look at the elevations the grade at the back of the guesthouse (streetside) is noticeably higher and based on that it doesn't seem like there is much headroom at the rear of the basement. Or it could simply mean that the ground elevation rises and the earth is bermed against the building.

[Pahonu]

The tax records are very curious in that they overlay different floors onto a single sketch. This can be very confusing, particularly for the main house that has three levels. There are mistakes in the records also. I mentioned this once before. The main house is listed as a single story, even though the sketches clearly show otherwise! You're right in that the land does drop away on the ocean side of the boathouse creating what is often referred to as a basement walkout, in this case the storage area double doors leading to the water.

My model is based on the dimensions given in the sketches and it specifies the storage area only goes under the lanai. At that point the floor is already below grade, and it seems odd that it would become crawlspace in only that 23'x11' part and then have windows rather than vents in it. Of course many things are possible, if not likely. I guess we'll never now with any great certainty, but I feel I have a pretty good idea of the layout. I haven't yet partitioned the interior of the boathouse on my model. Sometime I'll get around to it, and I think I'll include that interior stair to the lower level until I am convinced otherwise.

[KENJI]

Hi Eeyore,

Thanks for the welcome to the site comment!
I regret to inform you that I am not the real "Kenji" of the Anderson Estate. You misinterpreted my role playing as the real deal, so I can't answer the boathouse questions that drives all of us mad - SORRY When I joined the group I short listed my names down to Kenji, Tecumseh or Scrungo (a "Lutherian" name), but decided on Kenji, as I am an avid gardener - a perfect fit! I dream about cleaning up the estate grounds, like you dream about the boathouse. I have been to the estate 5 times over the years, but each "visit" was a tour from the outside perimeter looking in which is still pretty cool. I think Styles is the only one who is ever stepped foot on the other side of the perimeter wall, too bad he didn't have a video camera or Robin's high speed Nikon camera at the time to document the breach in security and maybe a few shots of the boathouse. Have you ever thought of doing up one of those scale models that architects make up for the estate? Pahonu's computer generated version is incredible It would be great to see an actual model which is probably old school by today's standards.
Sorry I couldn't solve the mystery of the boathouse.

[eeyore]

You're welcome, Kenji. LOL I took your post seriously. There was someone who posted over at Pbase who WAS working on the estate and I was hoping it was you and you'd found your way over here.
The computer modeling is tempting but since I am an architect, it is too much like work! My profession explains why the guesthouse has caught my eye. I have a softspot for small living spaces.
I hope this statement does not come off too strong, but while I understand Ms Anderson's frustration with the overwhelming interest in her home, I find it a little disheartening that she cannot at least make sure it gets documented historically. There are federal programs that do just that and when I was in school, students had a graduation requirement to do such a project and it was turned over to the DC archives.

[KENJI]

Hi again Eeyore,

What is this Pbase site you are talking about - sounds interesting?
Fill us in on what this estate employee had to say (details, details)!
Do you know for certain that this person worked there? It would be great to find someone who could fill us in, but I wonder if they had to sign a confidentiality contract.
I thought of pulling your leg by saying I did work on the estate and tell you an interesting story about the boathouse, but I didn't have the heart too (not Magnum-like or April 1st).
No, I don't think your comment is too strong, that property does warrant documentation. I just think too many problems, issues, unwelcomed guests.etc. that we don't live with on a daily basis have ruined that opportunity. On the flip side Eve Anderson and her step mother have contributed to school programs in many ways, so if a architecture professor at U. of H. proposed such an offer (minus ANY MAGNUM comments)........ you never know. Lets hope Eve or her grandparents have already documented it, but for their eyes only which is fine by me (so long as it was done).
Personally I like plenty of living space, but I would give it all up possessions and all to move into the cramped quarters of the guest house - not a problem!!!!!
What would a scaled model of the estate exterior roughly cost to make on a 2ft x3ft space (not computer generated, but an actual model) - a guess?
Use an example of one you have done at work if you are stumped.

[Pahonu]

Eeyore,

I completely agree. This structure should be documented and it would come at no cost and little inconvenience to Ms Anderson. I studied architecture also, though never practiced, and now I teach history. I knew several classmates who completed as-built drawings as you suggest for historic buildings here in SoCal. Most were much smaller and less unique than this estate.

I wonder if she is aware of such programs? I have thought about this many times before. It could be as simple as she doesn't realize this is possible. Her grandparents built it and it seems like she would have some interest in preserving their memory this way. How might she be made aware of this possibility?

[Derek]

Here's the link to the most recent version (with some of the trees added): http://magnum-mania.com/pahonu.skp

Hi, just browsed through this thread and noticed the link above seems to be dead - is there an updated version?

Also wanted to say: Kudos to Magnum Mania - I can't stop reading! So many good articles on this site!

[Sam]

Hi again Eeyore,

What is this Pbase site you are talking about - sounds interesting?
Fill us in on what this estate employee had to say (details, details)!
Do you know for certain that this person worked there? It would be great to find someone who could fill us in, but I wonder if they had to sign a confidentiality contract.
I thought of pulling your leg by saying I did work on the estate and tell you an interesting story about the boathouse, but I didn't have the heart too (not Magnum-like or April 1st).
No, I don't think your comment is too strong, that property does warrant documentation. I just think too many problems, issues, unwelcomed guests.etc. that we don't live with on a daily basis have ruined that opportunity. On the flip side Eve Anderson and her step mother have contributed to school programs in many ways, so if a architecture professor at U. of H. proposed such an offer (minus ANY MAGNUM comments)........ you never know. Lets hope Eve or her grandparents have already documented it, but for their eyes only which is fine by me (so long as it was done).
Personally I like plenty of living space, but I would give it all up possessions and all to move into the cramped quarters of the guest house - not a problem!!!!!
What would a scaled model of the estate exterior roughly cost to make on a 2ft x3ft space (not computer generated, but an actual model) - a guess?
Use an example of one you have done at work if you are stumped.

Hi Kenji,
I don't know if you ever got an answer but this is the Pbase site..You'll need to click on the four blocks of photos and reads the comments.

http://www.pbase.com/goislands/alt_tv_mpi

[KENJI]

Many thanks Sam!!!