ARROW - 54. Chapter 54

The following week the carpenter came back with an estimate for the fire escape. I thought this was a necessity otherwise I couldn’t rent the apartment. He also talked to his painter about repainting the rooms and hallways. He said he would follow-up with the fire department concerning fire retardants and fire suppressing equipment. I asked him to inquire about fog suppressants that wouldn’t damage artwork. I wasn’t sure if they would have a recommendation or not. Then I thought about the gallery in town, where the Professor and I had visited.

Checking with Mary, she said that several students have asked about the apartments. I asked her what she told them, she said she told them they needed to be brought up to code. “Did you take their names and contact information?”

“Yes, I also told them it would be quite a while and they should think in terms of next term.” Next term would be the fall term.

Professor came over and wanted to ask if it was alright to show his students the village. I told him it would be okay as long as they stayed inside of the roped area. I didn’t want anyone touching the painted surface. “Mary, let me know when they will be here. I’d like to be present.”

I reviewed the contractors comments and costs with Colin. He thought they were reasonable and told me to go ahead with the fire escapes and electrical upgrade. I wanted a fire suppressant system installed between the apartment floors and the gallery ceiling. I was still worried about a fire destroying the paintings in the gallery

I contacted the carpenter and electrician and told them to go ahead with their proposal. I set up a meeting with them on the following day at the gallery. I had agreed to a down payment, if I approved the proposed project. I needed to negotiate the other payments depending on the degree of work completion with a final payment based on my inspection. I knew their work would be first class, these were the contractors that worked on the club modifications.

I arranged with the professor to visit the gallery downtown. “I’m refurbishing the apartments including a fire suppressant system. I’m concerned about my gallery. I want to know what they are using.”

“Don’t be surprised if they don’t have one. I know no smoking is allowed, you have the same signs in your gallery.”

Walking into the gallery we were met by the owner, “Hello Professor and Armand, it’s nice to see you. Armand, I thought you agreed to let me sell one of your paintings.”

“I did but that was before my husband surprised me with a gallery of my own. However, I did promise, so I’ll bring one over tomorrow.”

“I know you didn’t come here to buy a painting, so how may I help you?”

“I was wondering what do you do if you had a fire? How would you protect your paintings?”

“I have heat detectors which will notify the fire department and a CO2 system. Look there, that line is under pressure and those nozzles are designed to function if the temperature gets above a preset temperature. I have them set for 100 degrees Fahrenheit. I was going to set them lower but during the summer, the outside temperature gets in the 80’s and sometimes 90’s.”

“So you basically flood the area with CO2.”

“Yes. Have you talked to the fire department?”

“Not yet.”

“You need to do that. They were very helpful when I installed my system.”

“While we are here, let’s look around and see if he has some new paintings.”

And that was what we did. I was particularly interested in the prices he was charging.

The following day, I did make a visit to the fire department. I invited the captain to come and take a look not only at the gallery but the apartments as well. The men where working on the fire escape when he arrived. “I told the previous owner that he needed those fire escapes. He said it would cost too much money and he was happy not renting the apartments. I think he lived in one.”

We spent about 2 hours, looking over the apartments and the galleria. Of course, I had to show him the village. He never asked who the artist was that painted the village in fact even when we toured the section where my paintings were, he never asked about the artist.

He said he would put together a proposal and let me know when it was completed. I wonder where I would store a CO2 tank. I figured it would have to be outside. I wonder if Colin had a plot plan of the site.

That evening, while sitting at the bar, I told Colin about the fire department visit at the gallery. “Do you have a plot plan of the gallery?”

“I think I do. In our apartment I have all of the papers. Maybe we should have a CO2 system here in the club. That mural is worth a lot of money.”

“When I pick up their proposal for the gallery, I’ll asked them to come and check out the club. I’m sure he will suggest a system for the kitchen.”

I did meet with the fire department to review their proposal. I passed it on to the contractors for inclusion in the overall project. Now I needed to fine a spot for storage of the CO2. Again I visited the fire department with the plot drawing. They suggested that a liquid CO2 storage tank be installed underground close to the building. I discussed with Colin what they suggested. Colin suggested the tank be stored under the fire escape. I thought that might work.

The following Tuesday at my weekly meeting with the contractors, I mentioned the storage of liquid CO2 for the fire suppressant systems. “Colin suggested the liquid tank be set under the fire escape.”

“It’ll have to be insulated otherwise the liquid will evaporate and depending on the construction of the tank, a high pressure may develop.”

“It can’t be any worse than those CO2 containers you are installing in the kitchens.”

“Let us talk to the gas supplier and see what they recommend.”

They did that and we did install their recommended tank system under the fire escape. When the installation of the tank was completed, I ask the fire department to come and check it out.

Now we needed to design the distribution of the CO2 system in the gallery and the apartments.