Select Non-Historical Elements Have Been Removed From the Structure
Crews have cleaned up the historic Hihn Apple Barn and removed several non-historic features, such as the plastic drop ceiling, carpet and linoleum flooring. The decorative lattice has also been taken off of the exterior, allowing the foundation of the building to become more visible, improving inspection for both historic and structural review purposes.
A historic architect is at the site to document the work, observe the progress and provide important insights — such as identifying the location of original skylights in the barn roof. Kelly Brothers House Movers’ crews have added bracing and steel beams underneath the building and installed structural bracing inside the barn in preparation for the move.
The Apple Barn will move 300 feet across the project site, where it will become the focal point of Aptos Village and the home of a New Leaf Community Market.
The new market will be relatively modest for a modern grocery (for comparison it will be slightly smaller than the New Leaf Capitola location). The store footprint is being carefully designed and coordinated to maintain the historic attributes of the barn and also take advantage of the barn’s strong presence overlooking the future Village Common.
There will be more information coming soon regarding the Hihn Apple Barn and its relocation. Stay tuned!