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May 7th, 2009

Chezar Custom Builders

Presents

THE MILL AT ASHLEY FALLS

The gang of three!! Will Fay, Howard Chezar and me in front of the Mill at Ashley Falls, on Konkapot Creek. Howard is a remarkable craftsmen and a fine home architect specializing in unique New England homes. Besides me, he is the only person I know who has rebuilt a New England Mill Pond Dam. I supplied the drawings and Howard just did it!! The following photos feature the recently and fantastically restored mill building. The mill is currently for sale but the price tag is not for those with a timid wallet. Please call Howard at: 1-413-528-1576 or e-mail him at: hmchezar@mindspring.com. This is a magical property located in the heart of the Berkshires with easy access to Tanglewood, Jacobs Pillow, Mount Adams, Norman Rockwell Museum, Shaker Mill Village and absolutely awesome Massachusetts State Parks, rivers and scenery. This property comes with great hydro potential. The drainage area of Konkapot Creek is 65 square miles and the gross head is 14 feet. MTC grant money is available to the lucky purchaser. This recently went on the market so please hurry if you want it, it will not last long!!

Isn't this a beautiful home. Look at the glasswork and the details. The deck is gorgeous and Howard artfully left some of the original milling machinery in the basement as a really neat private museum. The water in the foreground is the tailrace leading back to the river. Just out of sight, between the deck and the ledge outcrop, is the diversion weir. It forms the end of the headrace. Howard and I will assist the new owner in installing a small, submersible, tube, turbine at the weir, behind the pine tree. The potential here is between 100 and 150 kilowatts. At a 600,000 KWH a year, the annual revenues would exceed $50,000/year!!! This property is more fun then a barrel of monkeys!!!

Can you imagine coming back from seeing the Mark Morris Group at Jacobs Pillow and relaxing in front of this window? Its even sweeter during a New England Blizzard with the fireplace burning brightly, Mozart playing in the background and the wind howling outside, while the snow merrily dances against the windows.

This is an awesome Greek Revival Garden. You could have great parties here with your friends. What an idyllic, pastoral and pacific place to muse on a sunny afternoon.

And!!! The best for last. This is real hydro potential. The dam has been completely restored with a new white oak, timbered, approach apron and the capstones have been restored and secured with new pins. Give Howard a call before this is sold!!

*******Flash*******

May 8th, 2009

Photo Update!!!

Howard has sent these great pictures of the spillway reconstruction!

The white, granite blocks are new replacements. Leave it to Howard's genius to figure out a way to insert an 8000 pound block of granite, underneath and in the hole, in the left abutment. This is awesome masonry to me, but child's play for a craftsman with Howard's talents!!!!

This is an earlier photo and you can see the hole, on the far side, that I was discussing, does not have a block fitted into it. Howard has just replaced the first course of missing blocks.

A very satisfied Mr. Chezar contemplating his reconstructed wonder. Its so aesthetically pleasing to see the waterfall restored. There is something hypnotic about a perfectly level nappe flowing over a spillway. Congratulations and a hearty thank you to Howard!!!!