Building History
In the Beginning
It was important to the West Penn Power Sustainable Energy Fund (WPPSEF), now named the West Penn Energy Fund (WPEF), to gain a better understanding of the history of the building and the Kane community prior to renovating and rebuilding the 63 North Fraley Street property. WPPSEF met with the Kane Historical Preservation Society to gather historical photos, to review Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps over the 1892-1927 timeframe, to review a variety of reference books, and to commission a small study to learn about Kane. WPPSEF held a listening session and met with community leaders at the Thomas L. Kane Memorial Chapel to learn what they would like to see happen with 63 North Fraley Street.
The Sanborn Fire maps provided a broad historical overview of Kane and how the property evolved over the 1892-1927 timeframe. It was a timeframe that many wooden buildings were replaced by brick masonry buildings.
May 1892
May 1892
Sanborn maps indicated the property (then referred to as lot 218-219) was a two-story wooden structure that housed a Post Office and an Opera House.
July 1898
July 1898
Sanborn Maps indicated lots 218-219 were being built to a two-story brick building.
April 1904
April 1904
Sanborn Maps changed the lot names from 218-219 to 63-65 Fraley Street. The building was a two-story brick building, that housed notions, groceries and a lodge.
1909
1909
63 and 65 Fraley Street is still a two-story and a neighboring building, the D.G B&S, is now standing.
May 1915
May 1915
63 and 65 Fraley Street is still a two-story building
November 1927
November 1927
Sanborn maps indicate that 63 and 65 Fraley Street is now a three-story brick building
The building entrance and the front façade was modified in 1968. The dual storefront entrance was converted into a single off-set building entrance and the first-floor brick façade was replaced by a light brown sandstone façade.
In 2019, 63 Fraley Street LLC purchased the building, conducted a 6-month extensive gut rehab followed by a 33-month construction period which rebuilt the building to Passive House EnerPHit Plus standards. The building was named Six&Kane on June 24, 2022 and dedicated on October 7-8, 2022. Six&Kane earned its Passive House EnerPHit Plus certification on March 24, 2023.
Rebuild Timeline
2019
2019
The West Penn Power Sustainable Energy Fund creates 63 Fraley Street, LLC to purchase a vacant three-story, low rise brick building located at 63 North Fraley Street in Kane with the vision of transforming the building into an ultra-energy efficient building that would have positive economic benefit to Kane and the surrounding PA Wilds region. WPPSEF Board of Directors commit to rebuild to Passive House EnerPHit standards. The building interior undergoes a major gut-rehab to prepare for construction the following year.
2020 (Q1&2).
2020 (Q1&2).
Building design and construction plans are developed in Q1 2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic closures occur. Design continues throughout Q2 using ZOOM and TEAMS video conferencing. Building permit granted on June 30, 2020.
2020 (Q3&4)
2020 (Q3&4)
Rebuild begins on July 3. The main goals for the reminder of 2020 are to remove the front façade (started 07/31), rebuild the roof decking and truss system (started 08/26), install a steel column support structure to rebuild the front façade (started 09/21), and install steel columns and laminated veneer lumber floor beams to support the building interior (started late October). By November 20, the building exterior was under a new roof and front façade and the building interior was reinforced for the interior rebuilding.
2021 (Q1&2)
2021 (Q1&2)
Interior air sealing, insulation, and framing begins. Elevator shaft and basement concrete are completed. Basement ceiling insulation, which serves as the bottom of the thermal envelop is completed. Rear façade is sealed and the installation of the Ventana USA Select windows begin. Interior drywall starts (06/09) and Kane Alumni weekend tours offered (06/26).
2021 (Q3&4)
2021 (Q3&4)
OTIS elevator is delivered (07/28), RAICO front curtain wall installation begins (10/19), roof mounted solar PV installation begins (10/12), solar PV array energized (11/22), front polystyrene rigid foam insulation begins (mid-November), installation of front staircase and ships ladders nears completion, exterior rear façade insulation begins (12/15)
2022 (Q1&2)
2022 (Q1&2)
The installation of the Bloom Run sandstone front façade begins (01/20), the interior hardwood flooring begins (03/22), the front entrance canopy is installed (04/25), carpet installation begins (05/05), the Six&Kane sign is installed (06/24).
2022 (Q3&4)
2022 (Q3&4)
Construction efforts accelerated the completion of the second floor as the construction team targeted an early-mid October dedication event. Second floor glass walls were delivered (07/05), and the McCleery Board and Wilds conference rooms were completed (07/13). The small solar PV system on the canopy roof was energized (07/19).
The Certificate of Occupancy was granted on September 30, 2022. The building dedication occurred over a two-day time frame. An on-line dedication was for the Passive House construction industry (domestic and international on 10/06) followed by in-house building tours and ribbon tying ceremony (10/07).
2023
2023
Six&Kane earns its certification and becomes the first Passive House EnerPHit Plus office building in North America