Loft Tour Redux

People interested: Leslie and Chris, Claire, Wendy, Debbie, Kate and Tony, Abby and Lars, Krista, Neil, Sitha, maybe Katie and Matt.

Knock around a few ideas for what to eat, etc. in the comments section.

***Update***

We're considering March 7th from 7 P.M. - 12 A.M. as the time for the Loft Tour.

That would leave 5 hours for the tour, and we could divide that time by the number of people who want to show their places.

After we figure out the time schedule, we could either move from floor to floor, or have a "sign up sheet" on the blog for specific times. That way, if someone wanted to go early or late, they could.

Feel free to join the tour even if you're not showing your place

Maintaining Your Abode

A few issues were asked during the association meeting about general maintenance of the lofts, so I thought I'd do a quick overview of some home maintenance tips.

Track Lights - According to my friend, who is an electrician, track lighting can be a little sensitive at times. What I've noticed is that bulbs that I think have gone out, really haven't. Just flick the switch at the top of the bulb, or even touch it, and it will go back on. I heard someone say they've replaced all of their track light bulbs already, but I have yet to change even one.

Dryer

I never received an owner's manual for the washer / dryer, so if anyone wants to share any pertinent information or links to the Bosch website, that would be great.

Here's what I do know.

#1 - Clean out your lint trap frequently (picture above) This helps keep air flowing, and helps your dryer to not overheat.

#2 - Clean out lint trap #2. This involves opening up the door on the bottom left side of your dryer, turning the two light-blue hinges, and removing a tray.

This stuff will build up fast, so help extend the life of your dryer by taking care of it.

Hot Water Heater - Not enough hot water to fill that big tub all of the way? One way to help out is to turn up the temperature of your hot water heater.

WARNING - Make sure you read the warnings on your heater. Basically, if you turn up the temperature too much someone could unwittingly turn the faucet all the way to "Hot" when washing their hands and burn themselves.

Another aspect to consider is your dishwasher. I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be affected, but it is something to consider.

Okay, if that didn't scare you away, then get a Phillips screwdriver, and remove the two screws holding in the bottom plate (see picture). Inside, you'll see a Styrofoam cover with a little handle on it. Remove the Styrofoam and you'll see something similar to the picture above. There should be a dial in that can be turned from"C" to "A", and after that, it just says "Hot" Turn it to a level of your choosing, and wait a few hours for the tank to heat up. Test the water for both safety and practicality (ex. does it fill up my bathtub, and does it not burn me when the faucet is turned to "Hot")

Obviously this will increase your electric bill, so you might reverse the process in the summertime to save some money.

Kitchen Lights - Kevin assured us that there was a surprisingly easy way to change our kitchen lights. I've thought long and hard about this, and unless there is some special tool that can reach up inside, then you'll have to take the light apart.

Get a ladder, unscrew two of the pins, remove the clear cylinder, place it on a table, remove the last pin and the white glass. Inside there is a 40 W candelabra bulb. You'll notice that your bulb will say "Type G", but that just refers to the shape of the bulb (ex. some are straight and some have curly tips, etc.) so any candelabra bulb will do.

Replace the bulb, the white glass, and one pin. Now here's where it gets tricky. While holding the clear glass cylinder with one hand, insert a pin through the holes and try to line it up with the screw hole. Everything will want to spin and twist, so take your time. You might need to twist the top a little bit before you try putting the glass on to make sure the holes are lined up. Good luck!

HVAC Filter - This filters the air that gets blown when using your heating and cooling system. Jerry recommended changing it every month; I'd say, depending on how dirty it gets, change it every season. One thing that might help extend the life of your filter is to vacuum behind and around the water heater and washer. A lot of dust accumulates in that area, especially with the dryer being there.

Changing the filter is easy. Remove the two screws at the bottom, remove the filter, and replace with a new one. Make sure you know size of your filter before going to the store (16 x 20 x 1) and pay attention to the filter you remove, so you know how the new one should go back in.

Remember, a filter needs to be able to create an air flow. If it looks like your filter is being sucked up, and you can't feel a draft with your hand when the unit is working, then you need to replace your filter. If you make your unit struggle too much, it could break prematurely.

Water Filter - Inside your refrigerator is a water filter. It's on the top right side. by the lightbulb. Press the button to the left of the GE symbol and the flap will fall open. If the filter wasn't already installed, you'll need to remove the cover that shipped with the unit. I found I was unable to do it with my fingers, so I had to use a pliers. The space is pretty tight, so you might want to remove your top shelf before trying this feat. After the shipping plug is removed, insert your new filter. The manufacturer recommends replacing the filter every six months. The cost is around $40 per filter, but some places give you a discount if you buy in bulk. Here's a link for a GE GSWF Water filter.

P-Traps - Kevin mentioned that if you are gone for an extended time, the water in your P-trap (below your sink) may evaporate, thus allowing sewer gas to rise through your plumbing. Simply run the water for a few minutes, and the water will block any gasses from coming up.

That's all I can think of for now. If you have ideas to share about home maintenance, post a comment below.

Association Meeting

Tonight the owners met with Kevin McGowan for the first meeting of the Motor Lofts Condo Association. Topics covered in the agenda:

Renters will soon join our ranks - Kevin wanted to assure us that the renters will be thoroughly screened, and will help with the payment of condo fees, etc. There will be rules for the renters, and the building should fill up eventually. If you would like to rent another parking space, contact Blue Urban.

The annual budget was ratified - You received a copy of this in the mail. There were a few questions asked about the budget. Window washing occurs twice a year, and they will look into this soon. The phone budget is for the elevators and the front door. You're supposed to be able to access the front door long distance or through a cell phone, but some said they were having problems with this. Another question brought up concerning the front door is the video. You are supposed to be able to see who is at the front door on a channel on your TV. This function does not work and they are going to also look into this.

A new director to the condo asssociation was elected - Chris Mattler (the author of this article) is your new representative on the association.

I want to make myself available to listen to everyone's concerns regarding the building, and help develop resolutions that make everyone happy - or at least content.

Another aspect I'd like to develop is the sense of community in the building. Judging by the good nature of everyone at the meeting, and those of you I've met before, it shouldn't be a problem getting everyone talking to one another and developing relations. Maybe we could eventually plan community events within the building. Even Packard Lofts expressed a desire to communicate with our building, so we could eventually foster relations with our sister building...

I want to say I'm honored to be elected, and will do my best to represent the owners of the building. Feel free to contact me with any concerns. (You can access my email address though this blog)

MW Club - The topic of the fitness club was addressed. The original plans to make a club in the building at Washington and 22nd will not be completed. There is a tentative plan to move the club to the building behind Motor Lofts. This would involve tearing down part of the building in order to install a pool and putting a gym in the rest of the area. A question was raised about whether there would be a bar in the gym, and we're all hoping there will be one!

Property taxes and condo fees - A question was asked about how low property taxes were this year. The short answer is, yes they are correct because of some adjustment, but probably will be re-assessed next year, so expect them to go up next year. Condo fees, which are at $.07 per square foot right now will eventually go up to $.14 when the building fills up later on. Christina said that she would work on setting up ACH payments so you can make automatic payments.

After Party Thoughts

Thanks again to Matt for being nice enough to invite everyone from the building to his party. In case you didn't see the magazine, here's a link to the article.

It was good to see everyone and to share ideas. One idea that Claire and Wendy came up with was a mini tour of all of our places. I guess we could find out who is interested and make up a schedule for the tour.

If you're interested, reply to this blog or email Leslie or me.

On a side note, some people were saying they were having a hard time logging in to the blog. If you have a Blogger account, you should be able to log in and post by typing in the email address you signed up with for your Gmail (example: Joe_blow@yahoo.com) and your password. So to state it another way, your email address acts as your user ID, and your password is the password you created specifically for your Gmail account.

Congratulations to Matt on making the cover of the magazine

Party Friday

Just wanted to remind all the residents at Motor that I am having a party on 9/5/08 at 8pm. Hope you can make it.

Matt

The Lot Festival

Each year the Schlafly Tap room hosts the Lot Festival, which is put on by Metropolis St. Louis. This year there was food, beer (of course), and music. There were also several booths around the edges of the parking lot with products and information related to St. Louis.

The excitement could be felt as soon as I walked out the front door of our building - the pounding music, the lights in the distance from both the Lot Festival and an event at Lumen - there were people milling about, and it gave the night and the city a feeling of energy and vitality.

The combination of the good music and Schalfly beer made the event both popular and fun. Check it out next year, it's only a two block walk away!

Tudor Street Festival

The name is a bit confusing because there is no Tudor Street. Maybe it should have been called the Tudor - Street Festival. Either way, it was held on the street in front of the new Tudor building. It was a small, neighborhood gathering to make people aware of this new development on Washington Ave. The street was blocked off, and food and music were available. People could stroll around and look at some of the businesses housed in the new building.

So far, it looks like there will be a pet store, a clothing store, and a barber shop. Not to be outdone, across the street there is a combined barber shop / clothing store. I believe there is also talk of some sort of bakery or coffee shop planned for the Tudor.

The festival was nice. People from the surrounding bulidings ventured out to mingle. Food and drinks were available from f15teen, Onesto, and a few other places. There was a stage with music, and people got their groove on. All-in-all it was a good event for WestTown or Downtown West Loft District. It shows that there is a lot of potential for future events in our area.

Magazine Release Party (Take 2)

Sorry for confusion but party in #604 moved to:

9/5/08 at 8pm.

Mis-information from editor now pushes release date back to 9/1/08. Hope you can still make it.

Matt

Magazine Release Party

I think I got an e-vite to everyone in the building but just in case:

8/8/08 at 8pm:

Party at Matt's (#604) to celebrate release of St. Louis Homes and Lifestyles Magazine featuring Matt's loft. Come by for a drink and to visit neighbors.

Hope to see you all there

Soulard Market

I know you know, but do you go? Looking for something for a good, quick dinner, but don't feel like running out to the supermarket? Why not give Soulard Market a try?

I takes a little bit of effort, but in less than 30 minutes you can have enough fresh fruit and vegetables to have a nice dinner.






Five dollars will get you a decent amount of food. The picture you see to the left is seven dollars worth of food. (The asparagus was an extra two dollars) I'm sure there are better bargains if you want to hunt, but for me, the experience is strolling up and down the market looking for what looks best. Be aware that not all of the fruit and vegetables are grown in the area, but there are local farmers selling local and organic produce.

Saturdays get crowded, but all the weekday afternoons I've gone, have been pleasant, and in no way hurried.

Take the scooter; it will give you a destination, and help save on gas.

Soulard Market is open Wed. - Fri. 8:00 - 5:00 and Sat. 6:00 - 5:00

Utility Closets

Just an FYI - be careful about storing large objects in your Utility/Laundry Closets... suitcases, etc. They can shift the pipes in the closet, creating leakage issues for the unit below.

Don't Forget

Condo Fees for July

Trying to do my Part as a Good Neighbor

When we were moving to the loft, I debated on what things I should bring.

Tools are one of those things that are great when you are using them, but then sit around and take up space in the meantime. I'm glad I have them - they've proven invaluable for the projects I've completed - but I often think I could get more utility out of them through sharing with the neighbors.

If you need a tool for one project, but don't feel like buying it and storing it, give me a call.

Some specific things I think my be beneficial to my neighbors here in the Motor Lofts community are:

• A dolly - (see photo) for carrying heavy objects to your loft. Add some ratchet straps to secure your cargo to the dolly and you can move mountains.
• An air compressor - Need to fill your tires on your car, scooter, or bike?
• Ladder
• Things you might use once in a blue moon - chisel, rubber mallet, hack saw

call @ 621-4028, email me through the info. on my profile

More Scooter Talk

I know, another scooter article, but let me just say that maintaining your scooter isn't as hard as you might think, and if anyone needs any help, feel free to ask.

This article is a step-by-step for basic maintenance of your Popcycle scooter.


My scooter hit 186 miles, so it was time for some routine maintenance.


Changing the Oil

Changing the Oil

1. (You might want to ride your scooter a bit to heat up the oil and make it flow a little better, but watch out for the hot engine and exhaust pipe!!!) Put your scooter on the double kickstand.

2. Remove the oil cap located on the right side of your bike (this is also how you check your oil level) and put it on some newspaper.

3. Put some sort of tub beneath your engine to catch the oil (at least 1 quart, but I used a 6 qt. that I got from the dollar store)

4. On the bottom of your engine ("oil out" in the picture) is an 11/16" bolt or plug. Unscrew the oil plug with a socket wrench. Oil will start to come out pretty fast, so have your pan ready! Remove the plug and let oil drain completely.

5. After a few minutes, replace the plug. (The plug has a spring, so it's a bit tricky)

6. Measure out 20.3 oz of 10w-30 motor oil (the manual recommends 10w-30 for 4-stroke engines, but the guy at the auto parts store says there is no difference). Put a funnel in the place where you removed your oil cap and pour in the oil. Replace your oil cap. It's just that easy!

.

Changing the Crankcase Fluid

This is a little harder to find. It is located on the left side of your scooter, towards the back. The drain is on the bottom (where my finger is) and the fill is two bolts up from the drain.

1. Put your drain pan under the crankcase and remove the bolt where you "fill" the fluid. (The bolt size is 10 mm) You'll know you have the right one if fluid starts to drain. Put the bolt aside and note how it looks, so you don't confuse it with the other bolt later.

2. Remove the drain plug for the crankcase and let the fluid run out.

3. Replace the drain plug, and measure out 5.03 oz. of #10 machine oil or GY gear oil.

4. Now here's where it gets a bit tricky. The "fill" hole is on the side, and you need to put fluid in a hole on the side of your scooter. I've been told there are funnels with flexible nozzles made for this purpose, but I got by on a paper funnel, a flexible drinking straw and some duct tape. : ) Slowly pour all 5.03 ounces into the crankcase.

5. When you have filled the crankcase, have your bolt ready. Quickly remove your funnel (fluid will start coming out!) and replace the bolt. You are done!


Cleaning Your Air Filter


This is easy. The air filter is located on the left side of your scooter.


1.Using a #2 Phillips head screwdriver, remove the five or six screws holding the cover on the air filter. Inside you'll see a spongy thing (which is your air filter)

2. Take out the filter, and clean it with a solvent to remove any grease (there was none on mine, but the "solvent" the guy at the parts store recommended was gasoline) and later wash with soap and water to remove any dust or dirt.

3. Let it dry and put it back inside.


Adjusting Your Mirrors

If your mirrors aren't helping you out, and you have to lean to see, then they need adjusting. It can be as simple as twisting the mirror on the swivel, but if that does not work, you might need to take it one step further.


1. lift up the rubber cap that covers the nut for the mirrors.

2. Take an 9 / 16" wrench and unscrew the nut that holds the mirror on the handle.

3. Twist the mirrors until you can effortlessly see behind you.

4. Hold the mirror firmly in place and tighten with the wrench.

5. It might take a few adjustments because you might have a different posture riding the bike (I tend to lean forward a little bit) before you get it the way you want it.


Charging Your Battery

I haven't had to do it yet, but if you haven't been riding your scooter in a while, you might need to charge it. Look under your seat, there should be a black box with a cord. Plug one end into the jack under your seat (it almost looks like an RCA jack on the back of your TV), plug the other end into an electrical outlet. I think it only takes a few hours.

Checking Your Tires

This is an important part of keeping your Popcycle safe and efficient. Use a tire gauge to check your tire pressure. Both tires should be at 36 psi. If they're not, fill with air.

Fixing a Stuck Gas Gauge

I tried running the fuel down in my Popcycle over the winter, and my gas gauge was stuck on "E". All I did was stick a coat hanger in and loosened up the float, and it seems to be back to normal again.

And Finally...

I'm sure I'll add a few things later on. I hope this helps a few of you.

*Remember, your Popcycle scooter is pretty much a TN'G Venice LX 4-stroke, so if you need to find any parts or service for it, you might want to go in that direction.

Because I've reached the limits of what I can find out about this bike from the Internet, I've decided to purchase a Haynes Guide, which might help me to figure out the exact model of this scooter. I'll let you know if there is any valuable information in it, and if you're interested in looking at it, feel free to contact me.

Summer Fun in the City

Summer is here and you may be wondering what to do. Below is a list of free activities to help combat the ever-rising price of gas. If you know of something, feel free add to this list…

Outdoor movies

July
1st : Cinema St. Louis Film Makers Showcase @ Schlafly Tap Room
4th : Independence Day @ St. Louis Union Station
12th : Father of the Bride Whitaker Pool Pavilion @ Tower Grove Park
15th : Cinema St. Louis Film Makers Showcase @ Schlafly Tap Room
18th : Hairspray @ Cleveland High School
19th : Akeelah and the Bee @ Dwight Davis Park

Get the full list here


Music

This year Fair St. Louis has been scheduled off the levee. Musical acts and fireworks are scheduled every Friday and Saturday night until August 2nd.

The Whitaker Music Festival has been around for many years every Wednesday through August. While it has changed locations within the last couple years, it’s still great to enjoy a summer evening picnicking in the Garden.

Sounds at the Station is held the third Thursday of every month through September at Union Station.

For something a little different, check out Jungle Boogie @ the Zoo. The concerts are scheduled at the Central Plaza every Friday evening until August 29th.

Just when summer is about to end you can enjoy the Blues on the riverfront at the Big Muddy Blues Festival!

Art

The weekend of July 19th the Contemporary Art Museum sponsors Open Studios. This is a fun way to meet local artists and take a peek at their studios!

And don’t forget, while the St. Louis Art Museum is free everyday the special exhibits are free on Friday and the museum is open until 9PM.

Parades!!

How could I forget about this?!?! The Shriners are in town. There will be a slew of mini motorcyles and fezs heading down Olive and 14th @ 7PM on July 1st...so watch out!

Also, the 131st annual Veiled Prophet Parade is Friday @ 10AM. It starts at 4th and Washington and ends at Market and 20th streets.

Let's Talk Popcycle

I really like my scooter - I really do. It was a nice perk for buying the loft. It's a great way to cruise around and see downtown on a few pennies worth of gas.

Some of you ride your scooters, and judging by the looks of a few of the scooters, it seems others haven't taken theirs out yet. Whatever your situation, you might want to follow a few maintenance checks to make sure your scooter stays running.

#1 - Burn off your old gasoline. Gas, believe it or not, goes bad after sitting in your tank for a while. If you have gas in your tank from last fall, you could encounter problems later on. There is an additive that will extend the life of your gasoline for about three months, and that might get you through winter. Also, when you fill up again, use 90 octane gas. The owner's manual recommends 90 octane, so pay the extra 10 cents.

#2 - Change your oil. The owner's manual suggests changing your engine oil and gearbox oil every 300 km (186 miles), but if it's been over a year, I'd recommend changing it anyway.

#3 - Misc. Maintenance - There's a wealth of information about adjusting throttle, idle, brakes etc. in the owner's manual. There's also a list of things to do if you will not be using your scooter for an extended period of time.

All this information is on the Popcycle website (owner's manual and parts list) but you might want to secure a copy of the information before the website goes down. If anybody has any questions, ask me.

#4 Parts - Popcycle Motor Co. is no longer in business, so you will have to find your own parts. Any shop you go to in the area might not be helpful.  Make sure you find one that will work on Chinese scooters.

Here's what you need to know about your Popcycle. It's a scooter made of Chinese parts. I'm still trying to find some sort of name for the type of scooter, so I can confidently give you a link in which to find the correct parts.

I'll put a link to a website I found that specializes in Chinese scooter parts. Like I said, until I can be certain of some sort of generic name for the Popcycle scooter, you will have to rely on descriptions from vendors and your parts list.

Perhaps a motorcycle shop might be able to help you, but remember, most of those places charge about $70 per hour and they will have to order your parts.

------

Take care of your scooter, and it will give you a few hundred miles of cheap transportation. Remember to keep it in good running condition (this means charging the battery, changing the oil, storing it during winter) or you might run into difficulties that might prove to be very complex later on.


***Update***

After a little research today, I've found a few models that are similar to the Popcycle. The Verucci VC50fs-10a has a similar structure, but a different body molding.

One that is surprisingly similar, however, is the Tank Urban Classic 50. It looks almost exactly like the Popcycle, except for the speedometer.

This parts website might also be helpful

***Update #2***

Okay, I'm on the right trail. If you look on your VIN plate, you'll see that your scooter was made by CMSI. CMSI produces a line of scooters called TN'G (short for Twist n' Go). In the TN'G line, there is a model called the Venice.

There is the Venice 49cc and the Venice LX. In some ways, the Popcycle is very much like the 2006 Venice LX, especially when you look at the control panel. But other parts of the Venice LX are different (like the spark plug type, the look of the mirrors and the handlebars, and the model number)

Although our scooters are a 2006 model (according to the plate), the model number is surprisingly close to the 2007-2008 Venice 49 cc models. The Popcycle is model # VN494 and the Venice is model # VN492.

I'm 95% there, but I still cannot find a specific match for the Ppocycle. If you are looking for parts, however, rest assured knowing that your scooter is manufactured by CMSI and is very, very close to the Venice models of their TN'G branch.

I'll put a link for TN'G in the "Links" section too.

Oh yeah...

Just when you almost forgot about it, those letters started arriving a few days ago. Condo fees are here.

The due date for the first fee was June 1, and there will be another invoice arriving around July 1.

Payments should be made to:
KN&C LLC
2200 Washington Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63103
Attn: Christina

Fitness Factory memberships run from the 15th to the 15th of each month, and will be included on the invoice.

Community Garden Next Door

It looks like Gateway Greening strikes again. Besides the nice plants and flowers they've planted on Washington, it looks like they've started a community garden on 22nd.

This is still a developing story, so check back in a couple of days. By then, I should know who planted it, what in the heck EHLA means, if they need any volunteers, and if we will be able to take some of the bounty.

Fresh, red tomatoes out the back door, in the city? You gotta love it.

****Update****

It didn't hit me until this morning driving down Jefferson. E-H-L-A Ethel Hedgeman Lyle Academy. That's who the garden belongs to. I contacted the principal to find out the scoop on the garden.

Blogging Basics 101

I'm assuming most people can figure this out themselves, but I thought I'd add a short tutorial.

You should start at your dashboard. Here you can do a few things like view the blog, create new posts, or edit posts.

Posting - This is about as easy as sending an email. You can post pictures, add hyperlinks, change font, etc. Hit "Preview" to see how your post will look, and hit "Publish Post" when you're ready to put it on the blog.

Save Now - This function is one of two choices at the bottom of your posting options. This allows you to save a draft without publishing it, so you can work on it later.

Edit Post - Made a mistake? Don't worry you can change it with this function.

Comments - At the end of each post, there is a link callled "comments" which allows you to leave a comment about the post.

Profiles - To the right of the blog articles, you'll see the contributors' names. Click on those names, and you'll see information about that person. Click on your name, and you can edit your own profile, putting as much information as you wish.

Public Site - I made this blog "public viewing", which means that everyone on the Internet can read it, so remember any personal information you put on here is public. Only Motor Lofts residents, however, can create posts or leave comments.

Links, etc. - I put a few links on the side, if anyone has any other suggestions, tell me and I'll get them out there.

How do I get out of the blog? - It's a bit hard to find, but once in the blog, you need to hit the little orange box in the upper left hand corner to get out.

Welcome to the Motor Lofts Blog! I believe there should be a sense of community in this building, so that is why I'm creating this blog. It should be a good way to get to know one another and discuss issues related to the building.

So often our interactions are brief encounters on the elevator, but I'd like to create more than that. Maybe someone needs to borrow a hammer, or perhaps someone has a really good idea for the building. This blog can act as a forum for all things related to Motor Lofts.

Each person has the opportunity to create a new post, and others can comment on the ideas presented in the post. We can use this blog as a way to discuss ideas or just have fun.

Join the Motor Lofts community and start typing your thoughts!