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More Golden Years Ahead
At 30 years of age, I’ve been around long enough to remember the high watermark for home construction, the ‘90s. Sure, more homes have been built in years since, but the homes of the ‘90s were different, richer and warmer in many ways. Think back to those days, and all across America you can imagine contractors and carpenters of all walks of life, returning home in gratitude and confidence, for the monuments they took part in building, for home and business.
If you’ve done the math you know I was only 10 on New Years Eve 2000, but that shouldn’t worry you. I was raised in a house of craftsmen. My father, a skilled wood worker, and my two older brothers, Joe and Jack Eley, still practice the trade to this day. In 2019, I had the distinct pleasure of working with all three, on projects ranging from design, exterior restoration, commercial renovation, and even smaller jobs, like framing-in and enclosing my father’s workspace in Deltaville, VA, where we were raised.
But it is the time spent in Maine working with my brother Joe, owner of J. Eley Woodworks, which brought back the similarly rich and warm feelings of the ‘90s. Construction in Maine has been on the rise for several years now with new commercial/residential construction getting the lion’s share of attention, and yet, it’s been in bringing back the opulence, history and permanence of the family homes built at the turn of the century here, the early 1900s, that have fueled my belief that a craftsman/woman can stand with that same gratitude and confidence in their work here, along the coast of Maine.
small cities like Portland, Brunswick, and Bath are in an excellent position of leadership in this economy, and my work with J. Eley Woodworks has only strengthened my resolve to continue being a part of the journey. I’m Jeremy, Joe’s youngest brother. From here, myself and the rest of the crew will be chiming in so you can stay up to date on our latest projects and observations, focused on Maine and our trade! I’ll start us off in the next few days with a couple of stories from this past summer. Thanks, and stay tuned! - Jeremy