Three weeks have passed since my last post.  The team is now working in the Garden level as well as having moved to the first floor to begin demo (above).  I am so surprised with how fast this is moving. I arrived on Wednesday to see it all torn up, with a giant steel beam spec'ed to carry a clear span load across the full kitchen area laying in the middle of a support structure.  Yesterday, it was in place, braced up, and ready for final inclusion to the steel and building structural components.  I'm sure by the end of next week, this space will be a clear span and be completely stripped of all old building materials.  More pics via the new ink on the right  - "First Floor Demo" .

Also since then, work is progressing in the Garden level with the addition of all of the underground piping - sewer, and Garden level piping for bath and utility rooms. I was lucky that the sewer and its connection in the street was intact and OK - sparing me the expense of tearing up the street to fix it.  I will need to run a new 1.5 inch copper water line though.  The old building had a series of 4 lead lines coming into the house... those have to go.