Built in 1945, the Stewart Coach is a thirty foot aluminum and steel trailer of the postwar style, with sloping aerodynamic lines and porthole windows that invoke reminders of the gap bridged between the Art Deco Age and the coming Retro style. Two intact jewels are the original waterfall vanity in the bedroom and the multi-paneled picture window in the living room reminding us of a simpler time. A victim of the most common form of neglect, the trailer's interior contains few of its original details, having been stripped down to the bare essentials years ago.  Time has taken its toll, and the trailer's antiquated systems, aging windows, warped flooring and flat tires will all need attention.

Krystal is an aesthetician for a downtown beauty parlor. She's traveled around the country in her studies in cosmetology, restoring trailers wherever she goes. With her eye for beauty, Krystal will be helping out the TOT crew with her attention to detail and willingness to get her hands dirty. She has not, however, taken on a project of this size and is looking forward to learning alongside our crew.

Our choice of an urban project is a deliberate one, for it comes at a time when cities across America are enjoying an unprecedented renaissance. In moving into the city, Ms. Bilaveau is part of a new wave around the country, and by following her story we hope to tell a larger one. Urban home ownership is at a record high of 51 percent, and we hope to celebrate what the New York Times recently quoted Providence mayor Vincent Cianci Jr. as saying at the United States Conference of Mayors: "The exodus of years ago has changed. It's hip living in the cities. People want to be back." Many American cities were in decline not too long ago. Buildings were boarded up, property values were depressed, and crime was a serious problem. Now the streets are alive with people, restaurants have opened to standing-room-only crowds, and everywhere you look buildings are being renovated and restored. This fall, you will be able to watch as another is reborn.

The Stewart Coach:

A Walk Through Tour