Johnson Towers Apartment Dollhouse Project

[jaie]

I thought I'd take a chance to introduce myself and my project, I finally managed to get a hold of the Toadstool Studios number 786 High Rise. The original plans create a house in 1/12 scale that measures 48 and 1/2 in wide 24 in a quarter inches deep in 56 inches high. I of course plan on changing this it'll will be slightly wider and taller.

For anybody looking at this and going they don't have the room to have this or build this, one fun fact about myself as I actually live in a tiny house. That is a 1954 vintage travel trailer of 280 sq ft inside. So the building is going to be built inside my house, but will be assembled and stored in a much larger area. 

This is built like an architect's model, which is going to help given my size limitations on my building space. Each section of apartment can be stacked. And I'm working first on the four shops below.

All of the "beams" are 3/8 inch square basswood. I'm hoping to have the store framed by the end of January. I'm also hoping to have at least one apartment done. 

Winters are long here in Upstate New York, and I live in Oswego, which recently got 24 inch of snow within a couple of days. I've included some of those fun pictures as well as the pictures of my project. But these long Winters mean picking up projects and hobbies and the one I decided on was this apartment building.

I first saw one of these apartment buildings as a kid at one of my grandfather's auctions, and I wanted to buy it but I wasn't allowed to I have been searching ever since for the plans. After all of the years I have been on eBay they finally came up for sale and I was able to get them for a very good price. These plans are incredibly elusive.

My plans so far involve a donut shop, a convenience store, potentially an arcade, and the fourth store is currently undecided. I also have plans to build a huge base which will hold, a bar and a couple of other interesting surprises. I plan on this house being a time capsule for 2017-2018 era everything will be fairly modern except for adding my collection of Petite Princess by Ideal to various apartments. And there will be many adult themes including in the bar area it will not be intended for children at any point. 

I realize this was a little long, but I know that a few people have been interested in the fact that someone is out there building these plans. And apartment buildings seem to be pretty rare in the world of dollhouses.

I will do my best to keep this updated as I go the pictures and posting today are the progress that I have so far. I also have an album that I posted here the other day that people can take a look at.

[Keifer]

Very cool.  Glad you did a little intro.  Your build is closer to the type of builds that I like.  My build is also not a traditional build but thats what great about this place ( as I discovered) everyone hear is welcomed with open arms.  Look forward to your progress. 

[jaie]

I personally prefer this style of building, I just haven't had a chance until now to do a build this big. As a person who doesn't live in a traditional home themselves, the big victorians and the traditional-style house really don't hold any appeal for me. Plus an apartment that has five or six apartments allows you to create several different looks instead of being limited to just one or two styles in a building.

[Guest]

Love your ideas for the shops! This looks like it's going to be a very cool build. 

Regarding your Bar.. If you are building a base is the bar going to be like a basement bar? I don't know like say "Cheers" lol... That's how I imagine what you have described anyway.. or I imagine a cool jazz club with low ceilings and brick walls.  

Maybe your fourth store could be a Barber or Salon or something along those lines? Spa, Gym? Just throwing you some ideas.. Whatever you do I'm looking forward to watching along. 

[jaie]

I'm actually seriously debating a tattoo parlor for the fourth store. And yes it's going to be a basement bar not much like cheers, but it's a style of store that we have up here in Upstate New York there's bars in basements all over the place. But as I say it's going to have an adult theme and it's actually going to be a strip club in 1/12 scale.

Edited December 29, 2017 by jaie

[Guest]

Racy!

Well, if you are going in that direction I think a tattoo parlour above might be just right. Sounds like these apartments aren't in the best part of town. 

Which is kind of great.. because it throws up all sorts of possibilities for exterior finishes and great unusual minis. So fun!

 

[jaie]

Well actually, upscale strip clubs are very much a thing except they give them the name gentlemen's club. So think upscale everything not seedy part of town. Then of course you have "ladies night".

Edited December 29, 2017 by jaie

[havanaholly]

I built my Glencroft pub in our travel trailer whilst we were traveling along the Mississippi River the summer of Katrina.  It's too bad you can't have it where you live, so you can continue to play with it after you "finish" building & decorating it.

[jaie]

I can have it where I live. It just won't be inside the tiny house. It'll still be here however.

[havanaholly]

Aha!  I'd probably go bonkers if I couldn't play with mine.

[jaie]

I'll play with it same as I do my room boxes, it won't be far away.

[jaie]

So, I put in some work on the New Year, and at some point will have a few more pictures to share, I actually have an outside wall installed on the pieces seen here, which will be one store section nearly done. I really need to work on getting some lightweight clamps that can go the length of these walls.

[Dml]

I have been looking for something like this! Why is it so hard to find a 1:12 scale apartment complex? I’ve been looking.  I can’t wait to see the finished product:) 

[J_Sea]

Looks awesome! I love the idea of apartments! Also a good friend of mine lives in Oswego! ❤️ please keep us posted on your project!