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  • Retirement Dream Destroyed Save Email Print
    Storm ruins $50,000 investment
    Posted: 10:02 PM Jul 2, 2008
    Last Updated: 11:40 PM Jul 2, 2008
    Email Address: sixonline@wowt.com

    A | A | A

    Friday’s storm and subsequent damage has taken a toll on many people. For one man, his dream was gone with the wind.

    Robert Fidone paid $30,000 to move a barn 15 miles near Leshara in Saunders County. “It took a lot of effort to move it and get things coordinated from moving wires to getting the route clean.”

    The barn was going to be his retirement dream. "I have three grandkids, so I was going to make it child-friendly." On the outside it would remain a historic barn, but inside it would be converted into a modern home with 20-foot high ceilings and geothermal heat, all overlooking the Platte Valley on 20 acres.

    The strong winds crushed those plans. "It took some dreams, yeah, it took some plans and anticipation, looking forward to finish this thing and how nice it would be."

    The barn sat on a new foundation and had a new roof. Not only had Fidone paid for engineering plans, he intended to put another $200,000 into turning the century-old barn into his dream home.

    A barn stacked with three generations of family life already had a name of its own. "El Grano. I think that's Italian for a barn." The barn can't be put back together. It will have to be picked up and hauled away in pieces.

    "It's heartbreaking, it's emotional. The money wasn't the first thought. I can't replace that. I think what could have been and now it's time to think what I need to do."

    Because Fidone had not started converting the barn to a home, it was still considered an outbuilding so he didn't have insurance. After paying for moving the barn, for its foundation and for its renovation plans, his total damage loss adds up to about $50,000.

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    Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 5, 2008 at 05:30 PM
    The headline sounds like someone's retirement savings are gone, and he'll have to keep working past retirement age. Then I read this story about a guy who might have to scale back his dreams for a specialty home. I was conned.

    Posted by: Joe on Jul 3, 2008 at 04:45 PM
    Bob is a retired cop he is in good shape living high on the hog, or the taxpayers.

    Posted by: T on Jul 3, 2008 at 12:43 PM
    No offense attended, but the barn must have not been very stable if it blew over in 90 mph winds. Maybe it is a blessing that it got blown over when it did and not when the barn is inhabited and a tornado comes.

    Posted by: TC on Jul 3, 2008 at 11:56 AM
    I can only agree with Brenda and AW. An old barn has so much more character than all these shoebox houses nowadays.

    Posted by: Brenda on Jul 3, 2008 at 09:38 AM
    What a great idea to preserve the past and make it new again. It breaks my heart that he lost a dream. If I had the opportunity to be able to do what he was planning to do with that barn, I would in a minute.

    Posted by: AW on Jul 3, 2008 at 09:16 AM
    Wow, you people are harsh. You should be ashamed of yourselves. What does good does "I told you so" do now. And I think the idea of coverting a barn into a house is great. Just because its not conventional doesnt mean he shouldnt do it... You are a follower arent you...???

    Posted by: Retha on Jul 3, 2008 at 08:16 AM
    He's putting $200K into it to make it a home. How about a new home for $200K with a old family barn next to it....Hum???

    Posted by: HB on Jul 3, 2008 at 07:37 AM
    Yep. The guy didn't bother to cover his own investment. His fault he's out 50 grand. No sympathy here.

    Posted by: llr on Jul 2, 2008 at 11:18 PM
    He had no insurance, according to the story. While I feel badly for him, a dilapidated barn is nothing to try and convert into a home. Better to have built something new, with huge steel I-beams, like our home has. And no, we didn't build our home...the huge steel I-beam in the basement of our home is where we go when the sirens go off, ready to flip the couch and hide under. "They don't make homes like they used to". Ours was built more than 30 years ago.

    Posted by: Insured on Jul 2, 2008 at 10:26 PM
    He carried insurance, I assume? You can insure absolutely anything, if you're willing to pay what the ins co's actuaries wamnt.

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