The Miles LeHane Group - OI Partners

Proving a better human experience – for a better business outcome

For years the property line between David and Melanie Miles’ Glenfiddich House and their neighbors, the Bos’, had been shaded by a mature, 75’ tall black walnut tree. In time Mr. and Mrs. Bos approached David and Melanie with the concern that the shade of the tree and the annual falling walnuts were damaging the properties. For sure, all were tired of picking up hundreds of pounds of walnuts every fall. The agreement was reached to take the tree down, provided that David and Melanie could have the wood to recycle into some furniture for the Miles LeHane offices in the new “Stables”, then under construction.

The Miles contracted with a local expert, Peter Hart Tree Service out of Leesburg, to fell the historic walnut tree. On March 26, 2004, the tree came down. Peter Hart knew a lumberman, Bobby Lowry from Purcellville, who could plank cut the trunk that had a diameter of approximately 20”. Bobby surveyed the felled tree and determined he could cut the tree into a 13’ length at the longest section. The wood that could not be salvaged became fragrant firewood at Miles LeHane.

A week later, Bobby reported success at pulling 330 board feet of varying lengths and widths, but that the Miles would need to store it for six months to enable a drying to 10% moisture. Then Bobby could kiln dry it for another 30 days to finish the drying process and prepare it for smooth cutting for the furniture. By early November, the wood was sufficiently dry to be transferred to Nick Greer, a fabricator of fine furniture in Purcellville for over 30 years. But the Christmas season was on our St. Nick with his heavy production and restoration schedule. Construction on our walnut table was delayed until late January 2005.

By March 24, 2005, David and Melanie were called to Purcellville to preview the assembled, but still unfinished pieces—a conference table (53” wide x 11’ long), a coffee table and a credenza table. David and Melanie picked out the final finish colors. The final pieces arrived at Miles LeHane on March 29, 2005, almost a year to the day from the felling of the black walnut tree.

Once on site, the huge table could not go up the narrow stairs and make the turn into the conference room. The delivery crew (there were 6 strapping young men) had to heft the top, and then the base, from the driveway up to the balcony level, then swing it around and move into the conference room—done flawlessly without the glistening polished pieces touching the door frames even once.

You are invited to review the pictures of the delivery and assembly. It was quite a production, made more difficult by a stiff March wind that wanted to make a sail of the top. (see photo story).

With the arrival of these magnificent pieces of furniture, the Stables office is now complete and officially open for business.