On Monday I traveled up to Granville, New York, in the heart of Slate Valley to check on our slate order for the historic Cornelius Evans House (circa 1861) in Hudson, New York. Hilltop Slate is the largest fabricator of New York and Vermont roofing slate. We always use Hilltop's materials in our projects. As a consultant, I am often retained to assist architects in the specification of new slate roof systems and the restoration of existing structures. We always insist that Hilltop products are specified for the slate roofing materials.
I was treated to a tour of the quarries, fabrication facilities and yard by Hilltop's owner, Dan Boone. At the quarry, chunks of slate are blasted from the earth and moved by some seriously heavy equipment. Its an amazing process to witness.
The slate boulders are carted to Hilltop's yard in "manageable" sizes -- several tons a piece! Workmen with jackhammers then split them further into slabs. Front end loaders then bring them over to the conveyor belt and they're pulled inside.
Enormous wet saws cut the slabs into blocks for splitting. Great care is taken to identify strata and cleaves where the material wants to naturally split. Failure at this step in the process can mean unseen fissures that will later fail once the roof has been installed. This is an all too common occurrence with imported slate where quality control is suspect at best.
Every roofing slate is hand made. That's right. The blocks are split by hand now just as they have been for all time. Only years of experience and a keen eye can make this most crucial part of the process a success. As the splitter works the block, he inspects for imperfections such as knots, knurls and cleaves that create a sub-standard product. Pieces that aren't up to snuff are sold to home centers for flagstone pavers and gardens. Now you know where they came from!
(Dan Boone demonstrates the splitting)
The slates are then loaded by hand onto a belt and trimmed by a machine to achieve uniform size and square corners. The slate holes are then punched one slate tile at a time by a workman. The fabrication process is incredibly labor intensive. While many fabricators look for ways to save on labor and cut costs, Hilltop has taken the human component and used it to infuse a heightened degree of quality control.
The final check: Hilltop Slate owner Dan Boone examines a slate destined for the Evans House project in Hudson. Contact us today to discuss how we can incorporate Hilltop Slate into your roofing project.
Surfing the web on a cold, wet March morning, I find myself amazed at how few articles or blogs cut through the fluff and filler of hiring a contractor to address a topic critical to the success of your next project: finding the right guy for the job! An item I don't see addressed at all is the importance of finding the right contractor for the project at hand. While it seems like an obvious statement to make, and a simple enough obstacle to overcome,
it is the single-most important element to the success of the project and ultimate satisfaction of you, the consumer.
No contractor is a master of all skill sets in a given trade. Let's look at masonry as an example. There are some masonry outfits that do nothing but stamped concrete. Because it's all they do, they're set up for it: the tools, equipment and crews who are proficient in their craft. This allows them to offer a quality product at a competitive price. Now consider the mason whose company primarily builds block and brick walls for commercial customers on a regular basis. He may be able to successfully complete a stamped concrete project, but there's a lot more planning and set-up involved, and he may have less-skilled workers for that particular project. Hence, his price is likely to be higher and there'll be less examples of his work for you to consider. The contractor you hire must have the tools, equipment, craftsmen, and experience needed to successfully complete your project.
Consider this analogy as it applies to restoration work. The knowledge and skill sets required to successfully rebuild a copper-lined, Philadelphia-style gutter on an old Colonial with a slate roof bring three trades into action: metal work, carpentry, and slate roofing. There are many carpenters who would find the copper-smithing and slate aspects of the job beyond their abilities. And many slaters are not capable of replicating the ornate cornice, corbels and detail of a built-in gutter. It is critical that a contractor provide you with more than a fancy proposal and attractive price for your project. He needs to demonstrate and prove himself through pictures, documentation and references for similar projects that he has already successfully completed.
Being a successful restoration contractor requires knowledge of the tools, materials and practices of tradesmen from yesteryear. One cannot rely on the best practices of modern construction, alone, as a basis of knowledge. Constant research through hundred-year-old trade manuals, the internet, and hands-on experience are the foundation on which a preservation worker basis his decisions and guides his crew through a project. It is a constant learning process and one that requires a high degree of interest and commitment to professional development. Make sure your prospective contractor is genuinely interested in the work on your home or building.
While we're on topic some words of caution are in order. Make certain that he's licensed and insured, as your city and/or state may require. Some states, like Massachusetts and Rhode Island, require a construction supervisor's licensing or registration with the state contractors' board. This type of information is easily accessed through the internet. Make certain to call your town or city building department to confirm what you find. If a permit is required, the contractor MUST secure it. If you fall for the old, "You pull the permit and I'll give you a price break," watch out. If any person is injured or property damaged during the job, it'll fall on your shoulders-you were the sneaky little devil who pulled the permit to save a few bucks. Most contractors who try this scam DO NOT have the insurances your town or city requires to grant the permit! You are making a significant investment in your home or building; don't cut corners when it comes to a permit.
It never ceases to amaze me how few clients ask for proof of the right insurance. Your contractor MUST have liability AND workers compensation insurances. General liability insurance for a MINIMUM $1 million personal injury and a MINIMUM $1 million property damage ARE NOT cost prohibitive for a restoration worker proposing to do high end work. A common scam many contractors run is to act like they have liability insurance, and that's good enough. Of equal or possibly greater importance is workers' comp. This one costs the big bucks and is what drives a legitimate contractor's prices up. However, it is also his protection AND YOURS if an employee gets hurt on the job. If an employee gets injured on your property and files a comp claim where coverage was NOT in effect, he can sue his employer AND YOU! Verify that your restoration contractor has workers' compensation insurance and provides you with a general liability certificate naming you and the property as ‘additionally insured parties.'
Following these simple guidelines will help you find the right outfit for your restoration project and get things moving in the right direction!
This article appeared in the Winter 2010 issue of 'Traditional Roofing Magazine'
We've all heard of home inspectors recommending that a chimney be repointed before the sale of a house, but what does that mean?
Repoint... the average Joe on the street knows what it means... "Putting the cement back in between the bricks, right?" Basically, yes, that's right. But did you know there are different types of mortar? Some that have little or no cement at all? And if you repoint with
too much cement in your mortar you might damage the masonry itself? (Did you know that ‘repoint' isn't even-technically-a word? Even though it's used by architects and practitioners in professional documents neither
Webster nor
Oxford recognize it. But that's a topic for another blog-don't get me started!)
First, a little Mortar 101 is in order. Mortar is typically made up of three dry components: a binder, an aggregate, and lime. This is usually Portland cement, sand and hydrated lime. It's the ratio that determines the strength, or ASTM classification, of the mortar. The pre-mixed bags found at home centers are usually ASTM type "S" mortars, similar to that used on commercial construction sites to lay modern brick and block walls. It has lots and lots of Portland cement in it and probably differs wildly from the mortar found in the average historic home. Before 1872 in the United States, there was no such thing as Portland cement. Mortar was generally lime and sand mixed, or lime, sand and natural cement (discovered in the 1820's during construction of the Erie Canal in upstate New York.)
The paradox of a masonry structure is that it's strength comes from it's ability to fail. Well, what the heck does that mean you're wondering. And rightly so. Here's how an old friend best explained it to a class of preservation students: Masonry units, be it brick, stone or block, are laid in mortar. That mortar absorbs and expels moisture. Moisture is water, and water freezes. When it freezes it expands, increasing volume by as much as 12% in the case of an ice cube. So, in a sense, the mortar expands, even minutely. Something has to give: the brick or the mortar. If the mortar is ‘harder' (meaning a high cement content) than the bricks laid in it, the bricks will spall and pop, their faces crumbling and falling off. But if the bricks are ‘harder' the mortar will give, often without cracking or falling apart or leaving any visible record of the strength through failure. And, if the mortar joints do fail, it's FAR less expensive to repoint masonry than it is to rebuild it!
A good mason will be able to mix up a repointing mortar that will not jeopardize the historic masonry fabric of your home or building. If the color or texture are more challenging, there are firms available on-line that will custom match mortar samples for under $200. That's right folks, you can cry Foul! the next time a mason says "I can repoint your brick wall but I can't match the old joints where they meet," "It'll take a couple years for it to blend in, if ever," or, worse, "It'll never match." This is the same guy who buys bags of pre-mix mortar at Home Depot and repoints old, soft-brick chimneys. After a couple of winters, the chimney is crumbling and falling apart. If he's really slick, they unwittingly call him back to ultimately rebuild the chimney that he destroyed!
A good repointing job should last at least thirty years. But, like most things in life, you get what you pay for. The cheapest guy, or the one who says "I can't match it," will look like a deer in the headlights if you start using terms like compressive strength, Portland cement, or lime putty mortar. If you start to think, "Maybe I know more about this than he does," you probably do. You should ask for three references-specifically-for recent repointing jobs and then go look at his work. A good mason contractor will not spend his free time forever going back and forth with you providing endless references and answering questions ad nauseum. He's busy, in demand, and doesn't desperately NEED your job. But he'll give you a comprehensive consultation and estimate and he's got half a dozen references ready for a potential customer.
There are many stories of repointing projects gone horribly wrong-don't let it happen to you!
Water. Without argument, it's essential to us. But in terms of the places where we live or work, unwanted moisture means erosion, corrosion and rot! This mini-web class can help anyone who cares for, or about, a historic house to better understand and deal with the three most common sources of the "wet stuff."
Learn how they invade historic materials:
- From the outside "in"
- From the ground "up"
- From "within" the interior itself.
We'll show you what goes wrong when moisture is not adequately managed and how to turn the corner on present and future problems by providing some simple, common sense tips.
Moisture as home-wrecker.
Most moisture problems are the result of rain or snow, high humidity, or high water tables. But some of the most troublesome moisture damage in older houses can be caused inside the house by leaky plumbing, heaters and air conditioners, as well simply cooking and doing laundry. Taken as a whole, the wet invaders can control your house unless you manage them!
 It's good to understand the forces that move air and moisture through a building so you can better identify and correct a problem. The drawing shows how moisture can invade "inward" from the exterior; "upward" from the ground; and be generated from "within" the interior. All have damaging effects. |
A Little Science.
You probably already know moisture moves both as liquid and as vapor. This movement is directly related to differences in pressure.
For example, water as vapor--warm moist air--moves from a high pressure area to a lower pressure area where the air is cooler and drier. Liquid water moves as a result of differences in hydrostatic pressure or wind pressure.
How fast moisture moves depends on how permeable the building materials are and how quickly water is absorbed. More formal terminology may be used to describe moisture movement and how it invades a house: lateral penetration (from the outside of the house in), capillary action (wicking up from the ground), and vapor diffusion (condensation within the house's interior). The subject is infinitely complex and, thus, one of continuing scientific study.
Watch out for these disgusting signs.
Identifying the problem and discovering its source or sources (from the outside, the ground, or within) usually involves the human senses of sight, smell, hearing, touch, and taste! Here are some of the more common signs of visible--as well as hidden--moisture damage: * Presence of standing water, mold, fungus, or mildew
* Wet stains, eroding surfaces, or efflorescence (salt deposits) on interior and exterior surfaces
* Flaking paint and plaster, peeling wallpaper, or moisture blisters on finished surfaces
* Dank, musty smells in areas of high humidity or poorly ventilated spaces
* Rust and corrosion stains on metal elements, such as anchorage systems and protruding roof nails in the attic
* Cupped, warped, cracked, or rotted wood
* Spalled, cracked masonry or eroded mortar joints
* Faulty roofs and gutters including missing roofing slates, tiles, or shingles and poor condition of flashing or gutters
* Condensation on window and wall surfaces
* Ice dams in gutters, on roofs, or leaks in the attics
Moisture invasion from the outside "in" ...
Historic houses are notoriously "drafty." They can easily allow rain and damp airto enter through missing mortar in brick or stone and through cracks around windows and doors. In the winter, snow and ice can be particuarly damaging. Ice dams that form in roof gutters can lift up roofing tiles, allowing the ice to melt into attics and exterior walls. Often, deterioration caused by the weather will be evident on the interior before you ever see it on the exterior.
For example, whenever plaster is damaged around windows and you see damp wallpaper, the windows and roofing area above should be inspected. If you haven't found the source of moisture, don't repair!
Ongoing maintenance of the exterior is critical to deter the invaders. Repair deteriorated siding and damaged roofing materials, such as slate, tile, or wood shingles. Overall, keeping up with smaller projects is far preferable to replacing whole areas of historic material with new material. Not only will this be less expensive, your house will retain its authenticity for future generations to enjoy.
On another topic, if you let vines grow directly on brick or wood, they may look mellow, but, without a trellis to hold them away from the house, the roots erode mortar joints and foundations as they seek nourishing dampness within. Vines also hold moisture against exterior surfaces. Though almost everyone enjoys a bit of planned nature in the yard, when nature grows with abandon out of brick walls or cracks in the sidewalks, or on the roof, we should turn on it as the enemy!
Next, always keep gutters and downspouts in good repair. This is critical in order to convey moisture away from the house. Dry residue, such as pine needles from trees, can clog them, making rain water overflow onto the very historic materials you call "home."
What to do--or not do.
The best advice is to use common sense maintenance approaches to keep rain and moisture from entering your house. Here are suggestions to keep the invaders under control.
 |
Roofs, gutters & downspouts: Don't apply "tar goop" (asphaltic compounds) to try to make repairs because it doesn't work in the long run and can actually damage historic materials! Keep your roof weather-tight and functioning properly. Repair the flashing and cracked or broken downspouts. Inspect the roofing itself at least once a year, preferably in the spring.
Replace any missing or damaged roofing shingles, slates, or tiles.
Window and door openings: Eliminate any cracks or open joints.Caulk or repoint around openings or steps. Repair or re-set weatherstripping, then repaint, as necessary.
Walls: Don't ever apply a waterproof coating to an above-ground masonry wall--it can trap moisture underneath, causing further damage to the historic material. Repair damaged surface materials with care. Repoint masonry with appropriately formulated mortar. Prime and repaint wooden, metal, or masonry elements or surfaces.
Foliage: Keep all foliage and vines away from the house. Trim overhanging trees to keep the debris out of gutters and to prevent limbs from rubbing against building materials. Remove moisture-retaining elements, such as shrubbery, from foundations.
Moisture invasion from the ground "up."
Below-grade ground moisture can be a major problem. To do battle and win means you have to find an efficient way to handle surface rain run-off. The statistics would seem discouraging for those who care for a historic house. A heavy rain of 2" in an hour can produce 200 gallons of water from downspout discharge alone!
Now--if a downspout is clogged or broken, it can't carry water away from the house, which is its function. As a result, the ground around the foundation quickly becomes oversaturated. Moisture is absorbed by the foundation walls, making for a damp basement, and may cause the masonry and adjacent wooden structural elements of the house to deteriorate.
Another, more sinister, kind of invader is called "rising damp." Generally the result of high water tables or a constant source of dampness under the footings, you have probably seen a stain on masonry houses, often reaching 2 or 3 feet above the foundation. It really looks ugly. But don't try to apply some kind of waterproof coating to the wall. It only makes things worse! Improve the drainage, or, if that doesn't work, have a physical barrier, such as a slate course or plastic sheeting, professionally installed.
Sometimes further investigation is needed to get a dryer foundation. There may be underground wells, cisterns, abandoned pipes or other "hidden holders" of moisture. Tidal areas may have a history of chronic ground moisture, and there are seasonally high water tables to deal with as well. If regular maintenance procedures don't rid your house and yard of moisture problems, then more extensive remedial work will need to be done.
What to do--or not do. The best advice is to use common sense maintenance procedures to eliminate standing water and increase ventilation of the basement, or to correct existing high moisture levels, if necessary. Here are suggestions to keep the invaders under control.
Foundation and Yard: Eliminate low spots around building foundations. Clean out existing downspout boots twice a year or add an extension to leaders to carry moisture away from foundation. Do a hose test to verify that surface drains are functioning.
Reduce moisture used to clean steps and walks. Eliminate the use of chlorides to melt ice, which can cause damage to masonry. Check the operation of irrigation systems, hose bib leaks,and clearance of air conditioning "drip" drain outlets.
Consider installing a "French drain" to reduce splash-back onto foundation walls.
Or, a more expansive drainage system may be installed to direct water away from the house and into the yard.
Crawl space: Check the foundation grilles to be sure they provide enough ventilation; vents may need to be added if there are none.
Close grilles seasonally in winter, if they are not needed, or in summer, if hot humid air is getting into air conditioned spaces.
Basement: To reduce the amount of moisture,add a de-humidifier. If there are vents, increase air flow by installing a vent fan. To remedy a chronic moisture problem in the basement, such as a visibly wet floor or periodic ponding, install an electric sump pump (right). Then, once any mechanical device is in place, be sure to take care of it provide by providing routine maintenance.
Piping/ductwork: Check for condensation on pipes and insulate the pipes or seal the joints. Replace older pipes subject to leaking or overflowing.
Moisture Invasion from "within."
The most obvious problem you may encounter is from leaky plumbing pipes and mechanical equipment. Even new plumbing can leak, but older water and sewer pipes are particularly vulnerable.
As a result, slow leaks at plumbing joints hidden within walls and ceilings can stain ceiling plaster or wallpaper, ultimately rot floor boards, and even lead to decay of structural members! Maintaining and repairing, or, if necessary, replacing older plumbing and mechanical equipment are the most common solutions.
Next, condensation produced inside the house can create some real headaches! It's caused when moist warm vapor in the air cools on interior surfaces and changes into liquid. Usually settling on paint, the moist film can result in an unhealthy interior, heavy with mold and mildew spores.
What makes it worse is that the condensation invader is primarily occupant produced! Did you know that a house with four people in it can generate between 10 and 16 pounds of water a day (approximately 1 ½- 2 gallons) from normal, every day activities, such as showering, cooking, and doing laundry? Unvented gas stoves and kerosene heaters also give off a large amount of unwanted moisture. Bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry areas should all have vent fans that are turned on when the rooms are in active use.
When moisture appears as a film on interior window surfaces, it's a sign that you need to take defensive action. In cold climates, install storm windows. This reduces condensation and its damaging effects to historic materials, as well as your health.
In summary, reducing condensation through additional ventilation or installing storm windows can really help preserve your historic house!
What to do--or not do.
The best advice is to use common sense maintenance procedures to reduce damage from interior moisture. Here are suggestions to keep the invaders under control with a focus on keeping equipment functioning; replacing broken components; and even installing additional equipment where moisture problems are evident.
Plumbing pipes: Consider use of a floor water sensor in the basement to let you know if you have a problem! Add insulation to plumbing or radiator pipes located in areas subject to condensation or freezing, such as along outside walls, in attics, or in unheated basements.
Replace older pipes that are subject to leaking or overflowing!
Mechanical equipment: Check condensation pans and drain lines to keep them clear at all times. Insulate and seal joints in exposed metal ductwork to avoid drawing in moist air.
Cleaning: Routinely dust and clean surfaces. Caulk around tile floor and wall connections and keep floor grout in good condition.
Ventilation: Reduce household-produced moisture, if it's a problem, by increasing ventilation, especially in the basement.
Vent clothes dryers to the outside. Install and always useexhaust fans in bathrooms,
showers, and kitchens. Control mold and mildew by adding a whole house fan for increased air flow throughout the house.
Interior climate control: Adjust the temperature and relative humidity to manage interior condensation.
Correct areas of improperly balanced pressure for HVAC systems that may be causing a moisture problem.
THE NEXT STEPS
The moisture problems discussed in this article are common for historic homeowners and the stewards of historic buildings. We provide qualified consultation and contracting services for adaptive re-use projects as green building practices are applied to repurposed structures for improved sustainability. Contact Olde Mohawk to discuss options and solutions that will preserve the historic fabric of your structure and improve the quality of life for the occupants.
Content source: National Park Service publication All Wet & How to Prevent It...Managing Moisture in Your Historic House, created by Kay Weeks with Sharon C. Park, FAIA, and Anne E. Grimmer in January 2000, using established treatment methodology from Preservation Briefs 39, but presenting an entirely new product for a web audience in a long distance learning format.
Existing mechanical systems should be regularly inspected and maintained by a qualified HVAC contractor on a semi-annual basis. As plans are developed for the re-purposing of institutional structures, an upgrade to the mechanical system and addition of cooling may be considered. A mechanical systems engineering firm with a proven track record in historic structures must be consulted as the introduction of new systems in older buildings is not without problems--historic buildings are not easily adapted to house modern precision mechanical systems.
Careful planning must be provided early on to ensure that decisions made during the design and installation phases of a new system are appropriate. The size of the new system and needed output CANNOT be accurately calculated until AFTER improvements to the envelope (such as insulation an improvements to the fenestration) are accounted for. Since new mechanical and other related systems, such as electrical and fire suppression, can use up to 10% of a building's square footage and 30%-40% of an overall rehabilitation budget, decisions must be made in a systematic and coordinated manner. The installation of inappropriate mechanical systems may result in any or all of the following:
- large sections of historic materials are removed to install or house new systems,
- historic structural systems are weakened by carrying the weight of, and sustaining vibrations from, large equipment,
- moisture introduced into the building as part of a new system migrates into historic materials and causes damage, including biodegradation, freeze/thaw action, and surface staining,
- exterior cladding or interior finishes are stripped to install new vapor barriers and insulation,
- historic finishes, features, and spaces are altered by dropped ceilings and boxed chases or by poorly located grilles, registers, and equipment,
- systems that are too large or too small are installed before there is a clearly planned use or a new tenant,
For historic properties it is critical to understand what spaces, features, and finishes are historic in the building, what should be retained, and what the realistic heating, ventilating, and cooling needs are for the building, its occupants and its contents. A systematic approach, involving preservation planning, preservation design, and a follow-up program of monitoring and maintenance, can ensure that new systems are successfully added--or existing systems are suitably upgraded--while preserving the historic integrity of the building.
No set formula exists for determining what type of mechanical system is best for a specific building. Each building and its needs must be evaluated separately. Some buildings will be so significant that every effort must be made to protect the historic materials and systems in place with minimal intrusion from new systems. Some buildings will have museum collections that need special climate control. In such cases, curatorial needs must be considered--but not to the ultimate detriment of the historic building resource. Other buildings will be rehabilitated for commercial use. For them, a variety of systems might be acceptable, as long as significant spaces, features, and finishes are retained. Most mechanical systems require upgrading or replacement within 15-30 years due to wear and tear or the availability of improved technology. Therefore, historic buildings should not be greatly altered or otherwise sacrificed in an effort to meet short-term systems objectives.
Alternative Uses For Existing Building Stock
Adaptive reuse seeks to deal effectively with the issues of conservation and heritage policies. While old buildings may become unsuitable for their programmatic requirements, as progress in technology, politics and economics moves faster than the built environment, adaptive reuse comes in as a sustainable option for the reclamation of sites. In many situations, the types of buildings most likely to become subjects of adaptive reuse include: industrial buildings, as cities become gentrified and the process of manufacture moves away from city; political buildings, such as palaces and buildings which cannot support current and future visitors of the site; and community buildings such as churches or schools where the use has changed over time.
Adaptive reuse is seen as an effective way of reducing urban sprawl and environmental impact. By reusing an existing structure within a site, the energy required to create these spaces is lessened, as is the material waste that comes from destroying old sites and rebuilding using new materials. Through adaptive reuse old, unoccupied buildings can become suitable sites for many different types of use.
Criteria to Consider
While the process of adaptive reuse is a decision often made purely by companies establishing a particular brand or presence, there are often criteria for deciding whether a building should be conserved and reused or just demolished for the area of land it occupies. Some of these determining criteria include:
- The societal value of a given site; that is the importance of the use of a site to the community or visitors’ use;
- The potential for the reuse of a particular site; the physical damage sustained to the site and its support of future use, the character of the existing site in terms of the proposed reuse;
- The historical importance of the site; in terms of both physicality of the street-scape and the area, as well as the site in the community’s understand of the past; and,
- The natural ecological conditions of the site; whether the site is suitable climatically or can support the proposed environmental work needed in the site.
Advantages of Adaptive Reuse
With the debate of adaptive reuse as a sustainable avenue in the development of key sites, there are many advantages to using certain sites for redevelopment. Some of these advantages include the site’s location; in many cases, historical sites are often located in the centers of large cities due to the spatial development of a given area, these buildings can often be heritage-listed and therefore sold as an entity, rather than just for the land that they occupy, which the new tenants then have to retrofit the building for their particular purpose. Older buildings also often have a specific period character through the detailing and joinery of their constructed eras that newer or reconstructed developments lack, in certain cases, such as the hospitality industry; the grand character of a site can influence the feel of their building and are used for maximum potential to enhance the site’s physical attractiveness to a client.
Barriers to Adaptive Reuse
As mentioned above, adaptive reuse sometimes isn’t the most viable option for all historic sites. For some sites that have been left alone to decay by neglect, the physical damage of the site can render the site unusable both in terms of the cost to repair the damage as well as unsafe by government standards. Sites contaminated by old materials such as asbestos also become unviable for the process of adaptive reuse.
Providing Handicap Accessibility
Historically, most buildings and landscapes were not designed to be readily accessible for people with disabilities. In recent years, however, emphasis has been placed on preserving historically significant properties, and on making these properties-and the activities within them-more accessible to people with disabilities. With the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990, access to properties open to the public is now a civil right. Modifications to historic properties to increase accessibility may be as simple as a small, inexpensive ramp to overcome one entrance step, or may involve changes to exterior and interior features.
A three-step approach is recommended to identify and implement accessibility modifications that will protect the integrity and historic character of historic properties:
1) Review the historical significance of the property and identify character-defining features;
2) Assess the property's existing and required level of accessibility; and,
3) Evaluate accessibility options within a preservation context.
It is a challenge to evaluate properties thoroughly, to identify the applicable accessibility requirements, to explore alternatives and to implement solutions that provide independent access and are consistent with accepted historic preservation standards. Solutions for accessibility should not destroy a property's significant materials, features and spaces, but should increase accessibility as much as possible.
Upgrade of Heating, Ventilating and Cooling Systems in Historic Buildings
The successful integration of new systems in historic buildings can be challenging. Meeting modern HVAC requirements for human comfort or installing controlled climates for museum collections or for the operation of complex computer equipment can result in both visual and physical damage to historic resources. Owners of historic buildings must be aware that the final result will involve balancing multiple needs; no perfect heating, ventilating, and air conditioning system exists. In undertaking changes to historic buildings, it is best to have the advice and input of trained professionals who can:
- assess the condition of the historic building,
- evaluate the significant elements that should be preserved or reused,
- prioritize the preservation objectives,
- understand the impact of new interior climate conditions on historic materials
- integrate preservation with mechanical and code requirements,
- maximize the advantages of various new or upgraded mechanical systems,
- understand the visual and physical impact of various installations,
- identify maintenance and monitoring requirements for new or upgraded systems, and,
- plan for the future removal or replacement of the system.
Too often the presumed climate needs of the occupants or collections can be detrimental to the long-term preservation of the building. With a careful balance between the preservation needs of the building and the interior temperature and humidity needs of the occupants, a successful project can result.
Contact us today to discuss repurposing and the adaptive re-use of your structure.
The National Slate Association publication Slate Roofs, printed in 1926, gives the following description of the origin of slate on page 74:
“These minerals constituting slate were deposited in bodies of water and erosion and deposition accounts for the different composition in successive beds. Other materials may have been deposited over the clays, and the pressure of the superimposed material may have gradually united the clays in shale. Shale has been described as ‘a laminated rock consisting essentially of clay, but it does not possess the splitting properties of slate.’ Some of the beds of shale remain as such today, but many have been subjected to the intense pressure and high temperature of the crumpling and folding of the earth’s crust. When this has been the case, the shales have been transformed into slates.This tremendous pressure changes the position of the mineral grains until they lie parallel and at a definite angle to the direction of pressure. The high temperature is at the same time acting with the pressure tending to change the constituent minerals to new minerals, such as mica, quartz, chlorite, magnetite, graphite and others. The ’slaty cleavage’ or ease of splitting in one direction is the result of the parallel position of the mineral grains.”
The metamorphic process described above took place during the geologic time period known as the Early Paleozoic era, some 435 to 570 million years ago. As such, the vast majority of slate shingles present on our roofs today, and which continue to be quarried, originated some half-billion years before humans roamed the earth.
The purple slates and some of the green slates from Vermont and New York, and the Peach Bottom slates from south central Pennsylvania date from the early part of the Paleozoic era, known as the Cambrian period and range in age from 500 to 570 million years. The black slates of northeastern Pennsylvania, along with the Buckingham Virginia slates, and the red and remaining green slates from New York and Vermont date from the Ordovician period and are some 435 to 500 million years old.
The earth was a very different place in Paleozoic times. During the Cambrian period, the major land masses were all bunched up in the southern hemisphere and just beginning to split apart and admit the seas between them. The oceans teemed with early invertebrates, such as trilobites and brachiopods, but there was no life on land. With no plant life to hold the soil, wind and rain washed tremendous amounts of sediments off of the desolate land and into the seas. During the Ordovician period, the Appalachian Mountains rose out of the earth as the early land masses moved further apart and a volcanic island arc slammed into North America, creating massive disturbances in the earth’s crust. The climate warmed during the Ordovician period. Numerous invertebrates, such as sponges, starfish, and corals, filled the earth’s oceans, and the first, uncontested, vertebrate fish appeared in North America.
The color of slate is determined by its chemical and mineralogical composition. Since these factors differ in various localities, it is possible to obtain roofing slates in a variety of colors and shades. Upon exposure to the weather, all slate is changed slightly in color. The extent of this color change varies with different slate beds, being barely perceptible in certain slates. Those slates in which the color changes but slightly are classed as “permanent” or “unfading.” Those in which the color change is more marked and varied are known as “semi-weathering” and “weathering” slates.
North American slate deposits currently producing roofing slate are found in -
- Vermont and New York
- Pennsylvania
- Virginia
- Quebec, Canada
- Newfoundland, Canada
Vermont And New York
The Taconic Overthrust, at the south end of Lake Champlain, provides all of the colored roofing slate produced in the United States. The producing region forms an ellipse about 25 miles north to south and 6 miles east to west and sits atop the Vermont / New York border. With a history of 150 years of slate production, this region contains about 400 quarry sites following the slate vein. An estimated 35 slate quarries are currently in production.
The most common and commercially important colors produced in the Vermont/New York region are:
Semi-Weathering Gray/Green, also known as Sea Green – a historically popular and high-volume product. A green or gray/green color when first quarried; after application to the roof and exposure to the elements, a percentage of these slates weather to shades of buff and brown. The degree of weathering will vary from quarry to quarry and can range from less than 10% to more than 90%. As about a dozen quarries currently produce Semi-Weathering Gray/Green roofing slate, a subtle range of color, texture and weathering characteristics can be expected.
Semi-Weathering Vermont Gray – a traditional slate-gray color ranging from a clear appearance to having small black markings. This slate may show some weathering to buff shades depending on the quarry and position in the slate vein. This is a smooth to medium texture slate.
Variegated Purple – a purple slate varying in shade. Some pieces are clear while some pieces have green spots and marks. A small percentage may weather to shades of buff. Some types of Variegated Purple are waxy and smooth while others are medium-textured.
Unfading Mottled Green and Purple – green and purple combine to form unique patterns in each slate. Some pieces are mostly purple and may be called “Dark Mottle,” while at the other end of the range, green predominates and can be known as “Light Mottle” or “Reverse Mottle.” Unfading Mottled Green and Purple does not weather and is a medium-textured slate.
Unfading Green – found mainly on the northern portion of the slate producing region. This slate exhibits shades ranging from a bright green to gray/green tones that will not weather. This also is a medium-textured slate.
Unfading Gray – a medium-texture slate, usually with black markings. This light gray slate will not show buff and brown weathering.
Unfading Purple – a deep purple slate, at times almost burgundy in color, which may have occasional green marks or inclusions. Unfading Purple is a less common, low volume slate type of medium texture.
Strata Gray – a medium gray slate with black stripes also known as Mottled Gray/Black. This medium to heavy-textured slate usually shows some buff and brown weathering.
Vermont Black and Semi-Weathering Gray/Black – includes a range of slate types from a full 1/4″ thick, textured slate with a medium to dark gray color and darker linear markings to a medium-texture dark gray to black slate without lines. A small showing of buff and brown may appear. Naming and degree of weathering varies from quarry to quarry.
Unfading Red - a bright red that will not change color, this dense and very hard slate is quarried in Washington County, New York, and is commonly found in roof applications with color patterns and designs. Unfading Red can be a drier, more brittle slate, making it more expensive to produce and contributing to its higher cost.
Pennsylvania
Mined in Lehigh and Northampton Counties in Pennsylvania since the 1840s, Pennsylvania slate is blue-gray to blue-black in color and is most commonly called Pennsylvania Gray. The stone surface has a range from smooth grain to rugged texture.
Over the last 150 years, an estimated 160 companies have quarried the slate veins in eastern Pennsylvania. Some quarries in this region may present as many as 70 different “beds” or color/ texture type layers. Over the years, slate produced from the various “beds” carried names including: Varitone, Colortone, Blue-Gray, Blue-Black, Cathedral Gray, Gothic Blue-Gray, Slate Gray, Storm Blue-Gray, etc.
Current Pennsylvania Gray production is a blend of gray-black color shades and is a mix of S1 and S2 ratings by ASTM test standards. Weathering to brown and light gray may occur over a period of years.
Virginia – The Arvonia-Buckingham Slate Belt
A durable, very hard, unfading black slate continues to be produced in Buckingham County, near Arvonia, Virginia. This historically significant roofing slate has a distinct glistening mica sheen. Slate from Buckingham County does not change color and has a medium texture.
Quebec, Canada
The Glendyne Quarry in St. Mark du Lac Long, Quebec, Canada, is the largest roofing-slate producing facility in North America and one of the largest in the world. Their unfading black slate is currently produced for the European and North American market and is marketed in North America as North Country Unfading Black. The first production from this vein of slate occurred in the early 1900s. This smooth-textured slate is easy to cut and has a consistent black color with subtle vertical shade markings.
Newfoundland, Canada
Overlooking the ocean at Burgoynes Cove, Newfoundland, is a deposit of smooth to medium-texture, unfading Cambrian slate with deep purple, green and variegated green and purple slate colors. The purple slate is very similar in color to Welsh Purple from England. Production of roofing slate from this quarry has been intermittent since the early 1900s.
Regions no longer producing slate
North American slate deposits, once commercially quarried, but no longer in production include -
- Peach Bottom (Pennsylvania)
- Monson (Maine)
- Hard Vein (Pennsylvania)
Minor North American slate deposits quarried for short periods of time, primarily during the late nineteenth century, and which are no longer quarried include those in Georgia, Arkansas, Utah, Wisconsin, and California.
Written by Chuck Smid for the NSA
For the last few months, I've been hard at work on an Historic Structure Report and National Register nomination for the owners of the Hudson Armory. The below excerpts are from the Significance and Description sections of the NRHP document, which should be complete in the next few weeks. Enjoy!
Statement of Significance
Summary Paragraph
The Hudson Armory, completed in 1898, is architecturally and historically significant as an intact, representative sample of a late nineteenth century armory built to house a local unit of the New York State Army National Guard. Designed by State Architect Isaac G. Perry for the 23rd Separate Company, the armory retains a high degree of integrity with respect to design, materials, craftsmanship, feeling, and association. The structure embodies the three distinctive characteristics of the property type as discussed at length in the Multiple Property Documentation Form Army National Guard Armories in New York State (Section E: Historic Overview). First, in purpose, it housed members of the militia and served as a civic monument; second, in form and plan, it consists of an administration building and attached drill shed; and, third, the design and decoration reflects the influence of medieval military architecture. The armory is also historically significant for its association with the National Guard, an integral component of the American military system.
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Narrative Statement of Significance
Typical of armories designed by State Architect Isaac Perry in Upstate New York during the late nineteenth century, the Hudson Armory is a fortress-like, castellated style edifice designed to inspire fear and awe among the so-called “dangerous lower classes” (i.e., Anarchists, Socialists and Communists as well as most immigrants and laborers) and pride and patriotism among the law-abiding middle and upper classes. Like all other Perry-designed armories, the Hudson Armory reflects the influence of medieval military architecture and the Richardsonian Romanesque style, including bold, massive proportions, polychromatic brick and stone masonry construction, a raised and battered stone foundation, a soaring four-story tower with crenelated parapet, and massive, stone trimmed arcading.
The Hudson Armory is one of nearly twenty extant armories attributed to Perry, although currently available information indicates that as many as forty armories may have been designed (or overseen) by him. The Hudson Armory is typical of Perry’s designs for relatively prosperous, mid-sized communities. Although not as grand as Perry’s armories in the major cities of Brooklyn and Buffalo, it is far grander than his designs for armories in smaller communities such as Hoosick Falls or Mohawk. Armories similar to the Hudson Armory are found in Whitehall, Hornell, Glens Falls, Amsterdam, Tonawanda, and Ogdensburg. The Whitehall, Hornell, Glens Falls, Amsterdam, Ogdensburg, and Tonawanda are already listed on the National Register and the Hudson Armory was determined eligible in May of 1993. See Section E – Historic Overview of the MPDF for further discussion of Perry.
The Hudson Armory is also historically significant under criterion A for its association with American military history in general and Army National Guard in particular. The history of the National Guard and the significance of its related armories is discussed at length in Section E – Historic Overview of the Multiple Property Documentation Form for Army National Guard Armories in New York State. In the wake of the Civil War, the office of the New York State Adjutant General undertook an ambitious reorganization of the state’s militia designed to achieve more centralized control over training, supply and mobilization. Among the new units of the New York National Guard was the 23rd Separate Company at Hudson. This unit replaced a local militia company and was organized in 1878.
Construction of the Hudson Armory began in 1897 to the design of the state’s supervising architect, Isaac Perry, and was completed in 1898 at a cost of $6,000 (paid for by Columbia County.) The armory in Hudson, New York, was home to several company-sized units in what is today the New York Army National Guard. These units were engaged in conflicts that included the Spanish American War, World War I and World War II. In the wake of the Civil War, the office of the New York State Adjutant General undertook an ambitious reorganization of the state’s militia designed to achieve more centralized control over training, supply and mobilization. Among the new units of the New York National Guard was the 23rd Separate Company at Hudson. This unit replaced a local militia company and was organized in 1878. This unit was named “Cowles Guards” after Colonel David S. Cowles, a native son of Hudson killed in the Civil War at Port Hudson.
David Smith Cowles was born in Hudson in 1817. The son of a Congregationalist preacher and educated at Yale, he entered the practice of law and eventually established his own practice. Cowles served as district attorney in Columbia County for three terms. When war erupted in 1861, he felt compelled to volunteer and served as a Colonel in the 128th Regiment. On May 27, 1863, at the Battle of Port Hudson, he was killed after leading his troops against a rebel surge, preventing the lines from being overrun. His death and subsequent funeral were well documented in the media and he remains a celebrated figure in the history of the City of Hudson.
The 23rd Separate Company retained its unit designation until 1897. The armory was also home to Nucleus Co. I of the 203rd New York Volunteers during the Spanish American War. In 1899, Co. D of the 1st Infantry Regiment was organized and housed at the Hudson Armory. The armory’s men received local recognition in 1900 for enforcement of a quarantine order during a smallpox outbreak in nearby Stockport. This unit was reorganized in 1905 as Co. F of the 10th Infantry Regiment. The unit was called out during the Mexican Border Crisis of June 1916. In February of 1917, the unit was dispatched to the Catskills to protect the reservoirs that supplied New York City’s drinking water after a German plot was uncovered to poison it. In July, the unit was called into federal service and sent to northern France. The unit saw action there and was involved in breaking the Hindenburg Line in 1918.
In 1940, the unit was reassigned to the 106th Infantry Regiment and sent to the South Pacific. On November 20, 1943, the United States Army and 2nd Marine Division landed on Makin and Tarawa, initiating the Battles of Makin and Tarawa, in which the Japanese were defeated. The Gilbert Islands were then used to support the invasion of the Marshall Islands in February 1944.The final unit to call the Hudson Armory home was Co. B of the 152nd Engineers, from 1961 until the late 1970’s when the State decommissioned the armory; it has remained in private ownership since.
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Developmental history/additional historic context information
These companies of the New York National Guard recruited from their immediate local area, conducting regular drill, company meetings at the armory. In the event of mobilization (as occurred in 1916 when President Wilson called out 100,000 National Guard troops in response to the Mexican border crisis), the various companies of the regiment would consolidate at a central mustering point (in this case, Poughkeepsie.) This organizational structure directly contributed to the nation’s ability to mobilize for entry in to the Great War in 1917. While it has been in private ownership since the late 1970’s, the highly intact Hudson Armory remains an imposing civic monument and important local landmark in the City of Hudson, recalling the long and distinguished history of the New York National Guard.
DESCRIPTION: Summary Paragraph
The Hudson Armory is an enormous, castellated-style structure constructed of blue sandstone, and is located on the northwest corner of the intersection of State and North 5th Streets in Hudson. Warren Street is the primary east-west thoroughfare through the city and contains the primary business district. The armory is on the periphery of the Hudson Historic District, a massive 139-acre district with 756 contributing structures, including the armory. The Hudson Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. Narrow lanes flank the armory to the north and west while broad lawns lie to the east and south. The armory’s administration building is two stories with a hipped roof; a large, gable-roofed drill shed is attached at the rear. Both sections of the armory are built with dark red brick, load-bearing walls built atop a raised, rusticated, blue sandstone foundation; at all locations where the stone walls are battered, the variance is ½” per foot. The administration building and drill shed are both sheathed with Pennsylvania slate roofing tiles; hips and ridges are covered with a copper, rolled ridge flashing at all locations of the slate roof. The 1897 plans and drawings call for galvanized iron gutters and terra cotta hip and ridge tiles. No documentation has been uncovered to explain the disparity; rehabilitation after the 1921 fire is a possible time frame when a change may have occurred.
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Narrative Description
EASTERN ELEVATION
The basic form of the administration building is regular and symmetrical, although an overall appearance of asymmetry prevails due to the four- and two-story towers engaged at the front corners of the façade. Windows throughout the administration building contain of one-over-one, double-hung sash with fixed transom lights and roughly hewn blue sandstone lintels and sills; first story windows feature protective iron bars. The sash measure 18” x 30” and transoms are 18” x 12” at all locations of the main block. Sills measure 7.5” in height and project 1” from the face of the wall, except at the first floor where the 10” corbelled belt course doubles as a sill; lintels measure 13” in height and are flush with the wall. Brick mullions between the window pairs are 16” wide. Cellar windows align symmetrically and consist of 18” x 18” fixed transoms.
The main block of the administration building consists of a symmetrical, five-bay-wide, center hall façade, the middle three bays of which are distinguished by a two-story, arcaded pavilion with brick piers and rusticated stone voussoirs. A hip-roofed, brick dormer surmounts the pavilion; the tall, narrow, undecorated quintuple single-light window grouping is consistent with Richardsonian Romanesque massing. Each single light measures 10” x 40” and is topped by a 10” x 8” transom and are separated by 8” brick mullions. A continuous 8” stone lintel crosses the window tops; the sill is a continuous 7.5” stone band. A stone balcony with wrought iron railings is sheltered under the second story of the arcade (original plans called for a 4” square stone balustrade which appears to have been removed.) The first- and second-story of the pavilion’s façade are defined by three corbeled brick courses and a 5” stone belt course. The central entrance features double massive, paneled oak doors surmounted by a multi-paned transom light.
The battered walls of the raised basement and first story of the octagonal, four-story southeast corner tower are of rusticated stone construction; the upper two and one half stories are of brick. Each face of the octagon is identical. At the basement, single light 18” x 18” transoms are decorated with 7.5” sills and 13” lintels that blend with the bluestone façade. First- and second- story windows are tall, narrow rectangular openings with stone trim. At each location, the one-over-one, double-hung window sash measure 18” x 30” and transoms are 18” x 12”. Sills measure 7.5” in height and project 1” from the face of the wall, except at the second floor where the 10” corbelled belt course doubles as a sill. The lintel of the second-story window measures 13” in height and is recessed 2” within the plane of the wall, along with the brick wall, between second- and third-story windows. The third-story windows consist of tall, narrow round-arched openings and stone sills. As with the windows below, the one-over-one, double-hung window sash measure 18” x 30”; the stone sill measures 7.5” and projects an inch out from the face of the wall. The fixed radial transom lights are 18” x 20” surmounted by narrow, round brick arches; the outermost rowlock course projects ½”.
The upper half story consists of a castellated brick parapet with a machicolated cornice and stone belt course. Above the third-story windows on each panel, there is a pair of symmetrical, recessed brick panels, 8” wide x 24” tall x 12” wide, spaced 20” apart. The machicolation starts above; three projections per panel, composed of corbelled brick, 4’ tall x 16” wide x 12” total projection, each spaced 12” apart. A 10” tall sandstone belt course tops the projections, and tight brick radial arches above each opening through to the inside face of the wall. Above the tight brick arches, flush to the wall, are single recessed brick panels, each 20” tall x 8” wide x 12” deep. At the crenelated parapet, each panel of the battlements is comprised of a pair of embrasures, each 16” wide divided by a center merlon 2’4” wide and 3’ tall. Corner merlons measure 2’4” wide on the face and 3’ tall. Sandstone sills extend 2” into brickwork and project 1.5” over the wall, both inside and outside, drip edge on each side. The bottom of each crenel pitches down from outside to inside. At the top of each merlon the brick is corbelled out ¾”; the 4” Indiana limestone coping projects 1.5” over the inside face of the wall and over the projecting brick course outside. At the embrasure, the coping projects 1” over the brickwork of the merlons, and pitches down 2” from outside.
The round, two story northeast corner tower rests on a battered, rusticated stone foundation. In terms of proportion, the northeast tower is short and slender and in sharp contrast to the tall, beefy southeast tower. One-over-one, double-hung windows with stone sills and lintels are regularly spaced around the first- and second-stories. The sash measure 10” x 30” and transoms are 10” x 12” at all locations of this tower. Sills measure 7.5” in height and project 1” from the face of the wall, except at the first floor where the 10” corbelled belt course doubles as a sill; lintels measure 13” in height and are flush with the wall. Cellar windows align symmetrically and consist of 10” x 18” fixed transoms. The tower is surmounted by a conical roof that returns to the main roof of the administration building.
SOUTHERN ELEVATION
At the first- and second-stories of the administration building, one-over-one, double-hung windows with fixed transoms with stone sills and lintels are asymmetrically spaced across three bays. First floor windows are covered with protective iron bars. At the cellar level, the left and middle bays each have pairs of 18” x 18” fixed transoms with a continuous 13” stone lintel and 4” sill, all flush with the unbattered stone foundation. The right side bay has a single transom of identical dimension and decoration. The top of the water table is a 10” stone belt course. This belt course forms the sill of the first-story windows. The left bay is comprised of the fenestration that serves the inside stairwell. A pair of double-hung, one-over-one windows with 18” x 20” lights are separated by a 16” brick mullion and 13” continuous stone lintel. At the center bay, there is a pair of double-hung, one-over-one windows with 18” x 30” lights, with fixed 18” x 12” transoms above each, separated by a 16” brick mullion and 13” continuous stone lintel. At the right side bay, there is a single double-hung, one-over-one window with 18” x 30” lights, with fixed 18” x 12” transom and 13” stone lintel.
A hip-roofed, brick dormer surmounts the roof; the tall, narrow, undecorated triple single-light window grouping is consistent with Richardsonian Romanesque massing. Each single light measures 10” x 40” and is topped by a 10” x 8” transom and separated by 8” brick mullions. A continuous 8” stone lintel crosses the window tops; the sill is a continuous 7.5” stone band.
A short, one and one-half-story round tower, similar in proportion to the northeast tower, appears to be engaged in the southwest corner of the administration building but is actually attached to the drill shed. The foundation is sandstone laid in ashlar pattern, battered ½” per foot. The cellar window is a fixed, 10” x 18” transom with 4” sill and 13” lintel. A continuous, 10” sandstone band defines the water table. One-over-one, double-hung windows with single light, 10” x 30” sash and 10” x 12” transoms are spaced evenly around the first-story, divided by 24” brick mullions. The sandstone water table is the sills for these windows and a continuous stone lintel tops the first-story fenestration. A 7.5” sandstone belt course forms the sills of the fixed 10” x 36” transom windows of the top half story. Brick mullions are 24” wide and the individual, stone lintels are 8”. The tower is surmounted by a conical slate roof with radial, copper gutters at the eaves.
The eight-bay-deep drill shed, oriented on an east-west axis, is attached to the rear (western elevation) of the administration building. Each bay is articulated by brick buttresses with limestone caps and features three tall, narrow ten-light steel windows with individual stone sills and bricked over steel lintels. The top and bottom pairs of lights open hopper-style. All windows are covered with protective iron bars. The overall dimensions of these windows are 10” x 60”. The foundation below the 8” sandstone water table is ashlar laid sandstone. Each bay has a 10” x 18” fixed transom cellar window with 4” sill and 8” lintel. The fourth bay from the east was altered to add double doors and steel stairs. The cornice is an incrementally-stepped, brick corbel with copper gutters at the eaves. Pennsylvania slate covers the roof with a copper rolled ridge flashing.
A large, round, one and one-half-story squat tower with a low-pitched conical roof is attached to the southwest corner of the drill shed. The foundation, extends above the first floor level to approximately 12 feet above grade, and is composed of ashlar laid sandstone battered ½” per foot. Pairs of narrow ten-light steel windows with continuous 10” sandstone sills (which forms the water table) and bricked, steel lintels are regularly spaced around the first-story. The top and bottom pairs of lights open hopper-style. The overall dimensions of these windows are 12” x 84”. A 7.5” sandstone belt course forms the sills of the 10” x 36” fixed transom windows of the top half story. The windows are laid out in triple, with 16” brick mullions and continuous, 8” stone lintels. The conical Pennsylvania slate roof has radial, copper gutters at the eaves.
WESTERN ELEVATION
A large, rectangular brick garage addition is located at the western end of the drill shed. It is flat with a ballast roof system. Original, first-story windows were bricked closed in 1957 when this addition was erected. The western, gable end of the drill shed is seven-bay-wide; limestone-capped buttresses top 24” wide brick buttresses and a copper sheet metal cornice decorates the rakes of the roof. At the second story, two bays have triple sets of tall, narrow, ten-light steel windows with individual 7.5” sandstone sills. The top and bottom pairs of lights open hopper-style. The windows measure 10” x 56” each and are topped by bricked over steel lintels. A massive brick, limestone capped chimney stack dominates the roof line above the apex of the gable end.
NORTHERN ELEVATION
The northern elevation, like the southern elevation, is an eight-bay-deep drill shed, oriented on an east-west axis, attached to the rear (western elevation) of the administration building. Each bay is articulated by brick buttresses with limestone caps and features three tall, narrow ten-light steel windows with individual stone sills and bricked over steel lintels. The top and bottom pairs of lights open hopper-style. All windows are covered with protective iron bars. The overall dimensions of these windows are 10” x 60”. The foundation below the 8” sandstone water table is rubble laid native limestone. Each bay has a 10” x 18” fixed transom cellar window with 4” sill and 8” sandstone lintel. The fourth bay from the east was altered to add double doors and steel stairs. The cornice is an incrementally-stepped, brick corbel with copper gutters at the eaves. Pennsylvania slate covers the roof with a copper rolled ridge flashing. The bays of the drill shed differ from the rest of the structure in that the foundation is composed of limestone rubble, unlike the ashlar sandstone at other locations.
The foundation of the three bay administration building is ashlar laid sandstone. The easternmost bay has a single cellar window; center and western bays have pairs. The cellar windows are fixed 18” x 18” transoms with 4” sandstone sills and 13” sandstone lintels. 16” brick mullions separate the pairs. At the first- and second-stories of the administration building, the easternmost bay has a one-over-one, double-hung single light window with transom while the center and western bays have pairs of windows. The sash measure 18” x 30” and transoms are 18” x 12”; sandstone sills and lintels are 10” and 13” respectively. The sill at this level is also the water table belt course. The fenestration of the second-story is identical to the first-story with one exception: the sandstone sills are individual to the window openings and measure 7.5” each. A hip-roofed, brick dormer surmounts the center of the roof line; the dormer fenestration is composed of a pair of one-over-one, double-hung windows, not original to construction. Each single light sash measures 16” x 24”. The roof is sheathed with Pennsylvania slate roofing tiles; hips and ridges are covered with a copper, rolled ridge flashing at all locations of the slate roof. At the roofline, just below the ridge on this elevation, are two large, copper globe ventilators.
The Traditional Roofing Network, a new organization that brings contractors, material suppliers, consultants, and preservationists together, launched its new website, TraditionalRoofing.net, this past weekend. The cardinal tenet of the association is a belief that the use of traditional materials is at the core of sustainable design in historic preservation.
From slate roofing to thatch, to cedar and cyprus wood shingles, to clay tile and copper sheet metal, the preservation trades are well represented by material suppliers and craftsmen listings. With new members joining daily, the site will continue to grow into an invaluable directory for finding services and vendors.
An integral part of the new site are the educational resources offered. Ask the Experts is a free forum where specialists in the field can provide no nonsense answers to difficult questions about traditional roofing and appropriate preservation practices. There are also videos, links to associated organizations, info on historic tax credits, and technical preservation briefs to provide further guidance and direction.
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