THE CHALLENGE
In 2009, CBI was retained by the Town of Barnstable, MA to inventory and report on the condition of eight (8) historic municipal buildings, including the Town Hall in Hyannis. The report’s focus was to identify challenges to maintain and restore the historic character of the buildings including, but not limited to, identifying exterior rehabilitation, systems replacements, necessary MEP upgrades, and code and life safety requirements of the buildings.
The Barnstable Town Hall is a 3 ½ story masonry Romanesque Revival building originally built in 1897 as the Hyannis Normal School. The architects were Boston’s Hartwell, Richardson and Driver, and are recognized for many similar Romanesque Revival buildings in and around Boston. The building is individually listed on both the State and National Register of Historic Places, and is within the jurisdiction of the Local Historic Commission.
CBI’S SOLUTION
CBI recommended immediate repairs to the exterior of the Town Hall as Priority #1. The work included new historic aluminum windows to match the original style and color, a new slate/copper roof and copper gutters, downspouts and finials to match the existing, replacement of the deteriorated structural lintels within the heads of the brick jack arches, and repairs to the brick and brownstone features of the building.
Upon inspection, only a few of the original wood windows remained on the building, and they were beyond repair. The existing replacement windows were inefficient, extremely heavy, and unable to operate. CBI recommended a complete replacement using historic panning profiles to match the original, and thermally-broken, insulated laminated hurricane glass to address current code requirements. The majority of the double-hung windows were monumental, and so special consideration was given to operate the sash. CBI determined that a counter-balanced cable system which employed the upper sash to drop when the lower sash was lifted would minimize the force required to open the windows. A mock-up window, which CBI required, successfully addressed the Owner’s concerns, and helped the Contractor verify product requirements, connection details and installation requirements.
