THE CHALLENGE
This project was prompted by the extreme deterioration of the cupola at the Weymouth Town Hall. Due to funding restrictions, the cupola had not been painted in many years. Resulting deterioration of wood trim required replacement of more than half of the material.
CBI’S SOLUTION
CBI performed an investigation of the cupola and the entire exterior Town Hall exterior envelope including the roofing and the masonry and made various recommendations for repair.
The cupola could be repaired in kind by replacing wood elements with new mahogany pieces or by installing fiberglass replications to create a maintenance-free exterior. Knowing that the Town’s resources for future maintenance were limited, it was decided to replace all the wood trim on the building exterior with fiberglass to match the existing in every way. The only areas to be replaced in wood were directly adjacent to entrances where painting from a ladder could be performed. The new fiberglass is so accurate that the wood grain and paint strokes can be seen in the finished product.
Additionally, as the copper and slate roof had also reached its life expectancy, the roof was completely removed, the good slate was salvaged and installed on the front elevation of the building, and new slate was installed on the rear of the building. All the copper was replaced and the gutters were repaired. Masonry repairs including pointing and selective brick replacements were performed over the entire building exterior. Existing terra cotta elements, such as the Town Seal and the Sundial, were completely restored and gold leafed. The south stairway was completely dismantled and rebuilt with new bluestone finish.
