Voices of Preservation: Checking in With Crawford & Stearns About Work at Parrott Hall
This guest blog post from Randall T. Crawford of Crawford & Stearns / Architects and Preservation Planners, PLLC provides an update on the technical work that has begun at Parrott Hall, a 2020-2021 Seven to Save site.
On the roof at Parrott Hall during a site visit earlier this year. Photo courtesy of Crawford & Stearns
Following a formal RFP process the team of Crawford & Stearns / Architects and Preservation Planners (C/S) and Klepper, Hahn & Hyatt / Engineers (KHH) was selected in June of 2020 to provide professional services relating to structural assessment, repairs, and roof replacement at Parrott Hall. Upon approval and execution of a formal agreement, I, along with Jim D'Aloisio of KHH, started our initial field investigation and assisted as the Friends of Parrott Hall began preliminary efforts to stabilize the building temporarily. With the south portion of the upper roof having failed and the center stair having collapsed down to the first floor level leaving the rear wall unbraced, overall safety was and remains a concern.
The Architectural/Engineering (A/E) team began its assessment of conditions at the more stable portions of the building and worked with contractor Raymond E. Kelly, Inc. (REK) to provide temporary shoring and an access hole in the second floor ceiling up to the third floor. Using folding ladders in the collapsed stairway to reach the second floor and then up through the newly created access hole we were able to reach the previously inaccessible third floor. Here the historic wooden spiral stair to the original cupola, since removed, survives and allowed us to reach the roof through a lift-off hatch for a more accurate assessment of critical conditions.
In addition to these site visits, we have since prepared a Structural Stabilization Plan and a Verandah Roof & Floor Repair Plan for the building. The project team is currently working to have REK install heavy duty tarps over the upper roof to protect the building through the coming winter to the greatest extent possible. Moving forward, the A/E team, in consultation with the Friends, the City of Geneva, and the Preservation League, will develop a repair and replacement plan as well as full bid and construction documents for this work. Once these materials have been approved by the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, the work will be put out for bids in late winter of 2021 for summer construction.