Masonry Magazine April 2009 Page. 41
Melvin Mancia (Mason Forman)
JobThe John Winthrop School,
Dorchester Ma
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"The QUIKRETE Companies prides itself on being a resource for renovation and restoration projects, including work on the Martin House Complex by Frank Lloyd Wright in Buffalo, N.Y., and Boston's own Fenway Park," says Dennis Winchester, QUIKRETE executive VP. "We were privileged to be part of this most recent project to preserve the great architectural history of Boston."
Work crews made extensive efforts to preserve existing brick, which was eventually used to rebuild the Scampo restaurant, Italian for "escape," and Alibi lounge, formerly the "drunk tank." Portions of this project phase, in particular, were tedious. For example, to make doorways bigger, crews had to remove entire walls, which made the structure shift. All the while, workers took care to preserve old hardware and original wrought-iron bars, now adorning the three-story arched lounge and lobby windows. Among the other features preserved were remnants of jail cells within the hotel lobby bar and the historic cat-walks that wrap around the central atrium.
One of the challenges faced during the project was the Massachusetts climate, because a majority of the work was done during the winter months. In order to keep mortar from freezing, masons were careful to keep temperatures above 40 degrees using enclosed scaffolding and running heaters 24 hours a day.
In addition to this challenge, the building was close to the street, making the mixing site extremely tight. This increased the importance of logistics and inventory management. Since the area designated for mixing was confined to a small alleyway, the QUIKRETE bulk mortar and Spec-Mix silo system proved to be an invaluable resource to masonry crews.
"We wanted to work with The QUIKRETE Companies, because the Spec-Mix silo system accommodated our limited work space and helped save labor costs without need for shoveling sand piles," says Joe Goncalves, general field superintendent at PBS Construction. "By using QUIKRETE bulk bags, we were able to keep the color consistent throughout the whole project. To top it off, QUIKRETE offers a variety of colors, so we had no trouble matching the original mortar to preserve the historical aspects of the building."
Built in 1851, the original granite edifice of the Charles Street Jail was innovative for its day, comprising a cruciform-shaped structure complete with a 90-foot central rotunda and cupola. The jail was originally designed to house one inmate per cell, but was forced to double up occupancy. As the physical conditions grew worse, with peeling paint, outdated plumbing and increasingly overcrowded cells, the jail was forced to close in 1990. Before closing, the prison hosted many famous inmates, such as former Boston Mayor James Michael Curley, who served time for fraud after he took a civil service exam for a friend in 1904. Since opening in September 2007, the hotel has welcomed many notable dignitaries and celebrities from around the world as guests. Additional information on the project and Liberty Hotel can be found at www.LibertyHotel.com. IMAS
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April 2009
MASONRY
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