Hartford, CT

Union Station Facade Repairs

Scope/Solutions

Union Station is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is an important part of the architectural heritage of downtown Hartford. Originally constructed in 1889, the building was significantly damaged in a fire in 1914 and was rebuilt with the addition of a second story to the center portion of the building. The station, designed in the Richardsonian Romanesque style with brownstone (brown sandstone) facades, supports major train lines and bus service. SGH surveyed the brown sandstone facades and investigated the condition of the clay tile, copper sheet, and membrane roofs.

Our investigation included the following:

  • A combination of binocular and hands-on surveys of the entire masonry facade and roofing systems
  • Observations of concealed conditions at exploratory masonry and roofing openings
  • Testing and analysis of stone and mortar samples in our in-house laboratory

SGH prepared a detailed report describing the existing conditions, laboratory testing results, and our recommendations for short-term and long-term repairs, with sketches of key repair masonry concepts. We provided a separate report describing our observations of the existing conditions and options for roofing repairs/replacement.

We subsequently designed and provided construction administration services for repairs to the brownstone facades and clay tile roofs along with replacement of the copper sheet and membrane roofs.

Project Summary

Icon: completion-date

2019

Completion Date
Solutions
Repair & Rehabilitation | Preservation
Services
Building Enclosures | Applied Science & Research
Markets
Infrastructure & Transportation
Client(s)
The Greater Hartford Transit District (GHTD)
Specialized Capabilities
Condition Assessments | Preservation | Materials Science | Microscopy

Key team members

Matthew Bronski
Senior Principal
Katherine Wissink
Associate Principal

Additional Projects

Northeast

Hultman Aqueduct

Following the completion of the MetroWest Water Supply Tunnel, MWRA was able to dewater a section of the Hultman Aqueduct for the first time since its construction in the late 1930s. SGH conducted a condition inspection of the 1.8 mi long, dewatered section of the aqueduct.
Explore
Northeast

Brooklyn Bridge

The New York City Department of Transportation planned to rehabilitate the Brooklyn Bridge in time for the Brooklyn Bridge centennial. SGH was a consultant to the contractor that performed the work.
Explore