Restoring History: The Renovation of the Burwell Building's West Wall
- Dawn Klintworth
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
It's been a hot minute since we've posted an update on here - but that doesn't mean we have nothing to write about! If you have driven by the back of the Burwell Building, you might have seen a flurry of activity taking place (or you might have seen updates on Facebook, the newspapers or even WCIA). We've had a lot of interest in our activities lately - which is great! We thought it would be a good time to share the recent restoration activities of the Burwell Building and what we have next on the line-up.
Last time we posted an update, we talked about the roof replacement. Now that the roof is done, the next most critical repairs to be completed were to the back wall (west wall facing the alley). After consulting with our architectural engineer and Solid Rock Masonry, we determined that the best course of action was for us to completely tear down and re-build the wall. While this certainly was the costliest option (and one we didn't take lightly), it was the option that the Board of Directors agreed was necessary. Not only would it ensure the stability of the building for years to come but would prevent us from putting in what I like to call a 'band-aid' solution. Any other option we talked about would only be a short-term solution and would potentially require more costly repairs in the future.
What this required us to do (and when I say "us" - it was all Solid Rock Masonry doing this - we just stood back and took pictures 🤣) was to build shoring and add beams on the interior of the first and second floors. This would ensure that when the back wall was torn off, that the back of the building wouldn't collapse on itself. Solid Rock also put up reinforcements in the basement/crawl space area.
This, in and of itself, was no easy task as they had to take down ceiling tiles, haul all that lumber upstairs and to the basement, and then build these interior walls.
Once the interior was properly shored, then demolition of the back wall began. This phase went quicker than I thought it would! The crew at Solid Rock did an awesome job. That old wall was four brick layers thick...that's a LOT of brick to haul away. They removed the old window frames and the temporary wall/back door we had installed back in 2022 (which we knew would be temporary).
Once all the brick and debris were hauled away, they excavated down to the original stone footings. Brand new footings were poured to help support this new wall and a new sump pump was installed - because we all remember the way it flooded back in 2021.
Once the new footings were set, they began to rebuild the wall. They used 12" Concrete Masonry Units (CMUs) or blocks for the foundation (up to the first floor level) and 10" CMUs for the above grade wall. They left an opening on the first floor for a double exterior door to be installed. Upstairs, they left openings for four - 3' x 6' windows (not as grand as what was there originally, but windows that size would cost a fortune today!). The Association still needs to buy windows and a door (that's next on our list). The two smaller openings you see on the first floor will be openings for installation of our HVAC system.
Solid Rock installed basement steps and put in a Bilco basement door. They also re-installed all the gutters and finished off the back driveway with new rock. It looks so good!
If you get a chance, drive down the alley and check out our nice new wall. While we are awaiting one final invoice, the total cost of this project is estimated at $145,000 (not including the cost of new windows and door). Once we buy the windows and door, our reserves of cash will be depleted. So, more fundraising is coming up (like we ever really stop, do we?). We are still applying for grants and hope that some of those will bring us some much needed funds as well.
Once we get the windows and door installed, our next project will be to have the rest of the brick walls assessed to see if they can just be tuckpointed or if more aggressive repairs are needed. We are taking bids for that work now and the availability of funds will determine when that work can be completed.
You know we always discover something cool or mysterious in our Burwell Building restoration and this project was no exception. The Solid Rock Masonry crew discovered a bunch of plate glass in the crawlspace. We know the building used to house a furniture maker, funeral home, and a grocery store - but why would there be this much glass piled up in the crawlspace? If you have any ideas, let us know. We'd love to get an idea of what all this glass was used for.
As always, we thank everyone for following along on our journey - whether you are an intrigued reader or someone who supports each and every one of our fundraisers...we are glad you are here. They say it takes a village to raise a child...well, it takes a village to restore a child (or 'old lady' as we like to call The Burwell Building). Thank you for being part of our village!
Speaking of fundraisers - our Cash Bash on April 12th was a huge success. We appreciate everyone that bought tickets, donated items, or donated money. Thanks to Gibson Area Hospital, First Presbyterian Church, and One Earth Energy for sponsoring our event. Mark's on First did an excellent job hosting us and, as always, had excellent food and drinks. And big thanks goes to Subway, as well, for donating the cookies for dessert.
And, you know we always have something on the calendar. Join us this summer for Cruise nights where we will be selling gondola dinners. Pre-orders will be available so we can get an idea of how many sandwiches to buy. Come on out, see the progress we've made on the Burwell Building exterior and enjoy some cars, music and tasty food!
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