Abbot Building fabricates and installs new railings at 18 Haviland St.

Abbot Building Restoration Company, Inc. recently fabricated and installed an ornamental railing in the interior courtyard at the Burbank Apartments, a 5-story brick and stucco building located at 18 Haviland St. The original detail was a painted, 30-inch high pre-cast concrete railing that extended around the perimeter of each floor of the interior courtyard. As this railing did not meet the 42-inch minimum height required by the Commonwealth of Mass. building code, the building owner contacted local architect Roger Panek to design an extension. The architectural design called for a steel addition consisting of two steel rails with circular steel ornaments sandwiched between the rails, steel supports, and capped with a solid brass top rail. The building owner implemented a standard bidding process, and Abbot was awarded the contract to fabricate and install the new railing. One of the major challenges in the installation process involved the mitigation of lead paint. The design specifications called for the drilling of a series of holes through the original pre-cast stone cap to anchor the metal rods supporting the new railing. As the original cap contained lead paint, Abbot contracted an environmental specialist to assure the safety of the workers and building occupants. Abbot Building Restoration Company specializes in repair and maintenance of the building enclosures of aging structures in the greater Boston area. Abbot also provides remedial weatherproofing services to correct construction deficiencies in newer structures. Specific areas of expertise include: * Masonry construction and repairs * Weatherproofing services * Caulking; * Pointing; * Waterproofing; * Special coatings and sealants; and * Roof repair, replacement, or resurfacing