Abbot Building Restoration restores 3-story apartment building at 466-468 Columbia Road

Abbot Building Restoration recently restored a 3-story brick apartment complex with an elegant center courtyard located at 466-468 Columbia Rd. in the city's Dorchester neighborhood. Since the building was converted to residential use 30 years ago, the brick masonry in the front and rear of the building had experienced severe weather related deterioration. The owner had the building evaluated by an engineering consultant (RMX Northeast, of Milford, Mass.), and a scope of work was developed to correct all of the deficiencies. Abbot was awarded the restoration contract following a systematic bidding process. The project was accomplished in two phases, with Phase 1 addressing the rear wall of the building. During its initial investigation, the consultant observed that the brick used on the rear wall was made from a soft white concrete material that was commonly used during that period of construction. After an extensive evaluation of the surface condition, it was determined that a high level of repair was needed. Two options were considered: application of a stucco material over the existing surface or installation of a vertical metal panel system. Although the metal panel system was a more expensive option, the owner decided that this technology would be a more permanent solution and the metal paneling would not warrant the ongoing maintenance that the stucco would require. PAC-CLAD (.040 mill), manufactured by Petersen Aluminum (Elk Village, IL), was selected as the metal panel system. Not only does this system provide an attractive physical appearance but its energy efficiency would provide long term cost savings. A critical component to the successful installation of PAC-CLAD system was proper surface preparation. First, Abbot carefully furred the brick walls to create an even surface. Then, weatherproof exterior plywood was mechanically anchored to the furring. A Tyvek air barrier was applied over the plywood, and the metal paneling was installed. Significantly, Abbot was able to meet the challenge of installing the paneling behind the fire escapes and around the windows to complete the professional installation. 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.