Boston, MA Abbot Building Restoration has completed a comprehensive façade repair project on a high-rise commercial building located at 75 Kneeland St. in downtown.  Abbot was awarded the contract following a competitive bidding process among multiple masonry contractors in the local area.

The 14-story building is constructed of brick and precast stone – the bottom four floors of precast stone and the upper floors are a blend of stone and brick with precast panel insets and sills. The project focused on the elevation at the intersection of Kneeland and Hudson Sts.

Based on the plan developed by the architectural firm of Walker Consultants, Abbot first erected built-up pipe staging on the full length of the elevation, and then performed the following repairs:

• Pressure washed the entire façade;

• Patched horizontal concrete and sills throughout the building as necessary;

• Caulked all expansion joints and windows;

• Replaced a total of 40 steel lintels;

• Tuck pointed and replaced brick as necessary;

• Replaced a total of 24 precast sills;

• Wet glazed windows as necessary; and

• Applied two coats of Conpro Lastic waterproof elastomeric coating (Conproco Corp., Dover, NH) to the bottom two precast stone floors formulated to match the existing color.

Among the major challenges that Abbot faced were the unknowns involved in determining how best to work within the system in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. The project was delayed from its outset in March until the city allowed work to resume at the beginning of June. Enforcing all COVID-19 related rules provided a further impediment beyond the normal jobsite safety protocols.

Abbot provides a broad range of masonry construction services to public, institutional, and commercial clients, including condominiums, property management entities, and private residences. The firm also acts as a general contractor for a variety of masonry building construction projects.