Abbot Building Restoration Co., Inc. recently completed a major restoration at the historic Schrafft Center. Formerly the Schrafft's candy factory, the 600,000 s/f building was converted by the Flatley Co. into a mixed-use commercial property in 1984. A significant requirement that encompassed the entire project was to assure that all renovations maintained the elegant architectural design of original structure.
After more than 20 years of exposure to the New England weather, the exterior of the building, located at 529 Main St., was in need of restoration. Flatley contracted Abbot to replace and reflash the brick work on the rear of the building, and to repoint the brick panels, repair and reseal the concrete, and recaulk the windows around the front and sides of the building.

The second phase of the restoration project involved a multi-story bonded warehouse and a large one-story building, located at 465 Medford St., which are also part of the Schrafft's complex. On the bonded warehouse, which was converted into a four-story office building, Abbot worked as part of the renovation team to remove the garage doors and create window openings to match the existing brick work and brownstone. On the one-story building, Abbot created new window openings and performed brick work under the windows to reflect the architecture of the complex.
The final phase of the project was the renovation of the old Domino sugar factory that was converted into a storage facility. After demolition was performed to remove the existing silos, Abbot constructed a new brick wall to finish the exterior façade.
The entire project, including restoration of the main building and the subsequent phases, took more than 3 years to complete. Abbot continues to perform ongoing maintenance and repairs as required by the owner.
Abbot Building specializes in restoring and preserving the integrity of the building enclosure of aging structures in the greater Boston area. They also provide 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, roof repair, replacement, or resurfacing.
The former Schrafft's candy factory, with its distinctive neon sign, has been a Boston landmark since 1928. Located on the shores of the Mystic River along the scenic Boston Harborwalk, the 600,000 s/f building was converted by the Flatley Co. into a mixed-use commercial property in 1984. Among its current tenants are John Hancock Signature Services, Partners Healthcare, NetVersant Solutions, Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Boston Interactive, Springfield College Boston Campus, and FitCorp.