Historic Preservation

Skowhegan Free Public Library

AdditionsContextual DesignHistoric Preservation

The Skowhegan Free Public Library, a National Register-listed property, was constructed in 1887. Gardiner, Maine architect Edwin E. Lewis designed the Queen Anne style building overlooking the Kennebec River. The interior consists of large reading and reference rooms and a two-story stack space in the rear. The second floor of the main section houses the children’s library. The building remains fundamentally as it was originally constructed: original interior casework, shelving, furnishings and decorative fireplace mantels remain and are significant features of the historic building.

The Library Renovation Committee and Trustees began working with B+W in 2010 to address universal (ADA) accessibility, code improvements, and create more usable “found” space within the footprint of the existing building. B+W solved this difficult accessibility problem principally through the construction of a 5-stop elevator addition which will convey patrons to the multiple building levels. Life safety improvements included a new egress stair addition and an interior stair to connect the second floor of the main section to the stack wing. Prior to this work there was no contiguous access. The project also included renovation of the currently unused basement for the library program expansion; the use of the basement required installation of a building-wide fire-suppression sprinkler system, which was sensitively integrated into the historic structure.

The overall cost projection for the full build-out was about $800,000 in 2011 dollars, a large sum for a small town library. Barba + Wheelock developed detailed construction plans so that the project was totally integrated. B+W’s strategic advice resulted in the Trustees selecting a local construction manager who works to phase the work as funding becomes available. B+W also worked to identify funding sources for the Trustees.

Construction commenced in Fall 2011. The phases undertaken to date include:

Underground utility, waterproofing and drainage upgrades to improve the basement conditions (Completed)
Egress stair addition and basement fit-out (Completed)
Sprinkler system throughout and review with MHPC (Completed)
Stack wing rehabilitation and internal stair (Completed)
Elevator addition (Beginning July 2016)

Bucknam Tavern / Forsyth-Scangas Residence

AdditionsContextual DesignHistoric Preservation

The much-awaited restoration of the Bucknam Tavern was complete after three years of construction. Archaeological work dated the structure to 1740 – 1760, one of Falmouth’s earliest remaining houses. The house has been in the same family since the early 1900’s when a Danish Wheelwright brought his young family to the U.S. to seek a better opportunity in America.

The great-granddaughter of the original owner and her husband consulted Barba + Wheelock Architecture, who compared restoration costs to new construction and were pleased to learn that restoration would be less costly and to preserve not only the beloved homestead, but cherished memories from visits with her grandparents over many years. The Owner opted to not only restore the main house, but to reconstruct the 1-1/2 story El, a feature that had been present in their memory, with a surviving granite foundation.

B+W brought in Restoration Resources of Alna, Maine who contributed a wealth of experience in house restoration, carpentry and craftsmanship.

Together the team worked with the Owners throughout the Covid pandemic to bring the project to fruition.

The sight of this once graying and decaying structure on Middle Road, now brightly re-splendid, has generated much enthusiasm amongst old house lovers. Now fully restored and newly insulated, operating with all new systems, this historic homestead is poised to survive well into the future. It stands as a symbol of resurgence and celebrates both the power of a family’s perseverance and memory and is fully embraced by the community for its longstanding place in Falmouth history.

This project received a Greater Portland Landmarks Rehabilitation Project Preservation Award in 2023.

Thornton Academy Main Street Dormitories, Saco

Adaptive ReuseCondition AssessmentContextual DesignHistoric PreservationMaster PlanningNew Construction

The initial design challenge was to integrate a new building type and new construction form into the historic campus. The designs respond to the historic context of Main Street in the Saco Historic Preservation District as well as a predominately red brick campus, which has evolved via several construction campaigns during its nearly 125 year history. The residential quality of other Main Street (and Academy) houses and historic detailing from the campus’ education buildings informed our design. We believe this approach has achieved a dormitory and future village that complements both the community of Saco and the Academy.

Locating the first dormitory building – Nelson Residence Hall – on a previously unoccupied lawn at the campus’ main entrance, now forms a gateway to the historic campus. The long axis of the dormitories faces south-southwest for optimal solar exposure and frames the entry to campus create greens or courtyards between each of the proposed buildings. The street façades, of this and the forthcoming buildings, are designed to establish the street rhythm found on Main Street south of the campus.

Nelson Residence Hall, completed in Summer 2009, is constructed with durable standing seam roofs and fiber-cement cladding in neutral colors that acknowledge existing patterns and textures found on campus buildings without resorting to mimicking the brick, which the project’s budget could not justify.

A tight building envelope with high thermal insulation performance was achieved with the use of ICF (insulated concrete forms) for the foundation and first floor walls and conventional framing with dense pack cellulose insulation at the second-floor level. The use of ICF benefits the interior architecture as its wall depth creates deep recesses at the windows adding a layer of space for use by the residents. ICF also allowed an economical and seamless construction season as the contractor was able to pour concrete walls throughout the winter without concern for special freeze protection. The ICF walls achieved a R-48, far exceeding any current energy code.

Cathedral Church of St. Luke

AdditionsContextual DesignHistoric Preservation

The additions to this historic Gothic Revival structure required careful consideration of materials and design details. The color and texture of the brick and mortar were painstakingly matched and the material for the decorative window surrounds, tinted precast concrete, was selected as an economical material that would relate well to the existing Nova Scotia sandstone on the original building. New mechanical, electrical and structural systems, as well as a fire suppression system, were carefully integrated into the existing structures and new additions. Two new fire stairs with exits directly to the outside provided continued use of the second story assembly space, which was previously not up to code.

Nancy Barba designed and managed the extensive new construction following the major parish house fire at St. Luke’s in 1986. Her innovative solutions to challenging handicap accessibility issues were inspired… Her real gifts are in sensitive adaptation for historic buildings… Both Nancy and Cynthia have keen liturgical sensitivity which is so important in adapting liturgical space.

– Stephen W. Foote, Retired Dean of St. Luke’s Cathedral

In the course of design, we discovered the parish hall to have an immense tin ceiling, which was readily restorable. Additions within the hall accommodated chair storage, a library, a kitchenette for coffee hour service and the fire stairs. These interior “additions” were designed with lower ceiling/roof structures to allow the ceiling to remain uninterrupted.

In its recognition for the project with an honor award, Greater Portland Landmarks noted, “At a time when many churches are struggling with decisions regarding preservation, St. Luke’s has demonstrated leadership in recognizing the value of their historic buildings and the critical importance of ongoing and sensitive maintenance. Not only has outstanding restoration work been undertaken on the Cathedral and Codman Chapel, recent renovations to the fire-damaged Cathedral Hall have been carefully considered. The design of the Hall’s new addition is both contemporary and respectful of its historic context…”

Rockefeller Hall, Acadia National Park

Adaptive ReuseHistoric PreservationMaster Planning

Rockefeller Hall, located on the Schoodic Peninsula of Acadia National Park, is one of the Park’s most significant historic buildings. Built in 1934 as a three-story apartment building for the Navy, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. brought in noted architect, Grovesnor Atterbury to design this French Norman Revival-style exterior over a steel framed structure with a masonry veneer and half-timber facade.

The building remained largely vacant since the Navy returned the property to the National Park Service in 2002. In 2009, Barba + Wheelock was commissioned to explore and evaluate options to update the facility and introduce a new use as compatibly as possible. The Schoodic Education and Research Center (SERC) is the primary tenant and advocate for the building and the campus.

The primary use is on-site accommodations for visiting professors, scholars and others who come to the SERC campus. Additional uses include a Conference Center and Welcome Center for the campus on the first floor. The lower level will house support spaces for the planned Great Lawn, which will serve summer functions and other outdoor events.

Meeting the program goals while preserving the significant architectural features required many hours of discussions with accessibility and preservation regulators and development of an unusually large number of alternatives. I credit Barba + Wheelock for both persistence and imagination in finally arriving at a solution that met the needs of all parties.

– James Vekasi, Chief of Maintenance, Acadia National Park

B+W prepared drawings and specifications for the exterior restoration work, rehabilitation of interior spaces, life safety and accessibility upgrades. Other retrofit work includes upgrading building systems and installation of new fire detection and suppression system. All work was designed in accordance with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and reviewed by both the National Park Service’s Cultural Resources division and by the Maine Historic Preservation Commission.

Rockefeller Hall was funded by a public-private partnership with the construction work completed in Spring 2013. The construction cost was in the $2 million range and received a Maine Preservation Honor award in 2013.

Friends’ Central School, Wynnewood, Pennsylvania

Adaptive ReuseCondition AssessmentContextual DesignHistoric Preservation

The carriage house for the original estate – c. 1885 – was an “underperforming asset” that now has a new life for great creative ventures with its complete adaptive re-use!

The “Light Lab” was designed with four maker spaces in the areas of: natural sciences, fabrication, media and computing, and design.

Because the original building had been so extensively altered, the School opted for a complete removal of interior walls and finishes, taking the spaces down to their masonry bearing walls. From this B+W was able to add back a completely continuous thermal envelope and new second floor structure, and new fully integrated mechanical, plumbing, electrical, sprinkler and fire alarm systems. It is essentially an all-new building inside. Part of our work included an investigation of the thermal dynamics of the wall construction to assure that the new work would not affect the long-term performance and viability of the original walls.

The Mechanical engineer explored multiple options for energy systems including geothermal and ended up determining that the best system for this project would be mini-split heat pumps.

As part of a Lower Merion Township historic district, the review board required restored windows on the sides visible to the public way. The balance of windows were new replacement windows, with details to complement the historic windows.

We removed a later garage shed uncovering the original form to create a U-Shaped plan with an outdoor courtyard. The new layout naturally lent itself to a welcoming entry, elevator, stair and bathrooms; as the central core it creates a wonderful mixing bowl of activity between classes.

Historic Preservation

This project received a Greater Portland Landmarks Rehabilitation Project Preservation Award in 2023.

Rockefeller Hall was funded by a public-private partnership with the construction work completed in Spring 2013. The construction cost was in the $2 million range and received a Maine Preservation Honor award in 2013.

Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania’s Historical Commission Historic Preservation Award, 2017.

Footer