Quote:
Originally Posted by someone123
Does anyone know how much restoration work will be done to the facade? Are the sandstone blocks going to be replaced with newly-carved pieces? If done well it should look something like Keith Hall in the end.
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I think the destructive facade-cleaning sandblasting or whatever that occurred some years ago caused too much permanent damage for a pristine restoration like Keith Hall.
The Design Review Committee site plan approval from December says it will include:
"Partial restoration of the existing façade, including re-pointing, repair and replacement of the brick and stone masonry, and installation of new windows, doors and a variety of exterior lighting on the building façade."
The design rationale says:
"The exterior design of the new construction above the existing façade and on the the north (side) elevation is based on three assumptions: first, that the new construction must be differentiated from the existing façade, in part because of the substantially deteriorated nature of the existing brick and stone masonry; second, that the addition should be expressed as being of our time; and third, that the addition should be deferential to the existing façade and the living memory of the original building. With these assumptions in mind, the intent of the architectural design of the new portions of the building is to be neither overly derivative, nor overly idiosyncratic in his its expression. The rough nature of the existing masonry and façade as a whole can best coexist amiably with the new addition only if the addition is distinguished from it, but at the same time mindful of its history."
And finally, the heritage impact statement says:
"The masonry is currently stable, but heavily compromised. The proposed building envisions a limited restoration of the masonry with surface reconsolidation, re-pointing, repair, replacement of existing brick where required, and replacement of selected elements of the deteriorated stone masonry. The existing masonry on the north elevation will be maintained and removed only enough to provide a clean vertical line to allow a slight setback to the new masonry, which will be a slightly differing shade to the existing.
A full restoration of the existing masonry cannot be supported by the proposed uses of the building. The poor surface quality of the existing masonry contributes to the assumption discussed further in the Design Rationale that missing areas of the original façade above and to the side of the existing façade be reconstructed in forms similar to, but not identical to, their original form."