City Hall's latest facelift

Related Photos

A worker installs scaffolding at City Hall in Gloucester in preparation for the last phase in a restoration project. Allegra Boverman
Once all the scaffolding has gone up, construction on City Hall won’t start until next month. Allegra Boverman
Another phase of the restoration of City Hall is beginning. This time, work will include the rebuild of the north chimney, which taken down for precautionary reasons last August in advance of ahead of Tropical Storm Irene, cap the unused south chimney, restore the cornices, repair the first floor windows and add ductless split-system air conditioning. Allegra Boverman

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April 5, 2012

City Hall's latest facelift

By Steven Fletcher Staff Writer The Gloucester Daily Times Thu Apr 05, 2012, 02:32 AM EDT

Work on the second phase of the City Hall restoration project has begun, enveloping the nearly century and a half-old building in three stories of scaffolding.

The scaffolds mark the start of a $2.3 million restoration project bonded previously through the city's Community Preservation Act funds. The work now underway includes restoration and renovation of the historic building's roof and chimneys, plus cleaning up any loose ends on the clock tower.

The actual construction work, said City Hall building committee member and Community Preservation Committee Co-Chairman J.J. Bell, will start at the end of the month.

"They expect to be finished, God willing, by December," Bell said.

The restoration project will also bring parts of the building up to Americans With Disabilities Act standards.

The city put the project out to bid in January, and awarded it to Campbell Construction Group of Peabody, the same company that previously carried out the tower repairs, said Bell. McGinnley Kalsow & Associates of Somerville served as the project's architect.

City Hall Restoration committee chairwoman Maggie Rosa said in an email yesterday that Campbell will finish restoring the tower, the four ventilator towers, and City Hall's three porticos. The company will also rebuild the north chimney, which taken down for precautionary reasons last August in advance of ahead of Tropical Storm Irene, cap the unused south chimney, restore the cornices, repair the first floor windows and add ductless split-system air conditioning.

Because the cost of the project exceeds 30 percent of the assessed value of $1.79 million, federal law requires the city to bring the building up to Americans with Disabilities Act requirements.

That means the city will add more on-street accessibility parking, install automatic door openers and install transaction counters that meet ADA standards. It will also update assisted listening devices, put in compliant drinking fountains and add accessible bathrooms at ground level.

The state, Rosa said, granted variances for the entry ways and elevators.

Steven Fletcher may be contacted at 1-978-283-7000 x3455, or sfletcher@gloucestertimes.com. Follow him on Twitter at @stevengdt.