Masonry Magazine April 2009 Page. 40
REHAB AND RESTORATION >>> CASE STUDY
Quikrete Supports
Transformation of
Historic Jail
HISTORIC BOSTON JAIL RESTORED AND EXPANDED INTO A LUXURY HOTEL
QUIKRETE COMPANIES PLAYED AN INTEGRAL ROLE in the $150 million rehabilitation and expansion project of the Charles Street Jail in Boston. Designed by renowned architects Gridley James Fox Bryant and Rev. Louis Dwight, the jail was in active use from 1851 to 1990, when deteriorating physical conditions forced its closure.
Since the property was situated in the heart of the Beacon Hill neighborhood, city historic and development organizations sought to renovate and preserve the building, which at one point was an international model for prison architecture. Cambridge Seven Associates (C7A), a full-service architectural design firm, coordinated efforts to preserve much of the original architecture in converting the jail into the modern, upscale Liberty Hotel. Phoenix Bay State Construction Corp. (PBS Construction), a historic masonry restoration company in Boston, aided in the conversion of the 157-year-old jail and building of a new, 16-story, 280-room tower situated behind the old jail.
In renovating the jail, the goal was to maintain the existing granite block exterior and preserve as many interior brick walls as possible. In some cases, this meant pulling down brick walls, saving original hardware and jail doors, and rebuilding walls using QUIKRETE Mason Mix Type N. The former jail was transformed through meticulous planning into 18 suites and a variety of public spaces, including a lobby and reception areas, two restaurants, a bar, a grand ballroom and meeting rooms.
The transformation of the site into a luxury hotel was the work of the architect collaborating with historians, conservationists and masonry restoration experts to ensure that the end result was a careful balance between preservation and modern functionality. To restore the historical landmark, PBS Construction salvaged existing granite and incorporated it into exterior landscaping and the connection between the new and old buildings. Because the 16-story tower was composed of brick and not granite, like the former jail, a smooth transition between structures was created using re-fabricated granite sized to align with the brick on the new building. This resulted in a clean, level line where the buildings meet.
The masonry work was at the heart of the five-year renovation. More than 350,000 bricks were laid with 100, 80-pound bags of QUIKRETE Mason Mix Type N and 280 bulk bags (3,000 pounds each) of QUIKRETE Type N Aspen Tan mortar. More than 20 masons completed the brick and stone work during an 18-month span, using a total of 848,000-pounds of QUIKRETE materials.