February, 2010
14
High-Profile Focus: Renovation/Restoration Development News
Hoffmann Architects to Renovate Travelers’ Plazas Hartford, CT—At 527 feet, Travelers Tower was the seventh tallest building in America when it was completed in 1919. The capital city landmark overlooks a grand entry plaza, which bears the trademark red umbrella of the Travelers Companies, Inc. Travelers retained Hoffmann Architects to evaluate conditions at Tower Square and to develop remedial recommendations for its continued aesthetic and functional performance. Because the plaza is well maintained, deterioration conditions were not readily apparent to the casual observer; however, the project team’s
investigation revealed material degradation, damaged pavers, poor drainage, and failed waterproofing, allowing moisture penetration into the structural components of the plaza system and, further, into the underlying parking garage.
replacement of the waterproofing, and reinstallation of pavers, finishes, and plantings, both to save on costs and to minimize unnecessary resource consumption. In addition, the existing plaza did not meet ADA guidelines for accessibility, so Hoffmann
Travelers Tower in Hartford, Conn. is a local historic landmark.
Across the street from Tower Square, the plaza is currently undergoing renovation.
Tower Square “red umbrella” plaza is often used as a backdrop for media events.
Although the paving surface had been replaced since Tower Square’s initial construction, the waterproofing membrane was over 45 years old. To restore weather integrity, Hoffmann Architects recommended removal of the paving assembly,
Architects recommended construction of a ramp and installation of an accessible entry vestibule as part of the rehabilitation project. Across the street, at Travelers’ 50 Prospect Street office building, Hoffmann
Architects conducted an investigation of Travelers Plaza, the building’s main entrance and pedestrian thoroughfare. Here too, good caretaking practice belied the structural movement and stress that was leading to water infiltration at this plaza’s below-grade parking facility. Here, though, the culprit was not only failed waterproofing, but also inadequate expansion control provisions coupled with poor subsurface drainage. As a result of the investigation, Travelers retained Hoffmann Architects to redesign the plaza, addressing structural and functional concerns. As specialists in the rehabilitation of building exteriors, Hoffmann Architects develops architectural and engineering solutions for roofs, facades, windows, and parking garages, in addition to plazas and terraces.
Recipient of the 2009 Associated Builders and Contractors NH/VT Chapter Excellence in Construction and Chairman’s “Best of the Best” Awards
New England Workforce Housing Squamscott Block Exeter, NH
North Branch Construction, Inc. 76 Old Turnpike Road, Concord, NH . (603) 224-3233 . www.northbranch.net
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