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Calgary's 1911-era City Hall is undergoing a major retrofit, and a protective covering will facilitate comfortable working conditions for crews through the chilly winter months. In May 2017, the 106-year-old building was fully enclosed in a wrap that contains the construction crews, equipment and materials, restricting water penetration and shielding the sandstone from the harsh weather.
The temperature inside the enclosure is set to a minimum of ten degrees celsius, increasing to about 20 degrees in the upper floors. The internal environmental conditions are crucial not only for worker comfort, but to guarantee mortar cures properly and building components don't freeze.
In addition to avoiding weather-related project delays, a complete enclosure of the building is much more cost effective than a piecemeal approach. According to a recently published blog post from the City, the cost of the enclosure is approximately $165,000.
While architectural photographers and tourists may be disappointed at the massive obscurement, the tarp sports imagery that replicates the appearance of City Hall. It's an industry standard that is frequently used for long-term heritage rehabilitation projects, with the U.S. Capitol Building, New York's Plaza Hotel and Philadelphia's Independence Hall each employing the artistic tactic.
The $34 million investment will introduce new structural steel inside the 100-foot clock tower, replace the roof, install new windows to replicate the originals, and restore the over 15,000 pieces of sandstone that had showed signs of increasing deterioration. The only surviving city hall of its period in Western Canada, and a declared heritage resource at the national, provincial and municipal levels, the building is expected to be under wraps until July 2020.
More information about the restoration project can be found on the City of Calgary website.
