Cardinal Gibbons Fine Arts Building Restoration
Baltimore, Maryland
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Gibbons Restoration
 Originally
constructed in the late 1800s using concrete – the material
of choice for this time period -- the Fine Arts Building on the
Cardinal Gibbons School campus is an important historic landmark
for the City of Baltimore, yet the structure was in disrepair. Formerly
known as St. Mary’s Industrial School, the facility served
as a boarding school for young boys, including baseball great Babe
Ruth. However, initial construction defects and shrinkage cracking,
failure of the existing coating and drainage systems, acidic gases
predominant in metropolitan areas, and the natural permeability
of concrete had taken its toll. Age also was a major factor. The
building was more than 100 years old, and there had been no maintenance
on the facility since 1960.
 With
perimeter dimensions of approximately 120 feet by 60 feet, the three-story
reinforced concrete structure has an ornamental concrete cornice.
Initial inspections revealed that the cornice had severe deterioration
primarily due to the existing gutter and downspout system that was
non-functional. Additional deterioration was found on the concrete
façade and parapet where the existing coating was no longer
effective.
Recognizing the importance of restoring the concrete on this treasured
landmark, several repairs were necessary to restore the structure
back to its original prominence. The first step of the repair process
was to chip and remove loose and deteriorated concrete to a depth
of at least ¾-inch behind any exposed reinforcing steel.
A high-pressure water blast was used on repair areas to clean and
prepare the existing substrate. The existing steel was cleaned and
prepared by the use of mechanical methods. After the cleaning was
completed, the steel was coated with a corrosion inhibiting material.
Supplemental reinforcing steel was added to areas where the existing
steel had lost more than 20 percent of its cross-sectional area
or as needed to provide a sound repair. In shallow areas, steel
pins were added to promote bonding of the new repair material to
the existing substrate.
For the façade, several types of repair were necessary including
partial depth concrete repair. This was necessary in areas where
the concrete had deteriorated 2 to 3 inches behind the reinforcing
steel. The placement of the repair material was conducted through
the combination of hand patching, form and pour, and form and pump.
In several locations, extensive cracks were found that penetrated
the entire concrete wall. Full-depth repairs were required at these
locations. A back-up form and additional reinforcing were used before
the concrete repair material was poured into the prepared area.
Additional repairs included the removal and replacement of all sealants
for the metal window and doorframes using a premium grade urethane
sealant.
The most difficult repair was the cornice. New reinforcing steel
was added to the cornices due to the lack of sufficient existing
steel. Plaster of Paris was used to make a mold of an existing sound
section of the cornice and then fiberglass forms were developed.
Several mockups were made prior to achieving the desired result,
which was versatile enough to match all inconsistent field conditions
of the cornice. Once the formwork was complete, the cornices, which
had many intricate vertical and horizontal transitions, were poured.
Upon completion, the final project cost was less than the estimated
amount.
Today, because of the innovative concrete repair strategies and
the effort to not only salvage but also bring new life to the structure,
the building stands poised to meet the demands of tomorrow's students.
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Owner:
Baltimore Archdiocese
General Contractor, Concrete Repair Contractor:
Structural Preservation Systems
Baltimore, Md.
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