Comparative Costs of Historic Building Refurbishing and New

Building

Henry S. Fraser

Strengthening and Refurbishing Existing Structures

ISE Conference

Hilton Trinidad – April 25, 2014

The Lodge School, St. John, Barbados (18th C)The Chaplain’s Lodge (Headmaster’s House)

The Lodge SchoolBoarding establishment (19th C)

The Lodge – Chaplain’s Lodge and Boarding Establishment

• Slated for demolition in 1985

• Restored in 1985 / 86 for Bds $240,000

• Still in full use!

Barbados Light & Power HeadquartersThe Garrison, Bridgetown (1795)

Barbados Light & Power HQStonework & Window detail

BL & P HQ – Plaque at Restoration (1986)

Barbados Light and Power HQ (Old Commissariat Provision Store

• Architects Gillespie & Steel commissioned to REPLACE building with new HQ

• Gillespie & Steel recommended refurbishment and filling in of “U” shape, with harmonious recreation areas to rear

• Annual Report 1986: Cost = 60 % of original replacement proposal

Lodge School original School Building (Classrooms 1830 / 1854), St. John (Restored in 2013)

Lodge School classrooms (1830 / 2012)

Lodge School Classrooms from the West

Lodge classrooms – after attack!

Lodge Classrooms – Victorian Verandah

Lodge Classrooms – Window detail

Lodge School – interior of my classroom!

Major restoration, Accomplished in 8 months.

• Removing plaster & pointing of external rubble and block coral stone,

• replacing staircases, • accurate replacement of original neo-gothic window

tracery, • internal remodelling, • state of art office design fittings and redecorating, • wiring & plumbing with extensive rest rooms, roof and

parapet treatments.

• $221 / sq. foot

Hastings House, Balmoral Gap, Hastings(c. 1700 / 1830s expansion) (Restored in 2012/13)

Hastings House before restorationDr. Karl Watson, President BNT in foreground

Hastings House, Balmoral Gap, Hastings(c. 1700 / 1830s expansion) (Restored in 2012/13)

Residence of the Governor, Sir Evan McGregor from 1835 until 1841

• Extensive repairs • floors gutted throughout, • 1950s concrete additions demolished, • altered windows and doors made good, • new double entrance portico & staircase built, • major restoration out & in, complete rewiring,

A/C. plumbing, bathrooms, • elegant redecoration to a very igh standard. • partial roof replacement

Hastings House, Balmoral Gap, Hastings(c. 1700 / 1830s expansion) (Restored in 2012/13)

Verona (c. 1830s), Bank Hall (Restored in 2012/13)

Maternity Hospital from 1947 to 1965

• Major restoration • removal of bush and saplings from parts of

INTERIOR • re-roofed, re-wired, new plumbing entirely• retro-fitted for adaptive re-use, redecorated,

with internal adaptations for new functions.• $220 / sq. foot with sophisticated full AC, Fire

alarms, Security systems & Generator• $188 / sq. foot excluding above

George Washington House, Bush Hill, Garrison (c.1720 / 1780s restoration and 1860s alterations),

(Restored in 2006)

George Washington House

• Major restoration, • extensive research and consultations,

restoring to original form, • demolition of 20th century additions, • very high quality finish, • dealing with major problems of rising damp

• $302 / sq. foot

Nightingale Nurses Home (c.1936), Jemmotts Lane Restored in 2012/13 for new Clinical Teaching Complex, Faculty of

Medical Sciences, UWI

Major raestoration of a very large building of coral stone, in two stages, six years apart,

• Stage 1: a new roof, replacing old asbestos roof, and some rewiring;

• Stage 2: Major internal modifications and additions for new functions for teaching, library, clinical laboratories, offices, etc.,

• elevator, new staircases, facilities for the disabled, • rewiring and plumbing, extensive new bathrooms, as

the new Clinical Teaching Complex of Faculty of Medical Sciences, UWI.

• $308 / sq. foot

Old Masonic Lodge (1733/ 1880s top storey), Spry Street (Restored in 2011/2012)

Major restoration of 3 storey structure

• Complete, temporary protective “over roof” - to save decorative domed ceiling and plaster work on Masonic chamber on top storey

• New support for unique domed ceiling, • replacing roof, gutting of floors, new concrete

supporting structure internally• authentic replacement of complex woodwork,

timber floors, windows throughout,• Restoring / conserving ancient plaster

decorations, etc. to highest standard

New structure

• Elegant glass tower with high quality large elevator, foyers at each level and stairway

• Restoration $540 / sq. foot• New glass tower $857 / sq. foot

COMPARE

Modern 3 bedroom bungalow, large verandah (2011)

Modern bungalow, 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms (2011) (2,000 sq. feet)

• A fairly standard modern, concrete block house, on a green field site, with medium quality finish,

• Marble bathroom and kitchen countertops; large open verandah, no carport.

• $325 / sq. foot built. (Other tenders were $350 and $400 / sq. foot)

•

New Medical Faculty ComplexUWI Cave Hill Campus

• A completely new building on a green field site, of three storeys, with standard laboratory fittings on parts of two floors, auditorium, restrooms, spacious foyers, elevator, A/C., etc.

• $464 / sq. foot

Advantages, Added value of Restoration (1)

• Multiple advantages:

• - Economic • - Added value:

Advantages of Restoration (2)

• Great savings in producing productive real estate, reducing the enormous cost of commercial rental of office space by multiple ministries of government and other government entities.

Advantages of Restoration (3)

• It will save foreign exchange, with emphasis on labour, rather than the enormous amount of imported materials used in most major new buildings today.

Advantages of Restoration (4)

• It will hugely improve the aesthetics and quality of our environment, leading to further restoration and improvement of the built environment (“follow fashion”)

Advantages of Restoration (5)

• It will help to ensure that our very, very tenuous award of UNESCO World Heritage status, with its huge tourism, economic and other benefits, is not withdrawn through increased dereliction of historic treasures in the historic core of the city.

Shirley, Hastings19th Century residence, undergoing restoration

Farley Hill (19th Century)(Belfontaine Mansion in Island in the Sun)

Harrismith, St. Philip (1919)

Harrismith, St. Philip

Harismith – arcaded verandah

Harrismith Beach – view from back door

Sam Lord’s Castle, St. Philip (1820s)Marriott Resort, purchased by CLICO, fire October 2010

Sam Lord’s Castle, 2013

Sam Lord’s Castle - Entrance

Conclusions

• Restoration is usually cheaper than new building, unless the roof has fallen in and trees growing

• Restoration of solid coral stone walls two feet thick, with plaster quoins, mouldings, ancient tiles etc. is almost always cheaper than rebuilding TO THE SAME STANDARD

• Restoration is labour intensive, saves Foreign Exchange and respects heritage and craftmanship

• Solid foundations and walls are half the battle!

Parliament Buildings, Barbados (1872)