Portland, ME – The recent renovation project at the US Custom House consists of detailed plaster work, roof repair, roof insulation and window renovation. CCB, Inc. was awarded a contract from the GSA to perform exterior building envelope improvements and interior renovations to the historic building.
The Custom House, a monolithic granite building near the waterfront in downtown Portland was built in 1868-72 after the great fire of 1866. The Italianate styled building contains a large hall which displays intricate plasterwork on the ceiling ordained with gold leaf.
CCB is self-performing the scaffold erection and sheetrock, wall and ceiling removal/replacement to provide access for various work activities in those spaces. Also the perimeter foundation flashing replacement; exterior wrought iron grill restorations; and cast-in-place concrete for sidewalks and mow strip foundations.CCB. installed a two part resin waterproofing membrane to the roof gutters while subcontractor Tecta America cleaned and reinstalled the original slate with new copper flashing. The exterior envelope of the building was repointed by Masonry Preservation Associates ensuring a weather tight structure for years to come.
The windows of the U.S. Custom House are arched double hung sashes that are approximately 8 ½ feet high and 4 feet wide. The windows were inoperable and in many cases painted shut with broken chain, dropped weights and deteriorating wood. While installing new glass the CCB window workshop renovated the windows to their original operating state, a dramatic transformation that keeps the historical integrity of the building.