The Community Development Block Grant façade rehabilitation project in the downtown district of Jefferson got underway just a few weeks ago on three of the 13 buildings slated for renovation. Prior to contractors moving in, Peter Franks, the Historic Preservation Architect for the projects, began doing some investigations into the building’s origins. The MacDonald Insurance building had already been identified as having some potentially significant architectural features.
He said both were believed to have been built from around the turn of the century to the 1920s, and one may be even older and was refaced at that time. Once they began demolition, Franks said, the right half of the two buildings was discovered to have white glazed brick with intricate terra cotta inlays.
This finding has altered the original plans to some degree, Franks says. They knew the materials were there, they just didn’t know the physical condition of every square foot. They created an allowance in the general construction bid and contract to adapt their approach to the treatment of the building. This will allow them to not only improve the appearance, but to also improve the buildings health and performance.
There will be a progress meeting this Friday where they will go over what has been uncovered and the merits of removing the Swiss Chalet area on the left side of the building. Franks says they weren’t originally planning on doing that.
Franks adds they will continue to update the media on the improvements and their historical significance as work on the buildings continues throughout the next six months or so.
