2008 Woodie Awards
Positive steps in Borden project
By: Maureen Stephan
Issue date: 1/7/08 Section: News
By midsummer, Mount Pleasant will call the newly renovated Borden Building City Hall.
On Aug. 1, 2007, a $7 million dollar renovation began on the old Borden Creamery Building, located at 320 W. Broadway. The Borden Building, also known as the Bader Building, has been vacant for 40 years. Greg Saxton, project engineer for J.E. Johnson Group, is overseeing construction of the building.
Because the Borden Building is on the National Register of Historic Places, the entire exterior of the building is required to be identical to the original building, Saxton said.
"The goal is to reconstruct the building identically to the original that was built in 1907," said the Director of Parks, Buildings and Grounds Greg Baderschneider.
Saxton said workers had time off for the holidays, but team meetings are taking place to help pick up the pace again. These meetings allow the various teams working on the project to communicate and stay on schedule.
Next on the agenda for the Borden Building is to pour the concrete for floor elevation, followed by mechanical work, studs and drywall.
Saxton said the renovation is faced with unique challenges because of the building's place on the historical registry.
"The metal molding from the building was handmade from the pattern of the original molding in our own sheet metal shop," Saxton said.
Special bricks that are exact replicas of the bricks from the first Borden Building had to be ordered and custom windows had to be made from modern materials to resemble the windows from the original building. The outside border on the building also had to be tinted with a pink hue to match the original color of the Borden Building, Saxton said.
Saxton said temporary heating in the building will keep workers warm during the winter months.
"The roofing is complete with special shingles and custom windows have been installed, which allows for temporary heat," Saxton said.
news@cm-life.com
On Aug. 1, 2007, a $7 million dollar renovation began on the old Borden Creamery Building, located at 320 W. Broadway. The Borden Building, also known as the Bader Building, has been vacant for 40 years. Greg Saxton, project engineer for J.E. Johnson Group, is overseeing construction of the building.
Because the Borden Building is on the National Register of Historic Places, the entire exterior of the building is required to be identical to the original building, Saxton said.
"The goal is to reconstruct the building identically to the original that was built in 1907," said the Director of Parks, Buildings and Grounds Greg Baderschneider.
Saxton said workers had time off for the holidays, but team meetings are taking place to help pick up the pace again. These meetings allow the various teams working on the project to communicate and stay on schedule.
Next on the agenda for the Borden Building is to pour the concrete for floor elevation, followed by mechanical work, studs and drywall.
Saxton said the renovation is faced with unique challenges because of the building's place on the historical registry.
"The metal molding from the building was handmade from the pattern of the original molding in our own sheet metal shop," Saxton said.
Special bricks that are exact replicas of the bricks from the first Borden Building had to be ordered and custom windows had to be made from modern materials to resemble the windows from the original building. The outside border on the building also had to be tinted with a pink hue to match the original color of the Borden Building, Saxton said.
Saxton said temporary heating in the building will keep workers warm during the winter months.
"The roofing is complete with special shingles and custom windows have been installed, which allows for temporary heat," Saxton said.
news@cm-life.com
