CONSERVATION & PRESERVATION

The Coach House Renovation Project, Completed in 2006

As an offical project of the Save America's Treasures Program initiated by the White House, Glessner House Museum received funds for renovation of the historic coach house. The main objective of the project was to restore the historic finishes and create a beautiful multi-functionional space that would serve mainly as the Visitor Center, but that could also be used for educational programs, exhibit, rental and event space.

Glessner House Museum received a grant in the amount of $250,000 from Save America's Treasures and matching funds from the Landmark Preservation Council of IL, the IL Historic Preservation Agency, the Richard Driehaus Foundation and the Aristotle Foundation. The total project cost well over $500,000.

The Glessner House Conservation Project, Completed in 2000

An Historic Structure Report (HSR), completed in 1994, documents the history of the building, its construction, changes over the years, and restoration activities. The report also made recommendations for the future care of the building and helped to prioritize projects needed for the short term and long term. Out of the HSR grew the "Glessner House Conservation Project" ("GHCP"), the initial and most critical step in beginning the long term conservation of the building.

The project was further defined in a grant application to the prestigious, internationally competitive Getty Grant Program. It is an honor simply to be allowed to apply for the grant (buildings must be National Historic Landmarks or another country's equivalent). Glessner House received the maximum grant award for architectural implementation (bricks and mortar), the first North American building accorded this honor. The $250,000 grant required a two-to-one match ($500,000) which was achieved through contributions from the City of Chicago ($350,000), the Mills Corporation, the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, and contributions from individuals.

In keeping with Glessner House Museum's status as a National Historic Landmark, all work will be completed under the guidance of the Secretary of the Interior's Guidelines for Restoration. Among other items, these guidelines call for retaining as much of the original fabric as possible and using the gentlest means possible to clean and refinish surfaces. When replacement materials are required, they must match the original in composition, color, and finish.

The GHCP secured the exterior envelope of the building and addressed long-term deferred maintenance on the building. The project was divided into three phases: masonry (stone foundation, porch, and brick wall conservation), wood (windows and doors conservation), and roof (tiles and flashing conservation). The wood work began in May 1999 and the masonry work began in June 1999.

Phase 1: Stone Foundation, Porch, and Brick Wall Conservation

One of the more serious problems arose when the courtyard grade was raised and granite pavers and fountain were installed in the early 1970s. Water had been seeping into the east stair tower and causing deterioration of the mortar and bricks on the exterior as well as serious water damage to the interior walls and stair steps. To remedy this, the existing granite pavers and three of the trees wereremoved in the courtyard and the driveway was returned to its original grade to slope down under the porte cochère. A concrete driveway and granite curb were put in to resemble the original drive. The driveway east of the porte cochère on Prairie Avenue had been previously restored.

In a further effort to control moisture, the entire perimeter of the courtyard and alley was excavated and the foundation was dampproofed. Related interior areas of the foundation in the sub-basement (under the coach house) were repointed.

All of the brick walls in the courtyard were cleaned and repointed and spot brick replacement occurred as needed. Cleaning tests using mild chemical solutions and variable water pressures were completed as part of the Getty Grant application. The granite foundation and chimneys (which were not cleaned when the street side facades were cleaned) were also be cleaned.

The curved porch was dismantled and rebuilt using as much original fabric as possible. The kitchen landing and steps, which were altered and then removed in 1989, were completely rebuilt. A new sidewalk, to match the original, was installed.

The party wall required special attention. The Glessners' side of the wall was cleaned and repointed while the south side of the wall was stabilized with limited repointing. Flashing reduced the number of brick "ledges" that captured moisture and caused deterioration. There were no aesthetic changes to the south side of the wall facing into the park, which originally served as the north wall of the adjacent home at 1808 S. Prairie Avenue.


Phase 2: Windows and Doors Conservation

The windows had suffered from many years of deterioration and a failed attempt to do limited restoration took place in the 1970s. Richardson's wonderful southern exposure has added to the deterioration. All of the windows in the house were restored as part of the current project. This involved removing the sash, which was taken offsite to the studio of the conservator. Work, Restoration Works, Inc. of Kankakee. The remaining parts of the window (jambs, sills, etc.) were restored onsite. Conservation work involved using special epoxies or dutchman (substitute pieces) where there was severe deterioration. The windows were stripped and primed and then painted or stained, and the hardware was restored. The exterior paint color is dark olive green with a tint of gray. When the windows were reinstalled, they were equipped with working chain and weight assemblies and appropriate weather stripping.

Similarly, all of the doors were removed and restored offsite. A new door leading from the coach house into the courtyard was built using some of the original door which has been kept as an example (albeit, a very deteriorated example). The coach house door to 18th Street was replaced, temporarily, with a new, modern security door. The main coach house door was recreated as part of the coach house renovation project in 2006. 


Phase 3: Roof Tiles and Flashing Conservation

One of the most visual and striking results of the conservation project was the cleaning of the roof, returning it to its reddish color. The original terra cotta tile roof required some replacement of tiles and repairs to the flashing. Gutters and downspouts were repaired, and the gutter by the curved porch was repaired with the addition of a downspout at that location.