The Preservation Alliance of West Virginia (PAWV) is pleased to welcome Greg Coble to its Board of Directors. Coble’s appointment to the Board was finalized during PAWV’s recent membership meeting in Lewisburg, WV. Mr. Coble brings a wealth of knowledge to PAWV from his roughly three-decade career at the National Trust for Historic Preservation, where he strengthened and fostered the development of state and local preservation organizations across the nation.
Coble, of Shepherdstown, served in various capacities at the National Trust, including Senior Vice President of Business & Finance, Vice President of Administration, Chief of Staff, Director of Human Resources, Director of Budget & Planning, and Director of Program Development. His business acumen and passion for historic preservation will undoubtedly prove to be a valuable asset to PAWV. Members of the Preservation Alliance of West Virginia’s Board of Directors and staff are pleased with the appointment of Coble: “We are excited to include Greg's fresh perspective as we tackle new projects,” notes Danielle Parker, Executive Director of PAWV. “PAWV is expanding, and we are able to do so under the guidance of a knowledgeable Board of Directors. Greg is a welcomed advisor as we begin the process of renovating the historic Arthurdale High School into the state's Historic Preservation Center and advocate for historic preservation across the State of West Virginia.”
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The Preservation Alliance of West Virginia (PAWV) is now accepting proposals for qualified historic preservationists to provide instruction in intermediate historic wooden sash window repair/preservation. The ideal workshop time frame is two consecutive days in August 2023, but there is flexibility in the exact scheduling. Therefore, proposals must include two suggested dates for the workshop in either August or September as part of the scope of work. PAWV selected the historic Arthurdale Homestead Community High School as the subject of the hands-on, historic preservation workshop. It is pictured below and located at 303 Eby School Rd, Arthurdale, WV. The property is owned by the non-profit organization, Arthurdale Heritage Inc. (More photos are included at the bottom of this document. Please contact PAWV at jbillman@pawv.org or by calling 304-345-6005 with any questions about the building or to set up a site visit.) The class size will be limited to 20 participants with beginner to intermediate knowledge of window repair. The class itself can be split into beginner and intermediate sessions to accommodate different levels of involvement required for beginners versus returning students. The target audience for this workshop is local volunteers and Preserve WV AmeriCorps members as they will continue working on the windows as part of their service following the workshop series. The instructor should be prepared to lead classroom-based discussions, as well as demonstrate on–site. Time should be allotted for students to practice what they are learning in the field. Hands-on work can be done in the high school's old shop room, which will be set up to accommodate the workshop, and the classroom portion of the workshop can take place at another space on Arthurdale Heritage’s campus. The instructor should base the content of the workshop on the information outlined in the National Park Service’s Brief #9 - The Repair of Historic Wooden Windows. The instructor should be prepared to teach on the following topics in both classroom and worksite settings:
The instructor will be expected to work with PAWV staff to ensure the proper materials and supplies are purchased for this workshop. PAWV will handle registration and provide lunch on-site to the workshop instructor and participants each day. Proposal Application Requirements: Professionals interested in providing preservation training for any of the above formats should submit a proposal including:
Submit proposals via email to Jamie Billman at jbillman@pawv.org by June 23rd, 2023 at 5:00 p.m.
This RFP does not indicate any promise to follow through and implement any proposals. We reserve the right to select a different trainer for this workshop. We reserve the right to accept late proposals if insufficient or inadequate proposals for all slots are received by the deadline. We may suggest revisions to your proposal for your consideration. PAWV staff will organize and direct all events and will have final approval of content. This workshop receives Federal funds from the National Park Service as administered by the West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture, and History. Regulations of the U.S. Department of the Interior strictly prohibit unlawful discrimination departmental Federally Assisted Programs on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, or handicap. Any person who believes he or she has been discriminated against in any program, activity, or facility operated by a recipient of Federal assistance should write to: Office of Equal Opportunity, U. S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, 1849 C Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20240. New Salem Baptist Church, a historic Black church in Tams, West Virginia, has been added to the National Register of Historic Places. The church is the sole remaining building in the Black coal camp community established at Tams and is also a physical reminder of the once-bustling coal town’s racially segregated past. The congregation consisted of Black miners and their families who resided in the northern section of Tams, while white and recent European immigrant groups lived in separate areas.
The Gothic Revival style church was built in 1921 after the board of trustees of the congregation approached W. P. Tams, Jr., who owned the company town, requesting that a church be built for them. Tams obliged and provided the funding for the construction of the church. The congregation was able to repay Tams in 1928 and received a clear title to the property. Unfortunately, a reversion clause in the deed reportedly states that the parcel will revert to ownership by the present Western Pocahontas Land Company should it cease to be used as a house of worship. The church building currently serves a small congregation dedicated to the continued preservation of its built history with admittedly limited resources. Calls for its preservation have been publicly discussed through local news media for several decades, and in 2016 the Preservation Alliance of West Virginia listed the church as a West Virginia Endangered Property. In 2021, the Preservation Alliance of West Virginia received a grant from the West Virginia State Historic Preservation Office to conduct a National Register nomination. PAWV is delighted to report that as of 2023, the New Salem Baptist Church is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. We're proud of the work the Preservation Alliance of West Virginia accomplished in 2022! Take a look at the report below or download the .PDF document.
Intent The Preservation Alliance of West Virginia (PAWV), in partnership with Arthurdale Heritage, is seeking qualified professionals and/or architecture firms to create a master plan for a statewide Historic Preservation Center based at the historic Arthurdale High School in Preston County, West Virginia. The main goals of the Center will be:
As an add-on for this project, PAWV is seeking additional and separate quotes for preparation of construction documents for the Center’s full rehabilitation. This contract will be fully funded by an Appalachian Regional Commission’s POWER Grant and will be completed in close conjunction with PAWV and Arthurdale Heritage’s staff. Proposal Submission Deadline: 5:00 p.m. EST on Tuesday, March 7, 2023. Responses may be submitted electronically via email to Danielle (LaPresta) Parker, PAWV Executive Director at dlapresta@pawv.org or by letter to 421 Davis Avenue, Elkins, WV 26241. Email is preferred. Organizational History & Project Overview West Virginia has a unique cultural heritage, and as the statewide historic preservation nonprofit formed in 1982, PAWV has organized a variety of national service initiatives, funding and technical assistance programs, advocacy efforts, and educational programs aimed at making historic preservation an accessible tool to revitalize West Virginia’s communities and improve the lives of its citizens. In 2006, PAWV began offering educational workshops about hands-on historic preservation to home-owners and DIYers upon hiring its first full-time executive director. Over the next 15 years, PAWV made hands-on historic trades education a programmatic priority through its field services outreach – the WV Endangered Properties Program - and by offering educational workshops and programs to everyone from AmeriCorps members, property owners, college students and community volunteers working on historic buildings. Our educational topics generally trended toward preserving a structure’s original wood windows and historic masonry (as well as cemetery preservation) according to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Historic Preservation. In 2020, PAWV began noticing a decline in companies available to work on projects funded by historic preservation grants and implemented an outreach campaign to understand how the shortage of historic trades workers was affecting West Virginia as a whole. The following year, PAWV formed the West Virginia Historic Trades Task Force, a collection of West Virginia’s historic preservation project managers and professionals, which tasked itself with identifying and planning educational programs as one of its primary objectives. The Task Force’s goal is to increase the number of historic trades professionals and small businesses throughout the Mountain State. In 2022, PAWV and Arthurdale Heritage partnered to develop a statewide Historic Preservation Center with the goal of rehabilitating the former Arthurdale High/Junior High School for the Center. The purpose of this project is to develop a master plan for the Center, and an add-on component of this project is the creation of construction documents for the Center’s full rehabilitation. The goals of the Center will be:
Formed in 1985, Arthurdale Heritage is a nonprofit dedicated to the preservation of the Nation’s First New Deal Homestead – a National Historic District comprised of over 140 contributing buildings. Arthurdale Heritage is the owner and steward not only of the high school but also eleven other historic buildings in the original Arthurdale community planned in the 1930s. Arthurdale Heritage is a very active nonprofit organization and already offers educational programming in heritage crafts and to Preston County youth. Historic trades education is a natural addition to programming already offered at Arthurdale’s campus. At the Historic Preservation Center, PAWV plans to offer both theoretical and hands-on educational programming in historic preservation with the goal of increasing our state’s historic preservation workforce and encouraging the development of more small businesses in this specialized and lucrative construction field. Our audiences will vary as we develop experiences for primary and secondary-school aged students, as well as certificate programs and AmeriCorps placements for people changing careers, or entering/re-entering the workforce. Other plans for the center involve converting a portion of the school into a co-operative work and living space for emerging trades professionals and students pursuing short- and long-term educational opportunities. This will provide much needed lodging facilities to students traveling from other parts of West Virginia and the region to attend trainings. A co-operative workspace will be a valued asset for sub-contractors looking to minimize start-up costs, as well, and PAWV aims to attract skilled professionals to West Virginia by providing this resource. Project Timeline & Scope of Work - We imagine the following work agreement between PAWV and the selected professional. January 31, 2023: PAWV distributes request for proposals. March 7, 2023: Deadline to submit proposal to dlapresta@pawv.org or by letter to PAWV, 421 Davis Ave, Elkins, WV 26241 March 7 – April 3, 2023: PAWV & Arthurdale Heritage will review proposals and select consultant after seeking approval from ARC staff. April 4, 2023: PAWV will make the consultant award and begin contract period April 4, 2023 – August 31, 2023: Phase 1 – Master Planning Meetings
If selected for the additional work, we would also work toward the creation of construction documents for the Center’s rehabilitation. August 31 – September 30, 2023: Phase 2 – Consultant Drafts Master Plan
October 1 – October 31, 2023: Phase 3 – Comment Period
November 16 – December 15, 2023: Phase 5 – Final Comment Period
December 31, 2023 – January 16, 2024: Phase 6 – Consultant’s Final Edits
Required Deliverables The final product and deliverable for this project is a master plan (final format a .pdf) that will help PAWV and Arthurdale Heritage reach their goal of turning the Arthurdale High School into a Historic Preservation Center. To meet this end, the selected professional will do the following:
As an add-on for this project, PAWV is seeking additional and separate quotes for preparation of construction documents for the Center’s full rehabilitation. The deliverable for this part of the project would be construction documents. Additional images below: Assumptions and Agreements
Required Proposal Format The proposal must contain the following sections: Technical, Costs, Qualifications, and References.
Proposal Deadline All bids and proposals are due by 5pm on Tuesday, March 7, 2023. Proposals may be submitted via email to Danielle Parker at dlapresta@pawv.org or by letter to PAWV, 421 Davis Avenue, Elkins, WV 26241. Basis for Award of Contract
Award Date: Tuesday, April 4, 2023 This RFP does not commit PAWV or AHI to award a contract or to pay costs incurred by bidder in the preparation of a proposal to this RFP. PAWV and AHI may accept other than the lowest bid, waive minor informalities, and award a contract based only on the written proposal without any discussions with bidder. Issuance of a contract will be subject to the approval of PAWV and AHI. PAWV and AHI reserves the right to reject any or all proposals because of non-responsiveness to RFP requirements, insufficient funds, evidence of unfair bidding procedures, financial insolvency of bidder, or if, in the opinion of PAWV’s Executive Director, the best interests of the program will be served. The Business Development Corporation of the Northern Panhandle (“BDC”) requests proposals from qualified masonry contractors to perform work to the historic “Cold Metal Building” in Wellsburg, West Virginia. Interested contractors must submit a written or electronic proposal by 3PM on February 24th, 2023 to Anthony Clements at the Business Development Corporation via email to aclements@bhbdc.com or physically at 324A Penco Rd, Weirton, WV 26062. The Cold Metal Building was part of the glass industry in Wellsburg. The building was constructed ca. 1890 and is the only remaining portion of the historic glass facility which once existed on the site. Work to the building will consist of repointing, infill existing holes, and repair to the east and south façades. This project is funded in part by Preservation Alliance of West Virginia’s (“PAWV”) Saving Historic Places Grant in partnership with the Paul Bruhn Rural Revitalization Grant provided through the National Park Service, Department of the Interior. As such, the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties must be followed by the awarded contractor. Scope of Work:
Sourced brick should match the existing color, composition, and texture. Preferably, bricks should be sourced locally. The mortar mix for all work performed must match the original historic mortar in color, composition, and texture and be approved in advance by PAWV in writing. The original mortar has been tested by an architectural conservator whose report is attached to the rear of this RFP. The awarded contractor is responsible for any permits or taxes such as B&O within the City of Wellsburg. It should be noted that the City of Wellsburg’s building permit fee has been waived for this project. Moreover, the awarded contractor is responsible for all tools, labor, materials, equipment, supervision, and associated items related to the project. Finally, the awarded contractor should note the BDC is a tax-exempt entity both federally and within the State of West Virginia. RFP Timeline: January 19th, 2023: Bid Documents Sent Out January 26th, 2023: Mandatory Pre-Bid (Time – 1:00 p.m.) February 10th, 2023: Deadline for Submission of Questions February 17th, 2023: Addenda sent out, if necessary February 24th, 2023: Proposal due by 3pm Requirements of the Bid Submission: A mandatory pre-bid meeting will be held: At 1:00 p.m. on January 26th, 2023 at the project site located at the corner of 6th Street and Yankee Street in Wellsburg, WV 26070. Please email aclements@bhbdc.com to register. In the event of inclement weather, the date/time for this meeting may change. All bids must be received no later than February 24th, 2023 at 3PM. Each proposal physically submitted is to be in a sealed envelope. The submission must include the following:
6. Certification and Signature page Documents required after notification of Award:
Addenda and Interpretations: Bidders are asked to direct all questions or comments to aclements@bhbdc.com. No interpretation of the meaning of the specifications or other bid documents will be made to any bidder orally. All questions by prospective bidders, including interpretations of ‘approved equal” value must be submitted in writing to aclements@bhbdc.com and received by 3PM on February 10th, 2022. Addenda will be sent to all selected bidders who are invited to submit proposals. Failure to acknowledge any addendum may result in the rejection of the bid. Project Selection Criteria: Contractors will be selected based on experience with similar historic preservation projects, proven ability to complete a project, and cost. All proposals must guarantee their pricing and provide 30 days for acceptance from the due date. The BDC and PAWV reserves the right to reject any and all proposals and to waive minor administrative oversights. Qualifications of Bidder: The Owner may make such investigations as deemed necessary to determine the ability of the bidder to perform the obligations of the contract. The bidder shall furnish to the Owner all such information and data as requested. The Owner or PAWV reserves the right to reject any bid if the investigation fails to satisfy the Owner or PAWV that a bidder is properly qualified to carry out the obligations of the Agreement. Award of Contract: The BDC and PAWV reserves the right to reject any or all proposals or waive any irregularity in this bid or in responses, to negotiate with all qualified sources, or to cancel, in part or in its entirety, this invitation to bid, in the best interest in the BDC or PAWV. The BDC and PAWV also reserves the right to re-advertise for proposals using the same or a different request for proposal. This invitation to bid does not commit the BDC or PAWV to award a contract or to procure or contract for services or goods. Source of Funding: Funds for this project are provided by the Preservation Alliance of West Virginia as awarded by the National Park Service’s Paul Bruhn grant program. All work must be approved by PAWV and the NPS prior to payment. All applicable Federal, state and local rules and regulations apply. Payment Schedule: Payments will be made in three installments: 1) Upon mobilization of equipment/scaffolding 2) When work is 75% complete 3) Upon completion of the work with the approval of PAWV. The contractors will be reimbursed for services rendered up to the contract amount. All changes in scope must be pre-approved by the BDC and PAWV. Contractors will not be reimbursed for travel expenses, or any costs incurred in preparation of this proposal. The contractor will be paid in increments based on satisfactory completion of specific stages of the project. The balance will be paid after approval of the work by the Preservation Alliance of West Virginia. Project Deadline: The project completion date April 1, 2023 will be reviewed by the Preservation Alliance of West Virginia. View all of the photos and the mortar analysis in the .PDF document available for download below:
PAWV received 32 applications requesting over $2.8 million during the Saving Historic Places Grant application period of December 8, 2021 to March 18, 2022. Seven projects were selected totaling $488,008.53 in grant awards (detailed below). Most of these projects have already published requests for quotations (RFQs) from qualified contractors. 1. Arthurdale School Buildings, Arthurdale (Preston County) Amount Received: $65,175.28 Arthurdale Heritage, Inc. received funding to stabilize the exteriors of the 3 historic school buildings on the Arthurdale campus. This includes roof repair, drainage systems, gutter installation, mothballing windows and doors, sidewalk repair and brush removal. Project funding will secure, stabilize and mothball the buildings to prepare for their adaptive re-use. Pictured below are two of the school buildings. 2. Cold Metal Building, Wellsburg (Brooke County) Amount Received: $84,790.10 The Business Development Corporation of the Northern Panhandle (BDC), a nonprofit organization, received funding for the stabilization of the Cold Metal Building. Funding will be used to repoint brick, infill holes, and rebuild certain areas of the building. The BDC is working with the local community on a master plan for the structure that involves reusing it for a commercial space. 3. New River Grocery Building, Hinton (Summers County) Amount Received: $108,810 The City of Hinton received funding to install a complete EPDM roofing system, including the insulation board, gutters, downspouts, and accessories. The proposed use of the New River Grocery Building will be to immediately incorporate it as an extension of the Freight Depot event center, a space used by nonprofit organizations, as well as to relocate the Railroad History Museum to this space. 4. Logan House, Beverly (Randolph County) Amount Received: $30,000 Rich Mountain Battlefield Foundation received funding to repair a hole in the roof of the Logan House, replace timbers in the roof and upper floor that have been compromised by a fire, and replace rotting boards. This is a first step in saving the currently vacant building. 5. Pink Library, Lewisburg (Greenbrier County) Amount Received: $34,425 The Greenbrier Historical Society received funding for emergency repairs to the roof drainage, masonry, and windows on the Pink Library, also known as the 1834 Supreme Court Library. The goal of the project is to fully restore the building into a heritage tourism attraction. 6. Wheby’s Grocery Store, Princeton (Mercer County) Amount Received: $102,808.15 The Riff Raff Arts Collective, a nonprofit organization, received funding for stabilization and interior renovations of the Wheby’s Grocery Store building. Funding will be used for roof replacement, interior repairs, rehabilitation of all windows and doors, restoration of all hardwood floors, and upgrades to the installation system. The future use of this vacant building is the Lonnie Gunter, Jr. Center for Culture and History. 7. WV School for Deaf and Blind Dairy Barn (Hampshire County)
Amount Received: $60,000 The Town of Romney received funding for emergency repairs to the roof on the WV School for Deaf and Blind Dairy Barn. The adaptive reuse of this vacant building has not yet been determined, but goals are for the barn to be reused for recreational or entertainment purposes. DUE DATE: Wednesday Dec 21, 2022, 11:00 a.m.
Purpose of Bid The Town of Romney intends to purchase the subject services from the lowest and best responsible bidder or bidders (each, a “Contractor”) in accordance with the conditions and specifications contained or referenced in the Contract Documents and Bidding Documents (provided for download in PDF format) with this Invitation to Bid. Bid Request Please submit a sealed bid for furnishing all materials and services (“Work”) relating to the 2022 Romney Barn Phase 1 Stabilization Project in accordance with all terms and conditions specified in the Contract Documents and Bidding Documents included herewith. Questions Upon delivery or pickup of the accompanying Bidding Documents, an interested party will also be listed as a registered bidding document holder. All Bidding Document requests for information, substitution requests, site visit requests, and correspondence shall be submitted in writing and directed via email to bkeadle@townofromney.org. Any questions about the meaning and intent of this invitation to bid and the specifications must be submitted no later than five business days before the Bid submission deadline. Addenda will be issued by the Town of Romney to registered bidding document holders only, who will automatically receive all addenda in electronic format (PDF) via file transfer email. The entirety of the Invitation to Bid is available for download below: Intent
The Preservation Alliance of West Virginia, in partnership with Arthurdale Heritage, Inc., is seeking qualified consultants for the purposes of planning for a West Virginia Historic Preservation Training Center (WVHPTC). The consultant’s contract will involve two major tasks:
This contract will be completed in close conjunction with staff from both the Preservation Alliance of West Virginia (PAWV) and Arthurdale Heritage, Inc. (AHI) and will be funded by an Appalachian Regional Commission’s POWER Grant. Proposal Submission Deadline: 5:00 p.m. EST on Thursday, December 15, 2022. Responses may be submitted electronically via email to Danielle (LaPresta) Parker, PAWV Executive Director at dlapresta@pawv.org or by letter to 421 Davis Avenue, Elkins, WV 26241. All questions should be submitted to Danielle by Tuesday, November 29, 2022. Email is preferred for communications. Project Overview & Scope of Work Goals The proposed West Virginia Historic Preservation Training Center will provide workforce development resources and engaging training to support and grow the local preservation trades community in West Virginia. Our goal is to create a program that will involve local students and members of the workforce and impart technical preservation skills that can be translated into rewarding careers in historic building preservation. The consultant hired to assist with this project will help PAWV and AHI manage the feasibility and planning phases of this project with the goals of:
Project Timeline & Scope of Work November 15 – December 15, 2022: PAWV distributes request for proposals. Questions can be submitted to Danielle (LaPresta) Parker at dlapresta@pawv.org by November 29, 2022, and answers to questions will be provided to all interested bidders by November 30, 2022. December 15 – December 30, 2022: PAWV & AHI will review proposals and select consultant. January 3, 2023: PAWV will make the consultant award and begin contract period. January 3 – April 30, 2023: Phase 1 – Survey & Research
May 1 – July 31, 2023: Phase 2 – Operating Plan
July 31 - August 31, 2023: Phase 3 – Comment Period
September 1 - September 15, 2023: Phase 4 – Draft Update
September 16 - September 30, 2023: Final Report
Required Deliverables
Assumptions and Agreements
Required Proposal Format The proposal must contain the following sections: Technical, Costs, Qualifications, and References.
Deadlines Questions from bidders must be submitted by email to Danielle Parker by Tuesday, November 29, 2022 by 5:00 p.m. EST. All relevant questions and responses will be compiled and emailed to all known bidders by Wednesday, November 30, 2022. All bids and proposals are due by 5pm on Thursday, December 15, 2022. Proposals may be submitted via email to Danielle Parker or by letter to 421 Davia Avenue, Elkins, WV 26241. Project Coordinator and Point-of-Contact Danielle (LaPresta) Parker: dlapresta@pawv.org, 304-642-0693 Preservation Alliance of West Virginia, 421 Davis Avenue, Elkins, WV 26241 Basis for Award of Contract
Award Date: Tuesday, January 3, 2023 This RFP does not commit PAWV or AHI to award a contract or to pay costs incurred by bidder in the preparation of a proposal to this RFP. PAWV and AHI may accept other than the lowest bid, waive minor informalities, and award a contract based only on the written proposal without any discussions with bidder. Issuance of a contract will be subject to the approval of PAWV and AHI. PAWV and AHI reserves the right to reject any or all proposals because of non-responsiveness to RFP requirements, insufficient funds, evidence of unfair bidding procedures, financial insolvency of bidder, or if, in the opinion of PAWV’s Executive Director, the best interests of the program will be served. The Greenbrier Historical Society (GHS) requests proposals from qualified masonry contractors to provide services to repoint the 1834 Supreme Court of Appeals of Virginia Law Library and Study building, also known as the “Pink Library”, in Lewisburg, West Virginia. Interested contractors must submit a written or electronic proposal by 3:00 pm on Friday, November 18, 2022, to Al Emch, Greenbrier Historical Society (alemch235@gmail.com; 814 Washington Street, Lewisburg, WV 24901). The “Pink Library'' was built in 1834 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The building is in need of selective masonry rehabilitation due to water intrusion from faulty gutters and downspouts and the application of a latex paint over brick. This project is funded in part by Preservation Alliance of West Virginia in partnership with the Paul Bruhn Rural Revitalization Grant provided by the National Park Service. As such, the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Archaeology and Historic Preservation must be followed. A mandatory pre-bid meeting will be held at 11:00 am on Wednesday, November 9, 2022. The project will include:
Add-Alternate pricing is requested for the following:
Contractors must meet the following qualifications and submit the following:
Contractor selection will be based on experience, proven ability to complete a project and cost. All proposals must provide 30 days for acceptance from the due date. The GHS and PAWV reserves the right to reject any and all proposals and to waive minor administrative oversights. The contractors will be reimbursed for services rendered up to the contract amount. All changes in scope must be pre-approved by the GHS and PAWV. Contractors will not be reimbursed for travel expenses, or any costs incurred in preparation of this proposal. The contractor will be paid in increments based on satisfactory completion of specific stages of the project. The balance will be paid after approval of the work by the Preservation Alliance of West Virginia. Mortar Analysis Pink Library Lewisburg, West Virginia August 22, 2022 On Thursday, August 18, 2022, David Arbogast, architectural conservator, of Davenport, Iowa received a mortar sample from Sandra Scaffidi of Practical Preservation in Fairmont, West Virginia. The sample was taken from the Pink Library in Lewisburg, West Virginia and was submitted for analysis to determine its composition.
The analysis commenced on Saturday, August 22, utilizing the acid digestion testing procedure developed by E. Blaine Cliver, former Regional Historical Architect of the North Atlantic Region of the National Park Service. This relatively simple procedure dissolves the lime and/or cement content of the mortar using a 20% solution of hydrochloric acid. The carbon dioxide released as a result of the reaction displaces water, which is then measured and used to calculate the soluble content of the mortar. The insoluble fines and sand remaining from the reaction are factored into the equation resulting in a final result. In the case of cement samples, the remaining fines are used to calculate the cement content of the mortar. The remaining sand is then carefully sieved and graded by grain size to provide a means of identification of the various sand types encountered. The sample was brown and exceedingly soft in its consistency. It had a fast and foamy reaction which resulted in a moderate water displacement. The sample filtered rapidly with the filtrate color being the typical yellow-green. There was an exceedingly large proportion of brown fines. They most likely were dirt. All of the aforementioned attributes are indicative of mortar consisting of lime and sand only. The sand sieve analysis revealed very fine sand. All of it passed through the largest sieve with nearly exactly 3/5% stopped in the second largest sieve. Some of it was present in the third largest sieve, although not enough to register any weight with almost exactly 1 3/4% caught in the fourth largest sieve. A smidgeon more than 19 2/5% remained in the finest sieve with just less than 78 1/4% travelling through all the sieves to the base. |
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