Restoring a Treasured University Landmark for Generations to Come

Project Background

• The original building was built between 1857 and 1859 as the Farmers High School of Pennsylvania; it was damaged by fire in 1892 and then remodeled
• The building and bell tower seen today are the result of a razing effort in 1929 to utilize original materials in a complete redesign and construction
• The existing Old Main bell tower is comprised of locally quarried limestone, and rises 79 feet from lower landing to the top of the lantern
• MPS was commissioned to repair and restore the limestone, waterproofing, and other decorative elements to preserve the bell tower while extending its service life

Project Challenges

• Project required the tallest scaffold ever built on campus
• Building needed to remain fully operational during the preservation process, requiring exterior access from the ground; work areas were extremely confined
• Limestone inventory was required during removal to ensure identical layout of stone during reinstallation
• Maintaining the look of limestone patina/soot from the old coal burning furnaces required a custom anthracite treatment after cleaning to match the building appearance that has become iconic to millions of university alumni

Project Approach

• A smooth project process was made possible through advanced working relationships with Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates (WJE); the Penn State Office of the Physical Plant; Barton Malow; and the University Architect
• Extensive scaffolding and netting/protection was installed to safely access work areas while protecting the remaining portions of the building
• Repairs included provisions for through-wall flashing and anchorage of all limestone components in accordance with building codes