Treated wood helps restore historic rotunda

fN CunnlorrEsvILLE. Vn.. the hisItoric rotunda at the University of Virginia-which was founded and designed by Thomas Jefferson-is undergoing restoration with the help of a local wood preserver and a LBM dealer.

Replacement of the rotunda's domed roof became the first phase of the $51 million restoration project, since it's been leaking for years. Better Living Building Supply, Charlottesville, supplied southem yellow pine for the roof replacement.

The kiln-dried wood was pressure treated with copper azole by Madison Wood Preservers, Madison, Va. In the early days of the university, professors and students enjoyed weekly dinners at Monticello, Jefferson's nearby estate. By the time

Jefferson died-on July 4, 1826-the rotunda was nearly completed. Unfortunately, after fire gutted the structure in 1895, it had to be rebuilt.

"The brick of the rotunda is the only feature that survives of Jefferson's original building," said Jody Lahendro, the university's historic preservation architect and project manager. "I've come to learn so much more about the rotunda in terms of appreciating the changes that have been made over time."

Although the structure undergoes periodic maintenance, the last major renovation was in 1976-to coincide with the nation's bicentennial and the 150th anniversary of Jefferson's death. Efforts were made to preserve the original design, but many details are a matter of conjecture.

The remaining phases of the project will focus on everything under the dome, such as new windows, electrical and plumbing systems, data infrastructure, sprinklers, and security systems.

Completion of the roof restoration is scheduled for late May, just in time for graduation ceremonies at the university. Jefferson would be proud.

Robert Lorenz "R.L." Day, 80, president of LMH Building Center, Pueblo. Co.. died March 6 in Pueblo. He began his career at Brown Lumber, Pueblo, in the 1950s, before joinng BMC, Pueblo.In 1970, he and

L.A. Stokesberry purchased the yard and renamed it Economy Lumber & Hardware, eventually adding locations in Greeley, Aurora and Longmont, Co. After they sold the chain to BMC West in 1994, he stayed on to manage the Pueblo operation. He launched LMH in 2003 with John Dasher and son Bobby Day.

He was a past president of the Mountain States Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association.

Stanley Louis Buck II, 73, retired hardwood lumber trader, died Feb. 5 from injuries suffered in a fall at his home in Raleigh, N.C.

After owning and operating Crossland Forest Products, Raleigh, and Allegheny Wood Sales, Willow Grove, Pa., he joined Peterman Lumber, Chino, Ca., in the early 1990s and two years later went to work for Atlas Lumber Co., Chino, retiring in the early 2000s.

Arthur Kootenai "Art" Avey,94, former owner of Avey Brothers Lumber, Kettle Falls, Wa., died Feb. I in Colville, Wa.

During World War II, he served in the U.S. Army Air Transport Command as a pilot and flight instructor.

After the war, he and his brother, Al, started the lumber business. They sold to Pack River Lumber in 1969 and continued to work for the company until 1976.

Lawrence Morbeck. 79. retired manager of Standard Lumber Co., Moscow. Id.. died March 9 after a short battle with cancer.

After serving in the U.S. Army and working for local farmers, he joined Rima Lumber, Pullman, Id. In 1978, he relocated to Moscow, to become manager of Standard Lumber for 18 years.

Horris M. Crane, 75, co-founder of La Cueva Lumber & Hardware, Jemez Springs, N.M., died March 20. He ran the store from 1979 until the early 1980s with his twin brother, Morris, and their wives, along with a contracting company, Crane Construction.