THE CARPENTERS’ COMPANY OF THE CITY AND COUNTY OF PHILADELPHIA CARPENTERS’ HALL PRESERVATION PROJECT

BY BILL COBB JR. | HAVERSTICK - BORTHWICK COMPANY

The year 2024 is the 300th year of the Carpenters’ Company of the City and County of Philadelphia. It likewise is the 250th anniversary of Carpenters’ Hall and the First Continental Congress. In 2022, the Carpenters’ Company undertook a $3.3 million preservation project on Carpenters’ Hall, the National Historic Landmark located within Independence National Historical Park that it owns and operates. The Carpenters’ Company was established in 1724 and remains America’s oldest continuously operating trade guild. The Company built Carpenters’ Hall in the early 1770s as its meeting place. More than just a meeting place, it would showcase their considerable technical skills and also be available for rent. Robert Smith, a Scottish-trained architect and builder headed the construction committee. He is also responsible for many of the most important historical structures in the area.

In the fall of 1774, the Hall hosted the First Continental Congress. For many years, the Hall was the largest rental space in the city. This fact alone secured Carpenters’ Hall a key role in the events of the War for Independence.

With a current membership of 200+ leaders from Philadelphia’s building professions (architecture, construction and engineering), the Company has been the sole owner and steward of Carpenters’ Hall for 250 years. The Hall is free and open to the public and receives about 130,000 visitors each year.

This project, designed to prepare the building for its 250th anniversary in 2024, focused on the core elements needed to preserve its historic character and operating functions: mechanical systems, masonry and millwork, drainage and moisture control. These essential elements were identified in a comprehensive facility assessment of Carpenters’ Hall completed by preservation experts in 2019. The scope of the project included these major elements:

Foundation: The exterior of the foundation was excavated and waterproofed and the interior basement walls were repointed and reparged.

Drainage: A new pump was added and pavers were repaired or replaced and relaid to improve drainage from the building. Gutters and flashing were repaired.

Masonry: Walls were repaired and repointed, retaining any original mortar.

Millwork: All windows, shutters, doors and exterior trim were repaired and restored.

Mechanical: A new, energy-efficient HVAC system was installed. Exterior components of the previous system were relocated to the basement to enhance the 18thcentury integrity of the exterior.

Electrical: All systems were renewed or replaced

Lightning Protection: The previous system, dating to 1980, was replaced.

Carpenters’ Hall is considered to have irreplaceable historic and cultural significance. All contractors and personnel working on the site had to appreciate this fact and have the greatest respect for the building. In fact, everyone who worked on the project considered it a privilege and was careful to preserve and protect all aspects of the building.

The work was completed in December, 2022, ready to reopen in 2023 as planned. Unfortunately, the building was broken into on Christmas Eve and an attempt was made to set it on fire, using drawings and important papers that needed to be preserved. A guard for the Park Service heard water running through the open basement door, saw the fire and called the fire department. The sprinklers which were only installed several years ago saved the building. In order to get back on track as soon as possible, all the same contractors and workers were used to restore things they had just completed and the Hall was finally opened to the public on July 4, 2023, an important date for the Park Service. As a result of this incident, features were added to the fire alarm and security systems and the Hall is in better shape than ever today.

The project was funded through a combination of public and private funds, including a RACP grant and a Keystone Preservation grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, a federal Save America’s Treasures grant, and $1 million from members of the Carpenters’ Company. The insurance companies also understood the importance of the building and the deadline for completion. They worked hard to keep the fire restoration on schedule.