Chapman is nearing completion on the extensive restoration and addition to the Sudbury Grange Hall. The historic building is undergoing a complete interior gut and remodel to provide improved community meeting space and to bring the facility up to current building code standards.
The Sudbury Grange Hall was originally built as a single-story school house in 1849, and in 1860 the building was raised and a new first floor was installed beneath the old. In 1889, the building was abandoned by the town due to poor air quality and student crowding, and in the following year the Sudbury Grange was granted ownership of the building. Recently the civic philanthropic organization, The Sudbury Foundation, retained ownership of the Grange Hall and is funding the construction project.
Chapman’s work is being executed in collaboration with the Sudbury Historic Commission and will be the first comprehensive restoration to the 158-year old building, including modernizations to the original 2,000 sf building and a 1,200 sf two-story ground-up addition. The first floor will house Sudbury Foundation offices and the second floor will be used by the Sudbury Grange and also as public meeting space. Improvements and additions incorporate a new kitchen, elevator, ADA-accessible bathrooms, two-story stairway, and HVAC systems. Many of the Greek Revival style period details will be refinished and restored including 12-over-12 double-hung windows, punched tin ceilings, wainscoting and a ventilation hood. The new addition, which is attached to the rear of the original Grange Hall, mirrors the original building’s design and details. Salvaged fieldstone found on the grounds will be repurposed in the site landscaping.
The Sudbury Grange Hall is the most recent project Chapman Construction/Design is executing with architects Latady Design Associates, a local firm specializing in historic building projects. Chapman and Latady Design Associates have partnered on several other historic projects including the First Parish Church of Sudbury.
“It’s nice to be working to save some history rather than tearing it down and rebuilding,” explains Chapman Vice President John Ferreira. “The marriage of new to existing construction, and combining building methods and materials that were created a century and a half apart from one another is quite complex.”
“Chapman came well-recommended, and these guys love this sort of historic project,” says Chair of the Trustees for The Sudbury Foundation, Rich Davison. “I am delighted they are restoring this gem of a building.”
The Sudbury Grange Hall is slated for completion in March 2007.
published 02.07.2007