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Historic Entrance Stairs: Construction

Historic Entrance Stairs - 2.0

Historic Stairs header

Library Director

Contact:

345 Main Street
North Andover, MA
01845

978-688-9505

Granite Pavers Set

The patio area evenly paved with stones over the concrete.

Concrete Base for Granite Pavers

Concrete poured to fill the patio area defined by the curb-stones and stairs

Granite Curb Set

Granite curb-stones set into the ground, marking the edges of the flat patio around the stairs

Granite Capstones on Walls

Granite cap-stones placed on top of the metal flashing

Flashing on Walls

Metal flashing applied to the top of the new half-walls

Stairs Laid Out

Stone stair-treads laid out on the ground

Stair in Motion

Backhoe lifting a stone stair-tread

Level each step

The new stone treads in place, with a plumb-bob on one to check that it's level

8 Steps in Place

The new steps after leveling, still with a jumble of tools around them and dirt and rocks in front of them.

First Steps

Some of the front steps have been placed. A worker is standing on the lower steps to work on the upper ones.

Brickwork

Brick being laid as the outer layer of the side walls. The brick is about halfway up so far.

Side Walls Fill

The concrete center of the side walls that will provide seating under a shady tree

Stair Forms

Rigid forms that will guide stair placement

Rebar

New rebar grid being installed to support the future stairs

Fill for Stairs

The space where the restored stairs will go: a worker is tamping down the ground to make a solid foundation

Allowing for Back Wall Drainage

The hollow interior of one concrete wall, showing the drain that will lead water away from the building

New Walls

View of the newly-hardened walls on each side of the central stair

One Wall Filled

The wooden forms for one half-wall, with the just-poured cement visible through the top

Managing the Pour

the newly poured concrete, still in its wooden forms, with workers climbing on top

Walls Poured

View of the big concrete pourer truck, on a cloudy day

Library Inside a Form

Brick library wall, viewed across the wooden forms for the concrete

Stair Wall Forms

Wooden forms create the shape into which cement will be poured

Stairs Footings

wood frames for the cement stair footings

Foundations Start

Concrete truck and long structural pieces

Waterproofing

Painting the wall with Waterproofing compound

Repointing Completed

View of historic entrance, repointing completed

Re-pointing facade

Brick facade, closer view

Re-Pointing Facade

Working on the bricks just below the roof

Lamp Posts Waiting to Return

sections of lamp-post lying on the lawn

Steps Waiting to Return

stair-pieces piled on lawn

New Drain, part 4

new drain installed and capped off

New Drain, part 3

close-up of new drain pipe

New Drain, part 2

location for new drain

New Drain, part 1

Excavated area with connecting drain-pipe

Ground Work Continues

almost all excavated

Beginning Ground Work

excavating in front of library

New Walls

Re-surfacing the interior wall

Filling Windows

filled-in window, from inside the building

Adding Walls

the old below-ground door and windows have been filled in

Under Weather

plastic tarps to protect from snow

Undercover Work

work space under the tarps

Old Drains Removed

old drains removed

Checking progress

Careful handwork next to building

Arch vaults away

Side stairs away

Side staircase wall removed

Stairs gone

Stairs coming away

Stairs coming away

Stairs carefully numbered

Stairs carefully numbered

Doors & windows protected

Doors and windows protected

Temporary entrance

Temporary entrance

Construction zone

Project plaque

New railings

Half-walls restored for new seating

Half-walls restored for new seating

Stairs Restored