St. Mark s Presbyterian Church

Transcription

1 St. Mark s Presbyterian Church Hawkins County, Tennessee Preservation Assessment and Recommendations

2 St. Mark s Presbyterian Church Hawkins County, Tennessee Historic Overview, Needs Assessment, and Recommendations Prepared for: The Hawkins County Board of Education Rogersville, Tennessee Prepared by: Amber Clawson, Graduate Research Assistant; Jessica Lauren White, Preservation Specialist; and Dr. Carroll Van West, Project Supervisor Winter Sponsored by the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area

3 Major Concerns Roof- Several holes are visible along the roof ridge and around the church s bell tower. These holes have allowed rainwater to leak into the interior of the building, causing water damage to the roofing system, acoustic ceiling tiles, and interior space below (e.g. pews and flooring). Note the apparent hole in the west side of the church s roof. There are several other leaks along the edge of the bell tower. The poor condition of the roof and its soffits is due to years of exposure to water and few repairs or maintenance efforts.

4 Note the severe water damage to the acoustic ceiling tiles and underlying roof materials caused by openings in the church s roof. This leak is located on the northwest side of the church in the rear sanctuary. Note the severe water damage to the acoustic ceiling tiles and underlying roof materials caused by flashing issues with the church s bell tower. This leak is located on the west entrance stairwell beneath the church s bell tower.

5 Fallen acoustic ceiling tiles and water damage to the pew in the rear sanctuary due to a leak in the church s roof. Water damage to a pew in the main sanctuary due to a leak in the church s roof.

6 Foundation Water Damage- St. Marks is situated in a gully with sloping embankments surrounding the east and south side of the building. These embankments have allowed rainwater to drain directly down hill onto the foundation of the church, causing severe moisture and stability issues. Water leakages from the above roof along with drainage problems from below work together to severely compromise the building s stability. Pictured here is the deep embankment on the east side of the church. Pictured here is the embankment on the south wall of the church. Note the water stains on brickwork.

7 Continuous exposure to moisture around the east and south side of the building has help to rot wood door surrounds and deteriorate the brick and mortar surface of the foundation. Note the water stains on the brickwork. It is evident that moisture is a continuous issue even on dry days. Continuous exposure to moisture around the east and south side of the building has help to deteriorate the brick and mortar surface of the foundation. Note the water stains on the brickwork. It is evident that moisture is a continuous issue even on dry days

8 Foundation and Wall Deterioration- As stated previously repeated contact with water run-off has caused severe damage to the existing building. Repeated exposure of the foundation walls to water has caused the brick walls to buckle and the frame walls to bow outward. Standing water has caused the ground around to soften. This in turn has caused the foundation to buckle in some areas. As seen in these four pictures some of the bricks have pulled apart causing significant cracking in the above walls.

9 Weakening of the foundation walls has caused the second story frame portion of the building to bow and warp. This outward bowing can be see predominately on the east and west walls of the church.

10 An interior view of the west wall bowing. Pictured here is the west side stairwell. Note that the stairs slope dramatically to the left.

11 Flooring System- For the most part the flooring system for the church remains intact. The flooring on the first floor of the east side of the building, however, after sustaining years of water damage, has suffered significant deterioration. Repeated contact with water has rotted the underlying joists, subflooring, and flooring. In several areas the flooring has rotted completely through leaving behind openings for pest infiltration. A small hallway running along the first floor of the east side of the building features the most significant damage to the flooring system. Pictured here is a large gapping hole that runs through the flooring and subflooring. The flooring in this section of the house has also begun to sag significantly.

12 Pest Infiltration and Hazardous Environment- St. Marks Presbyterian Church has been vacant since Since that time pests (e.g. birds, rodents and other small animals, and insects) have broken in to the church. These pests have not only caused physical damage to the building, but have also created a biohazard through the accumulation of fecal matter. **All future work in the church should be done while wearing gloves and masks. Pictured here is just one of many access points used my pest to enter the church. An accumulation of guano is a major concern of this building it not only provides a hazardous environment but also further degrades artifacts and the interior of the church.

13 Minor Concerns: 1. Missing stained glass windows 2. Damaged pews 3. Damaged stained glass windows 4. Damaged/fallen acoustical ceiling tiles. Immediate Solutions: 1. Roof Place tarpaulins over holes in the roof to prevent further water damage to the interior of the space. 2. Foundation Water Damage Reroute water run-off by digging a trench approximately four feet away from the foundation walls. Insert a PVC or some other type of impermeable channel in the trench to catch water and redirect it to the street. This will have to be cleaned periodically to prevent debris build up. 3. Pest Infiltration and Hazardous Environment Cover and secure all openings in the building to prevent further pest infiltration and damage to the building. Clean all debris, dust, and guano from building surfaces. Remove old carpet and other soft surfaces that are not easily cleaned. Workers must wear gloves, jumpsuits, and masks when cleaning this space. Long-term Solutions: ** Most of the concerns that threaten the stability of the church will be costly to repair, but it is essential that these repairs be completed to ensure the preservation of this significant site. 1. Consult a structural engineer/architect on the proper system needed to prevent further bowing or eventual collapse of the exterior walls. A buttress system may have to be used rather than a turn buckle system to add support along the entire height of the walls and not just along the bottom. 2. A new roof should be put on the building as soon as possible. This will prevent further interior water damage.

14 3. A permanent concrete gutter system should be added to the east and south side of the church to redirect water away from the foundation. Pictured above is an example of the type of trench system that should be installed at St. Mark s to prevent further water damage to the building s foundation. 4. Due to the exterior moisture damage the joist system, subflooring, and flooring system on the first floor of the east side of the building to rot through. These elements will likely have to be replaced. The flooring system should not be fixed until the gutter system has been installed to redirect outside water.