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Harb approves full masonry repointing and gentle cleaning for 129 East Main Street
Summary
The Norristown Historical Architectural Review Board granted a certificate of appropriateness for masonry repairs and gentle cleaning at 129 East Main Street, with conditions on mortar mix, matching materials and use of the mildest cleaning methods.
The Norristown Historical Architectural Review Board voted to recommend that municipal council issue a certificate of appropriateness for 129 East Main Street, approving full repointing and cleaning of the buildings brick facades with conditions on materials and methods. The boards approval came after presentation by the project architect and a brief discussion of cleaning methods and mortar type.
Architect Amy Beatty of ODE Partners told the board the work is focused on masonry maintenance and will include full repointing and cleaning. "This is a masonry maintenance focused project where we're calling for the 100% repointing of all facades and then the 100 cleaning," Beatty said. She added the design calls for replacement brick units only where necessary and for mortar and replacement materials to match the existing in color, profile and texture as closely as possible.
Board members pressed the team on cleaning methods after staff raised concern about acid cleaning and potential damage to older lime mortars. Beatty said the project will use "the mildest means possible" and confirmed the specification will be revised to remove any acid-based cleaning. The board conditioned approval on use of a lime-mix mortar that matches the existing material and on cleaning using the mildest means possible.
The board made a motion that municipal council issue a certificate of appropriateness with comments requiring 100% repointing using a lime-mix mortar matching existing material and a full gentle water wash using the mildest means possible. The motion passed on a roll call of members present; the board noted the application will go before municipal council (scheduled for Oct. 7) for final action.
The board and applicant also noted a preservation benefit: replacement materials should be visually indistinguishable from existing fabric except for normal weathering. The board recorded that specifications will be revised to explicitly prohibit acid cleaning and to clarify mortar composition.
The project team may proceed to municipal council review and then to bidding for contractors after council approval.
