Moravian Preservation Master Plan.indb - Society for College and ...

Moravian College • Preservation Master Plan
trim. The stonework on the Harvey Memorial
Library is darker and more regular in shape and
coursing than on Comenius Hall and Borhek
Memorial Chapel. Some of the stone used as trim
on the building, especially the Harvey Library
addition, is starting to deteriorate. Certain types
of sedimentary stone are delaminating, flaking
or entire chunks have fallen out. Some limestone
windowsills and masonry units in stringcourses
are cracking and have open joints.
Sections of wall on Comenius appear to have
been re-pointed at various times and occasions
with an inconsistent work quality and likely use
of incompatible mortars. Much of the re-pointing
on the body of the building consists of a raised,
squared mortar joint similar to re-pointing work
observed on other historic buildings on campus.
This needs to be researched to determine if it is
an appropriate mortar joint treatment specific to
the three separate construction events (1891, 1913,
1967) associated with Comenius Hall. Research
should also be conducted on the mortar formula,
color and tooling used to set the terra cotta tiles.
Mortar has fallen out of the joints on some sections
of stonework observed under cover of porch roofs.
Some areas of chronic dampness were noted,
including the basement level on the west façade
where biogrowth is occurring around the window
headers. Efflorescence, indicating salts leaching
from mortar exposed to runoff, is present above
the Comenius Hall and Harvey Memorial Library
porches.
This building also has more iron leaching from
stonework than most other historic stone buildings
on campus. Significant rusty staining has occurred
in most areas of the façade. Since the problem
may be larger than an issue of aesthetics, further
analysis must be conducted to determine the cause
and source. Factors to consider are the natural
iron inclusions in the stone used in the body of the
building, iron structural reinforcement that may
have been added to the building during renovations
over the years, and even the possibility that iron tie
rods might have been driven into the stonework to
anchor a trellis that may have been used when the
façade of the building was completely covered in
ivy.
include the historic oak doors and entranceways,
windows and window frames. The oak entrance
areas on the east side are in good condition, but
many historic window frames are deteriorated and
generally need painting and repair.
Other Features
Comenius Hall has some exterior metal features of
note. Original built-in gutters on the building have
projecting painted metal ends with rosettes. A large
lantern is suspended within the main entrance
portico and appears to be in good condition. There
is a historic copper-clad hood above the entrance to
Borhek Memorial Chapel.
Interior
The interior of Comenius Hall has been
substantially altered and has seen many changes in
use. Destruction of the upper floors of Comenius
during a 1913 fire resulted in major rebuilding of
the interior. Both this renovation and a later round
of renovations in the 1960s made the building
more fireproof. The later renovation changed the
historic circulation pattern within the building due
to removing the center stairs and installing modern
fireproof stairwells in new towers at each end.
Rooms within the building have been reconfigured
multiple times to accommodate different uses and
increase capacity. Dropped ceilings, fluorescent
lighting, and some wall-to-wall carpeting have
been installed. Still, considerable historic fabric,
including woodwork, flooring, windows and doors,
wainscoting, chalkboards, and closets, remains
intact.
The interior of Comenius has a central first-floor
entrance hall connecting to a longitudinal corridor,
which leads north to the chapel and south to the
Wood
Significant wood architectural details that require
attention and a preservation treatment approach
Figure 8-206. Comenius Hall, first floor main hall (JMA 2009).
John Milner Associates • October 2009 • Chapter 8 • Historic Buildings • 238