Heritage Preservation Work on Saint John, NB Landmark
Contributed by: Riley Ring-Dineen.
CenterBeam Place is a remarkable rehabilitation of a dozen 19th century buildings in Saint John, NB, encompassing the block bounded by King, Prince William, Canterbury, and Grannan Lane, constructed after the Great Saint John Fire of 1877.
FCC Construction has a long history with CenterBeam Place. Between 2003 and 2008, Commercial Properties Limited (CPL) and FCC took on the task of rebuilding and restoring this structure to its former 19th century glory.
This involved the unique challenge of combining all the individual structures into one complex, joined by an atrium and courtyard. This project was the first in Canadian heritage restoration to combine an entire block of tall and narrow 19th century commercial buildings. FCC Construction continues to maintain this historic building complex. Currently, FCC Construction is focusing on the repointing and repairs on the exterior of the Canterbury Street elevation. The first phase began on August 6th, 2024, and entailed repairing bricks and mortar in certain spots on the ground level, as well as some minor window touch repairs. Phase 2 began on August 26th, 2024. This phase involves doing additional masonry repair and repointing maintenance, due to minor deterioration in the 2nd and 3rd floor elevations.
Other work being completed includes repair of 16 windows on these floors. These windows are constructed of wood and require ongoing maintenance due to Saint John’s harsh coastal environment. During this process, the carpenters will inspect each individual piece of wood and remove deteriorated wood mullions, sills, glazing stops, and jambs. Once examined, they will remove all rotted or deteriorated wood and replace with new pieces of custom-milled wood to match the existing. Once the window repairs are completed, they are painted and caulked. FCC Construction takes pride in maintaining the beauty and structural integrity of this historic block and looks forward to continuing our collaboration with CPL in the future.
Read more in our Connections Fall 2024 Newsmagazine.
