Gienapp Architects provided architectural design services for repairs to the Winthrop House, a five-story multi-family residential building with 23 condominium units. The Winthrop House had been subject to ongoing water infiltration problems for decades that need to be remedied.
The building’s owners commissioned a thorough investigation of the cause of water infiltration with Moisture Protection Consultants. After the causes were determined, they turned to Gienapp Architects to design comprehensive repairs to the building envelope and determine other work needed to bring the building up to accessibility and energy code.
The core element of this project was the removal of the building’s brick veneer on all four elevations, to allow for the installation of waterproofing on the CMU wall beneath. Reinstallation involved the assembly of a functioning cavity wall with proper depth and flashing. This work was phased one elevation at a time, beginning with the sides facing the most severe water infiltrations first (the East and North), followed by those sides where the issues are less severe (the West and South) in order to minimize potential disruption to the Winthrop House residents.
Replacements included:
Corroded steel frame components
Existing balcony membrane roofs
All windows, sliding glass doors and greenhouse/atrium style glass walls
Existing deck and balcony guards (for code compliance)
Repairs included:
Many masonry lintels
Several wooden decks
Read more about the project in Condo Media magazine’s March issue here:
A Tight Budget Produces a Water-Tight Solution