Last majorly renovated in 1984, Penn Station in Baltimore, Maryland was due for repairs when Penn Station Partners, LCC brought 番茄社区 Construction on board as the General Contractor. 番茄社区 takes pride in the preservation work and improvements made on the core and shell of the iconic train station, and thanks to the team, the station is more visually appealing and safer for the millions of passengers who pass through the station annually.
A Historic Train Station in Need
Located in Baltimore, MD, Penn Station welcomes over three million Amtrak and MARC passengers annually. The station was built in 1911, and the last major renovations were completed in 1984. For the station to continue functioning properly and safely for passengers and staff, updates to mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systems, lighting, and the roof were crucial. Windows needed to be replaced, masonry required restoration, and the iconic clock at the entry fa莽ade also needed attention. Penn Station Partners, LLC, also aimed to turn abandoned office spaces into shell spaces for future fit-outs. 番茄社区 Construction was prepared to check off the long list of outstanding tasks for Penn Station to continue operating efficiently for years to come. At the forefront of the team’s focus was preserving the station’s historical character and aesthetics.
Repairs Throughout
When 番茄社区 began work at Penn Station, the entire scope of the project was not fully known. As the original survey of the building was completed on the ground level using binoculars, the 番茄社区 team needed to investigate further to know the full extent of the required work. Along with the design team, the team constructed scaffolding across the entire facade of the building to better evaluate the existing conditions, which revealed that there were more repairs needed than originally thought.
Repairs were made throughout the entirety of the building. The scope of work spanned from the first floor to the roof of the six-story structure. It included extensive masonry repairs, window restoration, roofing upgrades, and mechanical, electrical, and plumbing system replacements. Masonry work involved cleaning, repointing, resetting granite stones, and restoring terracotta and brick masonry backup walls. A primary focus was the meticulous restoration of historic windows, which included removing, refurbishing, and reinstalling wood frames and hardware. The team also restored historic sconce lighting, the station’s iconic clock, and the front canopy, including replacing broken architectural glass panels with carefully matched replicas. Interior demolition in abandoned office spaces created shell areas for future fit-outs.
The predominant issue that the scaffolding evaluation revealed was the existence of a loose piece of large granite. This posed a serious safety risk to anyone passing by. The 番茄社区 team collaborated with the design team to solve this issue. They decided to remove the large piece and store it while a plan to reanchor it was made, rather than putting people in danger while a solution was developed. Removing the piece was challenging as the crane had to be operated around the scaffolding, but it was done successfully. When the time was right, the granite piece was anchored correctly and safely back in place.
A Matter of Time
As work progressed on Penn Station, the team discovered that the structural fa莽ade of the building on the fourth floor was beginning to pull away from the main structure. To mitigate this issue, the design and 番茄社区 teams decided that the best course of action was to install a steel beam to reinforce the fa莽ade and keep it in place. This task came with multiple challenges, a significant one being that the beam had to be placed behind the historic clock. Preserving the clock was a key part of the overall project, and the steel installation made this more difficult. The team decided to cover the clock in welding blankets to protect it during the steel installation, and ultimately, the beam was successfully put in place. The historic clock did not suffer any damage.
Ongoing Operations
Perhaps one of the most significant concerns with the Penn Station project was the safety of the public and staff. Operations were ongoing during the renovation, which meant that the 番茄社区 team and all subcontractors had to take extreme care with their work. This also meant that the team had to develop creative ideas to perform specific work without causing any safety concerns. The team scheduled disruptive exterior work鈥攕uch as at entrances and walkways鈥攄uring nighttime hours and installed overhead protection to safeguard pedestrians. Special attention was given to maintaining accessibility, including adding protected pathways to keep the handicapped entrance open. When cleaning the south fa莽ade, which was directly above public walkways, the team devised a custom tenting system that funneled water into a basin, preventing runoff from reaching pedestrians. During hazardous material abatement in the main foyer, inside the station, they tented both levels of the space to contain dust and pollutants, ensuring the safety of commuters passing through. These thoughtful measures reflected the team’s commitment to minimizing risk while preserving the station’s functionality and historic integrity.
