A major historic preservation job in Augusta, Maine, is entering its final phase as crews push toward a spring 2027 finish for the Stone Building, a former mental health institute made of granite quarried from the now-abandoned Hallowell Granite Works. The six connected structures total about 262,000 square feet in the state’s East Campus Historic District.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the building includes a two-story Greek Revival portico, Romanesque granite additions, and stained-glass wood windows set into a granite facade. After closing in 2004, the site suffered a partial roof collapse, exterior wall displacement, deteriorated slate and mortar joints, and widespread window failure that left the structure exposed to water infiltration. Project representatives also cited building envelope masonry damage tied to roof leaks and freeze-thaw cycles.
The State of Maine is funding the $20.4 million effort through state bonds. Gale Associates was brought in during 2021 to evaluate stabilization options and develop a preservation-based strategy for restoring the building enclosure. Benchmark Construction began work in 2022 with roof replacement and building envelope masonry repairs, including repairs to decorative copper flashing.
Window scope has been a major driver of sequencing. About 50 historic wood windows, including original stained-glass units, are being restored to meet modern energy codes. About 800 windows are slated for replacement. During the work, crews removed windows to access and repair deteriorated brick masonry backup walls around rough openings, while components selected for restoration were transported off-site for specialized repairs.
For mason contractors and restoration teams, the project highlights a few field realities: stopping water at the roofline and flashings before resetting or repointing damaged areas, tying window packages to repairs at masonry backups and openings, and documenting existing conditions in detail before selective demolition. On this job, the team used tools like drones, borescope cameras, binoculars, and selective destructive investigations to understand original materials and assemblies. Drone surveys also supported point cloud and 3D modeling to map deterioration, replicate historic components, and coordinate construction activity above sensitive underground brick masonry, arched, and cast-in-place concrete tunnel systems.
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