A long-vacant historic building is now serving Lincoln University again after a full exterior and interior rehabilitation of Cresson Hall on the school’s 422-acre campus in Pennsylvania. Philadelphia-based Voith & Mactavish Architects, LLP, completed the renovation of the residence, which dates to 1856, converting it into a living-learning center for about 30 student scholars and a new Center for Public History.
Cresson Hall has gone through multiple eras of change, including an 1870 expansion that more than doubled its size, added a third story, and brought a mansard-roofed entrance. Its bell tower was extended in 1903. But by 2010, deferred maintenance had caught up with the building. The foundation was failing, masonry had deteriorated, windows were underperforming, and roof leaks had led to extensive interior damage. The hall sat vacant for more than a decade.
Lincoln University launched the rehabilitation in 2021 with the Pennsylvania Department of General Services. The first floor now houses the Center for Public History with offices, flexible workspaces, and a multipurpose gallery and presentation area for up to 80 people. The upper two floors provide housing for participants in the Cresson Scholars Focus Group.
For mason contractors, the scope reads like a familiar checklist on older institutional work: stabilize what is structurally failing, stop water intrusion, and only then move into finishes and reuse. When roof leaks and a distressed foundation are part of the story, masonry repairs are rarely isolated, and sequencing matters across trades and building systems.
The project also targeted energy performance while keeping the building’s historic character. Upgrades include historically accurate replacement windows, exterior-wall insulation, a new slate roof, and a high-performance mechanical system connected to a geothermal loop. The improvements are projected to cut energy use by 68 percent, exceeding comparable code requirements by more than 50 percent. The team also removed a 1950s stairwell addition to reconstruct the original bell tower and primary entry, and added new circulation elements like an elevator, two porches, and accessible connections to nearby campus destinations.
Read the full, original article from The Construction Specifier here.