Building Rehabilitation Plan: Farm Machinery/Hotle/Hi-Way Hatchery

The Franks Design Group, P. C.; Franks, Peter; Lathrum, Kenneth; Kenneth D. Lathrum & Associates, PC

"The Franks Design Group was selected by the City of Manning, Historic Preservation Commission, to prepare a Building Rehabilitation Plan for the existing building known as The Schmidt Building, 507 Main Street in Manning, Iowa. For the purposes of this report, we will refer to the building as the "Farm Machinery/Hotel/Hi-Way Hatchery" building. This is the historic name included in the Site Inventory Forms and the Historic District Record." From the Executive Summary: "In studying previous visit information and other documentation related to the Farm Machinery/Hotel/Hi-Way Hatchery building, we knew the building has technical issues and overall condition concerns from under-utilization. The buckling and diagonal cracking at the front (east) elevation has been a concern for as long as we have been aware of the building -- nearly 10 years. As we looked further at the building and incorporated the observations and recommendations of the structural assessment, the magnitude of required repairs grew. We are accustomed to seeing water infiltration and deferred maintenance amplify one another in existing buildings with a history of vacancy and under-utilization. Unfortunately, in this case, the moisture-related deterioration warrants some very extensive first steps. The most urgent task required is reconstruction of the rear (west) wall. Without a functioning gutter, the years of saturation and freeze-thaw damage at the existing west wall appear to have damaged it beyond repair. Even where the brick and backup tile look more intact, it is probable that the freeze-thaw action has compromised the physical integrity of the existing materials. It is recommended that this wall be a fully new reinforced concrete block wall with face brick on a new foundation. The west wall repairs will require that a new roof and appropriate gutter and downspout at the west edge can be installed. Unfortunately, the poor condition of the main low roof has also allowed long-term moisture infiltration into the wood-framed roof structure at this area. It appears the steel roof structure was introduced in the building, many decades ago, to reinforce the wood framed roof structure. Based on observations made, the entirety of the wood-framed roof structure is compromised by leaks and moisture related deterioration. It is recommended that the entire roof structure be removed and replaced with new wood joists and structural plywood decking. This would, of course, have to be done in conjunction with a roofing project that would incorporate thermal insulation and a new membrane roofing system. The main level floor was, at some point, modified with a concrete topping poured over the original wood flooring and floor structure. There were added timber columns introduced under the basement/lower level beams, presumably to assist with the substantial added weight of this concrete slab. With the concrete, the loads exceed the capacity of the structural system--a problem compounded by many timber columns showing rot and low physical integrity. It is recommended that the concrete topping at the main level be removed and new structural plywood be installed to re-establish integrity to the floor structure and to tie it back to the masonry walls. The south and east walls are in comparatively better condition. The south wall has eroded mortar and damage at the parapet areas, however this is very typical of masonry at approximately 100 years of age and exposure to the elements. The front (east) wall has repairs needed where cracking is seen, however outward buckling appears to have been largely addressed in an earlier repair (date unknown) and does not appear to have moved since. Like the south wall, the east wall required repair and pointing, with special attention at the parapet area. Whatever new uses are ultimately anticipated for the Farm Machinery/Hotel/Hi-Way Hatchery building, assuming there is a residential component at the upper level, the full building will require the introduction of fire sprinklering and code-compliant alarm and detection system. The building will be regarded as "Change of Occupancy" so fully new mechanical/electrical/plumbing systems throughout are necessary." Project funding was provided in part by a Historic Preservation Fund grant to the State Historical Society of Iowa, administered by the State, Tribal, Local Plans and Grants division, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior (grant number P20AF00020).

Building Rehabilitation Plan: Farm Machinery/Hotle/Hi-Way Hatchery

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