MK Case Study - Schmucker Hall

CASE STUDY
Schmucker Hall Restoration, Gettysburg, PA
The Challenge
Morgan-Keller received the honor of transforming
Schmucker Hall, located on the campus of the
Lutheran Theological Seminary, into a modern
LEED Certified museum that would depict the role
that the building played during the Civil War era.
Constructed in 1832, Schmucker Hall initially
served as a dormitory, administration offices, and
classrooms for the oldest Lutheran Seminary in
the United States. The first engagement of the
Battle of Gettysburg was fought on Seminary
Ridge in and around Schmucker Hall, which was
commandeered by both armies as a hospital that
treated thousands of Civil War casualties and
where a few precious artifacts were left behind.
The goal of the project was to update the four-story,
20,000 SF building to meet modern accessibility
standards; repair structural deficiencies; and install
modern mechanical, electrical, and plumbing
systems, while maintaining the historic integrity of
the building.
"Founded in 1826, the Lutheran Theological Seminary
at Gettysburg has had the opportunity to work with
many construction companies over the span of its years,
but no team has worked more effectively, carefully and
smoothly than this general contractor.”
John R. Spangler
Executive Assistant to the President, Lutheran Theological
Seminary at Gettysburg
President, Seminary Ridge Historic Preservation Foundation
The Solution
Morgan-Keller worked collaboratively with two joint venture partners - The Lutheran Theological Seminary
at Gettysburg and the Adams County Historical Society to make the vision of the Seminary Ridge
Museum a reality. Below we have outlined the enhancements that Morgan-Keller made to the building in
order to accomplish the goals of the project:
A new elevator was installed to provide floor-to-floor access and two new ADA accessible restrooms were
installed in the lower level.
New structural openings were cut into the walls to open the floor plan for the museum and the building
entrances/porches were renovated.
The original windows and plaster walls were inspected. At the windows, only rotten wood was removed
and replaced. New storm windows were installed on the interior of the windows to reduce air infiltration.
© Copyright 2014 Morgan-Keller Inc.
At the walls, the plaster was inspected and repaired as necessary to maintain as much of the original
finishes of the building as possible. New drywall ceilings were installed throughout the building and the
existing wood floors were repaired using salvaged flooring from the demolition and painted.
During the roof inspection, Morgan-Keller identified critical support beams that were failing and required
replacement. As the interior of the attic remained exposed and accessible by the public, the beams had
to match the original roof joists and be installed using the same methods. Morgan-Keller installed heavy
timber pieces 4 ½” thick, 13” tall, and 32 to 36 feet long, weighing approximately 900 pounds each. The
beams were installed using mortise and tendon connections, which is not a typical nail or bolt connection
like today’s construction methods. Wood pins were driven through both wood members to hold them
together.
A new geothermal HVAC system was installed, which included 40 new wells drilled in the site with 18
pumps concealed within framed cabinets in the attic and new ductwork concealed above the ceilings.
The existing 5’4” basement was excavated by hand in order to lower the floor to provide the required
space for the new mechanical equipment.
To service the new sprinkler system, a fire pump was installed underground in a vault outside of the
building.
The original building wiring was completely replaced with modern power, data, and lighting.
The Result
This sensitive historic restoration was handled in such a way that the project was completed on time and
on budget, in a tightly scheduled time frame, allowing the museum to open on schedule for the 150th
Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg on July 1, 2013.
The new Gettysburg Seminary Ridge Museum depicts the moral, civic, and spiritual debates of the Civil
War era; the first day of the Battle of Gettysburg fought at Seminary Ridge; and the care of the wounded
and human suffering that took place within Schmucker Hall during its use as a field hospital.
Barbara Franco, Founding Executive Director of the Seminary Ridge Museum, had this to say about
Morgan-Keller: “Morgan-Keller’s professionalism and high quality work deserves national recognition as a
model project. The thousands of visitors who have already visited the museum voice their appreciation
for the building’s new life as a museum.”
Below is an article about this project that was published in Construction Executive, ABC’s National
Publication.
© Copyright 2014 Morgan-Keller Inc.
TOM LESSER PHOTOGRAPHY (2)
Historic Craftsmanship
Meets Modern Efficiency
In Gettysburg
When Dwight Pryor was married in the chapel of the historic
Lutheran Theological Seminary in Gettysburg, Pa., in 1993, he
never imagined he would return to the school 18 years later to
lead an expert restoration of its oldest, most revered building.
Built in 1831 for $10,500, Schmucker Hall initially housed
all of the seminary’s functions, and later served as a student
dormitory. The first engagement of the Battle of Gettysburg
was fought on Seminary Ridge in and around Schmucker Hall,
which was commandeered by both armies as a hospital that
treated thousands of Civil War casualties and where a few
precious artifacts were left behind.
After 20th century safety laws prevented the four-story
building from continuing to be used as a dormitory,
Schmucker Hall stood vacant for years until the local
Schmucker Hall was originally constructed in 1832 for $10,500.
historical society began renting part of it out. Although
the 180-year-old landmark aged gracefully, deferred
containing the penciled-in names of young seminarians. These and
maintenance began to take its toll.
a number of other artifacts will be on display when the new SemiAfter several years of planning, the seminary lined up $5.8 milnary Ridge Museum opens July 1—150 years after the beginning of
lion in project financing from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,
the three-day Battle of Gettysburg.
the Adams County Historical Society, tradable tax credits, and
Surprisingly, Schmucker Hall was built so well the first time that
many corporate, individual and in-kind donations to transform the
very little corrective construction was necessary. Instead, Morganstructure into a Civil War-era museum. Morgan-Keller Construction,
Keller focused on updating the building while disturbing as little of
Frederick, Md., was brought on board in 2011 to restore the federalthe original structure as possible. With the restoration substantially
style hall, with Pryor appointed senior project superintendent.
completed last October, the attic looks much like it did in the 1830s
Immediately, Pryor’s crew and several specialty subcontractors
until under-eave panels are opened to reveal the heat pumps,
ran into ancient knob-and-tube wiring, unsafe flooring, a sagging
blowers, circuit breaker boxes, valves and wireless gear that bring
stone foundation, a plethora of skewed window frames and doors,
today’s building alive.
and countless areas that needed to be brought up to modern safety
The building also features ventilation ducting above unobtruand accessibility codes. In addition, historic artifacts began to
sively dropped hall ceilings; modern plumbing, lighting and sewage
appear as walls were opened and ceilings were dropped to accomsystems; disguised sprinkler heads; a new four-story elevator that
modate modern ventilation. Relics included an 1832 shoe left by
did not disturb the original floor plan; and glass storm panels coverone of the original German carpenters following his native custom
ing many of the windows that had slouched into parallelograms and
to ward off bad luck for the building; a packet of letters from a father
trapezoids over nearly two centuries.
to his hospitalized son during the Civil War; and an old wardrobe
The most striking marriage of faithfully rejuvenated craftsmanship
to undetectable modern efficiency is the building’s
geothermal heating and cooling system, which
A state-of-the-art
involves dozens of 450-foot pipes buried in the
geothermal heating and
yard. The system provides the 18,000-square-foot
cooling system is buried
in the surrounding yard.
Schmucker Hall’s heat and air conditioning with
minimal operating and maintenance costs.
“Morgan-Keller provided excellent workmanship,
with no white-knuckle moments,” says Rev. John
Spangler, who oversaw the restoration for Lutheran
Theological Seminary.
Other ABC members that contributed to this
project include: CB Flooring, LLC, Harrisburg, Pa.;
Hayles & Howe, Inc., Baltimore; Heidler Roofing,
York, Pa.; Hostetter Supply Co., Seven Valleys, Pa.;
J.C. Snavely & Sons, Inc., Lancaster, Pa.; and Neal
Enterprises, Manheim, Pa.
Adapted from an article by Peter H. Michael—
president of Michael Strategic Analysis, Adamstown, Md.; author of Remembering John Hanson
and Palace of Yawns; and a frequent contributor
to newspapers, magazines and journals. For more
information, visit www.mcgmcg.com.
© Copyright 2014
May Morgan-Keller
2013 ConstructionInc.
EXECUTIVE
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