| EASTERN STATE PENITENTIARY - WALL INSPECTION | |
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CLIENT
Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site LOCATION Philadelphia, Pennsylvania STRUCTURE Opened in 1829 as part of a controversial movement to change the behavior of inmates through "confinement in solitude with labor," the massive stone structure became one of the most expensive and most copied buildings in America. More than 300 prisons worldwide are based on the Penitentiary's radial or “wagon-wheel” floor plan. CHALLENGE The inspection request came as the result of an initial, primary concern related to the interior of the east wall. Located approximately 3’-0” below the coping, the stones were detaching from the wall and falling down onto the grassy area below. Due to the unknown cause of the stone failure, and the overall condition of all of the walls, a full inspection was determined to be necessary. SCOPE OF SERVICE • Evaluate the site walls for problematic conditions. • Evaluate the repair needs and budgetary constraints with the client in order to prioritize the work. • Prepare constructino estimates for potential repair costs of all walls. HISTORIC STATUS Eastern State Penitentiary is a National Historic Landmark and is under consideration for a World Heritage Site nomination. |