MORRIS ARBORETUM/GRIST MILL
CLIENT
Morris Arboretum

LOCATION
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

STRUCTURE
The Springfield Grist Mill, located on the grounds of the Morris Arboretum, is the oldest surviving mill in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. The building, which dates back to 1854, also features an impressively preserved set f early 20th century works. The building is constructed of stone masonry walls and foundation and framing with timber members. Our involvement was initiated in 2003 and our design work still continues today.

CHALLENGE
We were retained by the University of Pennsylvania to document the existing conditions of the mill through measured drawings and photographs. Later, our involvement led to providing an existing conditions assessment and preparing construction documents for immediate structural stabilization. In the spring of 2009 we anticipate working with the preparation of construction documents to stabilize the remainder of the building.

SCOPE OF SERVICE
  • Measured and documented the building in order to prepare Historical Architectural Building Survey (HABS) drawings.
  • Provided comprehensive photographic archive of the building.
  • Provided emergency stabilization drawings.
  • Provided conditions assessment report and detailed all of the structural members within the machine pit.
  • Future work involves surveying and evaluating interior and exterior building components.
SOLUTION
  • Obtained the relative density of select structural members of the milling machinery with an apparatus called a “Resistorgraph” which measures the resistance of timber.
  • Prepared a comprehensive report describing issues and recommendations related to roof replacement, stabilizing the south wall, and stabilizing the area supporting the milling machinery.
  • Identified critical, secondary, non-critical and non-structural members; as they relate to the load path of the structural area supporting the milling machinery.
  • Provided construction documents and specifications related to emergency stabilization.
HISTORIC STATUS
The mill was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976 through efforts of a Springfield High School student’s senior project.