Fort Piqua Hotel - Downtown Piqua

Each floor has received a topping of light-weight concrete to level off the old surface and to structurally tie together the entire floor system of columns, beams and joists. The final surface can be attached directly to the light-weight concrete. Most of the floors in the building will be either carpet or floor tile, depending on the space. All of these floor coverings will enhance the historical authenticity of the building.

Sheet metal studs have been placed in many areas throughout each floor of the building. Drywall is now being installed. This is one of the biggest tasks of the job. When the project is complete it will have 1.4 acres of new drywall (61,000 sf). The building will also have 35,000 square feet of plaster topping over existing walls, as well as 22,000 square feet of ceiling tile.

On the second floor new LVL floor joists have been installed in what previously was a "light well" providing light and ventilation to hotel rooms that did not have exterior wall exposure. Modern artificial light and ventilation eliminates the need for light wells and the project will benefit from an additional 700 square feet of usable space on floors two, three and four.

The floor of the old kitchen on the fourth floor was found to be totally unsalvageable, and that floor has been completely rebuilt in July.

Work is nearing completion on upgrading all of the structural steel throughout the building. When that work is complete, the contractor will tear off the existing roof and rebuild a new roof system. Completion of the roof will turn the construction crews loose to begin the actual restoration of the interior, giving the building a new look very similar to its appearance in 1891. Tuttle Construction Project Manager Mike Baxter said, "At that point the project transitions from a demolition and structural engineering project to full-blown historic architectural construction."

GM Mechanical has begun placing new piping in the ground floor. Carey Electric has begun channeling to provide a means for the new electric service wires and junction boxes.

Tuttle Construction has built a new stair tower in the northwest corner of the building and has also completed the majority of the new structural system in the basement, where 22" thick walls have been replaced with a new structural steel support system. Work will soon commence on the roof replacement and then the actual construction to restore the old building will begin.

Much of the progress in the past month has consisted of removal of additional interior wall. The demolition crews started on the ground floor and they are now up to the fourth floor. Because of the demolition taking place, visitors to the building can view ballroom walls and ceiling that have not been seen since 1928. It was then that the building owners decided to turn one large room into many small hotel rooms instead.

The exterior of the building has also undergone major changes in the past month. Window frames have been scrapped and primed, and many have been painted. Furthermore, Trisco Systems, the exterior restoration contractor, is also on site and has begun the clean up and tuck-pointing of the stone outer walls.

Installation of safety railing throughout the building

Removal of all windows - old glazing is scraped off, the old window panes will be replaced and finally the windows will be refinished and reinstalled

Stripping the exterior window frames using a "fan-shaped" nozzle water sprayer so that the old paint is removed but the old wood is not damaged

Temporary shoring to bolster floors that need additional support during construction

Permanent Structural bolstering of the first and second floors - placement of specially engineered LVLs (Laminated Veneer Lumber) floor joists between the existing floor joists so that the structural system will support book stacks

Extensive interior demolition - virtually all of the walls and ceilings on the first and second floors that are to be removed are now gone

Removal of all interior trim, doors and base board - all will be taken off-site, refinished and replaced

Completion of asbestos removal - most of the asbestos have been on the ground floor

Install new lintels and cut openings in interior walls on the ground floor to create wide open space for development

Placement of new structural foundations in the ground floor by digging into the foundation and pouring concrete footers

Removal of all 5 floors of the old wooden stair tower in the northwest corner of the building

Removal of the old steel fire escape on the back of the building

Repair the major hole in the floor in the foyer on the main floor

Though the heavy snows and frigid temperatures delayed work temporarily, there has been major progress on the hotel during this reporting period.

For the first three months work is primarily confined to demolition by Tuttle Construction and also asbestos removal by LVI Environmental Services. LVI crews suit-up each morning in personal protective clothing with respirators and enter the containment area. The asbestos is removed, bagged and disposed of according to EPA regulations.

Because of the historical restorative nature of the work, much of the demolition involves removing materials that are to be refinished and replaced. Tuttle crews are removing the wooden trim work and interior doors so that they may be refinished and ultimately reinstalled. The twelve-foot, 600 pound mirrors on the first and second floor lobbies have also been temporarily detached and stored so that they can be refinished and eventually replaced as well.

Contractors have also begun installation of the temporary water and electrical services.