American Treasure: Valparaiso’s Grand Gardner Hotel Words: Cass SternPhotos: Tonn and Blank ConstructionA 125-year-old school building in Valparaiso, Indiana, is getting a second life, and much of the credit goes to the masonry that has been standing there since 1899.The Grand Gardner Hotel is an adaptive reuse project centered on the former Gardner School, a red brick and limestone building that served generations of Valparaiso students before closing as a school in 1972. The building later became home to the Boys & Girls Club. Today, instead of being cleared for redevelopment, the historic school has been restored and incorporated into a 58-room boutique hotel.For masons, that makes the project worth a closer look.The approximately $43 million development combines the original school with new construction while keeping the historic masonry as one of the property’s defining features. It is the kind of project that shows what masonry professionals see every day: when brick and stone are properly installed and maintained, they can remain useful long after a building’s original purpose has disappeared. Starting With What Was Already ThereThe Gardner School was built during an era when masonry carried much of a building’s architectural identity. Its exterior uses red brick with limestone accents, large masonry openings, and the heavy proportions associated with Romanesque design.More than a century of Indiana weather, however, leaves its mark.As part of the restoration, RestoreWorks Masonry Restoration worked under masonry subcontractor Adam’s Masonry to clean the historic brick and limestone. According to PROSOCO, the exterior had biological growth and carbon staining that needed to be removed without damaging the original masonry surfaces.The restoration team used PROSOCO ReVive and Restoration Cleaner as part of the cleaning work.That may sound like a straightforward part of the job, but experienced restoration masons know otherwise. Cleaning historic brick and stone is rarely about making a wall look brand new. In fact, trying to do that can create problems.Older brick faces can be damaged by overly aggressive cleaning, and stone details can react differently than surrounding brick. The goal is to remove harmful or unwanted deposits while leaving the character of the original material intact.On a building like Gardner School, that character is part of the finished product. Connecting Old Masonry With NewThe masonry work also had to fit into a much larger construction effort. New hotel wings were built around the historic school, creating roughly 67,000 square feet of space. Portions of the original building now contain hotel lobby and hospitality areas, while the additions provide guestrooms and other modern amenities.That old-meets-new condition is familiar territory for restoration contractors.Existing masonry does not always follow today’s dimensions, tolerances or construction practices. Conditions hidden behind walls may not match drawings or expectations. Brick, mortar and stone that have weathered together for decades also have to be treated as a system.That means repairs and alterations require judgment in the field. Replacement materials need to be compatible. Cleaning methods need to be tested. New construction has to meet the existing building without making the transition look forced.Construction manager Tonn and Blank has described the project as a combination of historic restoration, adaptive reuse and new construction. In addition to masonry restoration, the work included slate roof replacement, refurbishment of architectural elements and installation of modern mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems. A 125-Year Masonry TestThere is a practical lesson in the Grand Gardner project that goes beyond historic preservation.The original masons built a school. They could not have known that their work would eventually become the centerpiece of a boutique hotel more than a century later.Yet the masonry gave the development team something worth working with.For today’s mason contractors, restoration specialists and material suppliers, that may be the most important part of the story. Good masonry does not have to remain frozen in its original use to prove its value. It can be cleaned, repaired, adapted and incorporated into something entirely new.The Gardner School has already served Valparaiso for more than 125 years. Now, as the Grand Gardner Hotel, its brick and stone are being asked to do another job.And they are still on the wall. About: American Treasure
