Sullivan Building exterior restoration expected to be finished in May

NEWARK – The exterior restoration of the historic Sullivan Building has taken longer than expected, but should be completed by the end of May, Licking County Foundation director Connie Hawk told Newark Rotary on Tuesday.

The $7.9 million project will return the downtown Newark corner of North Third and West Main streets to 1915, when famous architect Louis Sullivan's jewel box bank building opened to the public.

The interior should be completed in 2021 and Explore Licking County tourism bureau will move into the space in 2022.

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“Our goal with this building is to breathe life into it again," Explore Licking County director Dan Moder said. "My commitment to all of you is the building has been designed from day 1 to be a community space. This is something I believe strongly. People like Louis Sullivan wanted it to be that way. My office is your office.”

The building, originally the location of The Home Building Association, has also been home to a jewelry store, butcher shop and Tiffany's Ice Cream Parlor from 1974 to 2007. The building was donated to the foundation in 2013.

The exterior work, which began in May, will restore the facade, including the intricate terra cotta, art-glass windows and mosaics, and install new doors, lower-level windows, roof and facade illumination. The work outside the building was expected to finish in December.

“Infinite care is taken in restoring the building’s historic features like terra cotta, mosaics and murals. These elements were created by artisans and they must be restored by artisans," Hawk said.

The exterior restoration work included using 240 new pieces of terra cotta, which is a clay-based unglazed or glazed ceramic. After more than 100 years, the color of the terra cotta changed from its original look, and some pieces were cracked, broken or missing.

“We had hoped to wrap up this phase by the end of last year, but more time was spent to get the terra cotta just right," Hawk said. "The schedule has been extended to refine the color-matching process. Restoring this building to its original beauty is essential. Quality and accuracy are key.”

LOOKING BACK:Restoration begins on historic Sullivan Building in downtown Newark

Some terra cotta was removed and replaced, other pieces removed and reset, and some repaired in place, Hawk said.

Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, a global firm of engineers, architects and materials scientists based in Northbrook, Illinois, helped with the terra cotta restoration plan.

The restoration of the mosaics includes inserted new glass tiles, one tile at a time, to replace missing tiles, and secure any loose tiles. There were 66 tiles missing, as well as numerous holes and cracks repaired in other tiles, Hawk said.

“Some of the replacement glass was specifically created for this project," Hawk said. "The mosaic restoration is complete and it’s truly breathtaking.”

Conrad Schmitt Studios, of New Berlin, Wisconsin, performed the work on the mosaics and the art glass windows. The windows were removed and taken to the company's Wisconsin studios, and returned safely. The work included rebuilding the frames and filling holes in the irreplaceable glass.

The interior renovation, which will occur in 2021, also includes the adjacent annex building on West Main Street.

“The building’s banking hall will be fully restored, including murals, marble, mahogany, original space, lighting, check counters and wood benches," Hawk said. “It will re-create the original layout of the banking hall.”

There will also be meeting areas, a retail gift shop, exhibits, public restrooms, the Explore Licking County offices, elevator and stairs.

kmallett@newarkadvocate.com

740-328-8545

Twitter: @kmallett1958