BTGA Wins AIAri Merit Award for Historic Preservation

Rhode Island College Forman Center

AIA Rhode Island recently held it’s annual design awards in December 2023, where BTGA was given a Merit Award in Historic Preservation for the Sylvan R. Forman Center at Rhode Island College. Continue reading to learn more about this exterior restoration project.
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Project Principal: Nathaniel J. Ginsburg, AIA | Project Manager: Christine M. Shea, MBA, LEED

The Sylvan R. Forman Center is the oldest building on the Rhode Island College (RIC) campus, originally built as a home for George W. Chapin in 1875. It was later gifted to the O’Rourke Children’s Center, the oldest orphanage in Rhode Island, where it became the Superintendent’s house until the facility’s closure in 1979. Rhode Island College acquired the building in 1991 for administrative offices. In 1994 Helen Forman, an alumna of RIC and special education teacher, donated $250,000 to the College in her late husband’s name, Sylvan Forman, with the request that the Center be renamed in his honor. In 2004, Helen left $5.1M in her estate to the College, the largest single gift ever given by an individual to RIC.

After years of exterior degradation, RIC hired BTGA in 2017 to assess the exterior envelope and make recommendations to restore the facility. Work included new roofs, copper gutters, masonry repointing, door replacement, and extensive wood repairs. The rear patio was upgraded, and a bowing retaining wall added in the 90s was replaced. Care in matching the historic detailing of the building was a crucial aspect of the project. We worked closely with a historic color consultant to determine period-appropriate paint schemes and specific color locations on the complex trim detailing throughout the building.

Historic preservation is inherently sustainable, conserving energy and resources. Our team focused on design and construction techniques that remediated ongoing water infiltration issues to protect from future degradation. BTGA was regularly on site with the contractor and their subs to ensure every detail was done correctly, asking that they pay particular attention to detailing that included trowelling techniques for the masonry repointing to match the original design, installation of cast iron boots to protect exposed downspouts from ongoing damage, updating flashing details at windowsills to eliminate water infiltration, and installing woven roof shingles to be both historically accurate and protect from future leaks. We worked with the Rhode Island Historic Preservation and Heritage Commission to select historically appropriate mortar colors for both the main building and annex, to match the intentional variation of tans and reds seen on the existing stone exterior and chimney masonry. Flat roof areas were replaced with white roofing membranes and rigid insulation to both retain internal heating and cooling as well as reduce overall exterior heat absorption. Custom trim detailing was routed out of PVC in many areas where water naturally collected to reduce future rot.

Construction started in 2020, amidst the global pandemic. The Owner, Design Team, and Contractors worked carefully to adhere to CDC guidelines throughout the project, requiring additional site restrictions like mask-wearing, scheduling subcontractors to work separately, and holding meetings outdoors to keep appropriate social distancing. Delivery lead times began to increase rapidly due to material availability, requiring in-shop staining and hardware installation to meet the construction schedule. The particularly cold weather for the season also required the masonry contractor to artificially heat areas of the exterior façade overnight to maintain appropriate temperatures during the curing process.

This project successfully repaired 100% of the exterior façade, protecting it for many years to come. The College and HPHC are thrilled the Center has been restored to its former glory.