Building: Bowman Hall – University of Wisconsin, Stout
Location: Menomonie, Wisconsin
Type: Historical/Educational
Project Description:
- Lime putty mortar repointing
- Brownstone repair & replacement
- Copper roof replacement
- Historic window replacement
- Historic sheet metal repair
- Replication of historic facade elements
Completed: June 2020
Architect: Mead & Hunt
Award: ABC Eagle & Innovation Award
Awarded by: Association of Builders and Contractors – Minnesota and North Dakota
Category: Historic Renovation
A building that exemplifies what it means to be historic, Bowman Hall is perhaps best known for its 165-foot tall bell tower that rises over downtown Menomonie, Wisconsin, from its position at the heart of the UW-Stout Campus. The building was first raised in 1898, and is the University’s second oldest. It earned its spot on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.
Our skilled masons replaced around 20,000 custom, hand molded face brick. Included in the brick replacement were 21 ornate brick shapes that had to be perfectly replicated to match the original brick. Our crew re-pointed nearly 30,000 square feet of wall area using period correct historic mortars, including lime putty. They also replaced or repaired almost 1,000 cubic feet of brownstone on the body of the building and the bell tower.
Our sheet metal team took every aspect of the copper tower roof and weather-vane assembly and dissected, analyzed, redesigned, and upgraded it from the original. They also managed to salvage and repair most of the original copper ornamental components from the weather-vane that were then reinstalled as part of the final assembly.
BRC recognizes the excellent work of its Project Manager Mark Bailey and the hard work of his crew.
