NEWS | November 2, 2018

O. Henry Hall Receives Preservation Award

 

O. Henry Hall—built in 1881 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970—was Austin’s original federal courthouse and post office. In 2015, the Texas State University System purchased O. Henry Hall and embarked on a $4.7 million rehabilitation to repair years of deferred maintenance and alterations. During construction, large, loose fragments of limestone were reported at the roof cornice. WJE was hired as a consultant and conducted a comprehensive survey, which determined several conditions contributing to the distress of the cornice. The WJE project team designed repair documents and provided construction observation services to stabilize the cornice, and a new stainless steel cornice cap was added to provide long-term protection to the newly repaired cornice.

Preservation Austin recently recognized WJE and the rest of the project team—including the prime firm, Lawrence Group—with a 2018 Preservation Award for the rehabilitation work at O. Henry Hall.