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The Connecticut General Assembly is seeking contractors to provide historic building restoration services for the cupola at Connecticut’s Old State House in Hartford
The bid deadline is Dec. 28. A non-mandatory pre-bid meeting and walk-through will be held Dec. 6.
The project calls for the wood, metal and masonry surfaces of the historic cupola to be cleaned and stripped using alkaline paste, solvent paste, biodegradable, or metal paint removers. The surfaces will then be coated with an alkyd primer and an acrylic-latex finish coat.
Historic Roots
Connecticut’s Old State House was completed in 1796 and is thought to be the first public building designed by noted American architect Charles Bulfinch.
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Connecticut's Old State House |
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The original building, rumored to be haunted, dates to 1796. The cupola, bell and statue of Justice were added in 1827.
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Though little definitive evidence still exists that Bulfinch was the designer, there are references to his involvement in letters written during the time, and his trademark projections and arches are present in the design of the building.
According to the website for the Old State House, the exterior building and the Senate chamber have been restored to their original Federal style, while the Representatives' chamber is Victorian and the halls and courtroom remain in the Colonial Revival style.
The cupola, bell and John Stanwood's statue of Justice were built in 1827.
Curiosities and Hauntings
The Old State House is home to The Museum of Natural and Other Curiosities, which features a replica of Joseph Steward's original 1798 collection of natural history displays and curiosities.
Many staff members who work in the Old State House have reported paranormal activity. In 2009, the building was investigated by the Atlantic Paranormal Society and featured on an episode of Ghost Hunters, according to Wikipedia. The society concluded that it had captured unexplained audio recordings, in the Senate chamber and the museum, of a doorknob being turned and a woman sighing, both while no one was actually in the room.
Reported by Paint BidTracker, a construction reporting service devoted to identifying contracting opportunities for the coatings community.
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