ROCKINGHAM, Vt. – The Rockingham Meeting House, a historic landmark located along Route 103 just north of Bellows Falls, and the oldest public building in Vermont, needs extensive structural and historical repairs, including an assessment of the structure’s original foundation, which could ultimately cost an estimated $1.4 million.
In June of 2022, the Town of Rockingham issued aequest for proposal (RFP) for the development of a Historic Structures Report for the meeting house. A historic preservation consultant in Putney, Lyssa Papazian, accepted the RFP and put together an experienced team that she has worked with on other projects, including preservation architect Laz Scangas, and preservation engineer Bob Neeld.
“We were selected after interviews last August, although we actually had started work before that with a building scan in order to stay on schedule with follow up,” Papazian stated in a late-February interview. “The team has continued to work on the project, with several site visits in order to conduct investigation, analysis, and documentation.”
A game plan is currently being developed by the town for the restoration project, and based on a review of past work, it was recommended that the instability of the foundation is the most pressing problem to address.
“Test pits and scanning of the building showed that drainage in the very fine soils below and around the building have created an especially vulnerable condition to frost heaving – which has continued over much of the building’s history,” Papazian said. “The reopening of previously repaired cracks, and the deflection in the woodwork despite past surface drainage work and sill-replacement, indicates that there is still an underlying problem.
“Our recommendation is that this issue should be addressed first to stabilize the structure for the long term, so that all other repair and restoration work done moving forward will not be at risk from continued movement.”
The total cost estimates are still preliminary, with more research and meetings with town and code officials currently in the works in order to refine and complete the plan. The initial draft estimate numbers were offered in the “draft conditions assessment and cost estimate.”
A number of items were listed in the report, including the aforementioned foundation work, restoration of all the windows, repair and replacement of siding and exterior trim, roof repairs and exterior painting, interior plaster and woodworking restoration, and code-compliant interior access and required emergency and exit lighting and signage.
“The draft assessment and cost estimate was presented and the team is meeting with code officials, historic preservation state officials, and the town to talk through different options for both meeting code and protecting the historic character of the building. Additionally, the cost estimate does not include structural reinforcement of first floor framing.”