After concluding a two-year renovation in September 2010, the Addison Gallery of American Art embarked on its final project with the restoration of the building’s sky-lighted rooftop on March 20, 2011. The project will involve constructing a new glass roof to cover the existing one to protect the historical 80-year-old, glass roof. According to Milos Jankovy, Field Representative for the Renovation Project one of the decisions to replace the roof was to improve circulation in the attic. “[Adding an extra roof] essentially creates space between the two layers of the roofs allowing for the circulation to be manipulated and the hot air to be vented out more easily,” said Jankovy. “Also, by keeping the roof on, we are not exposing building, thus allowing us to more securely conduct the whole rehabilitation of the roof.” Construction will span the course of the spring and summer seasons, ranging from March 20 to August 31. Brian Allen, Director of the Addison Gallery, said, “When the roof is finished, every infrastructure of the Addison will have been addressed in the renovations, from the roof to storage, wiring, air conditioning, security, piping, handicap access and bathrooms.” “All of these areas will have been completed and nobody will have to worry about the infrastructure of the Addison for the next thirty years,” he continued. Construction will also require a full scaffolding for the building and the creation of temporary road leading from the Addison Gallery to Main Street for vehicles to travel to and from the construction site. Allen said they realized the roof needed work during the gallery’s original renovations last summer. “When we were in the midst of construction last summer, we discovered that the roof was in bad shape. We then examined the roof very closely, pane-by-pane, and found that there was no alternative but to install a new roof one way or another,” said Allen. According to Muench, during the Gallery project varying temperatures, humidity and severe weather conditions with the roof became apparent. It was then decided that the entire roof would need treatment and began designing a new roof. The copper and caulking between each of the glass panes had deteriorated to the point where the roofs were leaking whenever it rained or snowed. “The roof’s leaking reached the point where we could no longer store or display art in the Addison Gallery safely,” he added. At the time, it was decided that permanent repairs to the roof could not be completed due to the lack of the funding, constructional designs and time. Temporary repairs were made to ensure the rooftop would not leak and plans were devised to make permanent restorations in the spring. Allen said, “By extending these restorations into the spring, we were able to re-open the Gallery and offer various exhibitions that we had committed to include in the Gallery.” Allen said the time also allowed them to put together a design team, develop a design plan to build the roofs and acquire the money that was needed to complete the construction. Steps have been made to preserve the “amazing and elegant design.” The new roof will protect the entire building and the current roof will no longer be exposed to the elements. The additional roof will emplpoy new technologies in glazing and caulking along with newer framing materials. The construction team for the Addison will include Robert Olson (Architect) Gordon H. Smith (Glass Consultant), John Moriarty (Contractor), and associates. Jankovy said, “I do not see any obstacles in the renovation ahead. The process was very well thought through. In fact, I believe that both the team and the contractor are very knowledgeable about the construction.” Throughout the construction project, all necessary precautions will be taken to protect the nearly 17,000 artistic objects belonging to the Addison Gallery of American Art. All artwork has already been shipped off-campus for storage. Larry Muench, Director of Facilities, said, “Artwork protection is paramount. The beauty of the overlay design of the Gallery is not open to the environment as it would be in a complete removal and replacement.”
