Sienna Antiques / Lind Building Restoration
Petaluma, California
The City of Petaluma retained MAD architecture for the downtown façade restoration loan program for multiple buildings to help revitalize the historic downtown. The first project was the restoration of a 1887 building front that had been remodeled in 1950 for JC Penney. The 1950 façade installation included demolishing a majority of the exterior details and attaching a wood framed plaster wall with no window openings. All historic features had been removed and over time, and water infiltration was damaging the building. The most impressive feature of the original façade was the large cornice, which had been completely removed. Using historic photographs, site observation, and computer animation, MAD’s forensic team including Nancy Stolz, historical architect, put together the past and prepared a preliminary proposal for a public hearing. The approval by the historic design review board allowed demolition to occur prior to a building permit. The wall had to come down in order to prepare the detailed documents that would guide the builder and artisans restoration work. Hinds Bros Company Inc. did an excellent job with prefabrication and on site replication. For the color selection of the restored façade, the challenge to be in harmony with the townscape without being bland was met with a deep olive green field, marigold highlights and sky blue under the cornice. The project won an historic award from the Heritage Homes of Petaluma and received a lot of press in the town and county-wide newspapers.
The exterior has been restored. The interior has been adapted for public use employing recycled blue jeans for wall insulation, Zero VOC paint and low VOC stains on all interior surfaces and re-use of the interior redwood for base boards. The historic concrete floor and roof trusses have been preserved.
What’s Green: The repair of the operable windows now allows fresh air and passive ventilation which save cooling energy. According to the Secretary of INteriors Standards for Rehabilitation, "Identifying, retaining, and preserving storefronts--and their functional and decorative features--that are important in defining the overall historic character of the building" is recommended. This owner chose to restore and repair a historic treasure rather than maintain the 1950's facade allowing water infiltration to create a costly problem such as mold and decay. According the the National Trust for historic preservation: “The conservation and improvement of our existing built resources, including re-use of historic and older buildings, greening the existing building stock, and reinvestment in older and historic communities, is crucial to combatting climate change.”–www.preservationnation.org.