GSR Andrade is honored to announce that one of our historic restoration projects is being recognized by Preservation Dallas. Hamilton Park Pavilion will be presented with an award at the 18th Annual Preservation Achievement Awards to be held on May 31st.
HISTORY
Hamilton Parkwas one of North Dallas’ early parks, an 18.7-acre community park established in 1956 on land given to the city by the Citizens Interracial Association, a nonprofit dedicated to fulfilling the housing needs of black Dallas residents before they were protected by law from housing discrimination. The pavilion, constructed in 1965 during Mayor Erik Jonsson’s administration, was the exception to the city’s 1960’s-era standardized concrete “T” beam pavilion design. Original architect Jack Corgan & Associates of Dallas utilized the same durable concrete material of the prototypical pavilion, but crafted the material into an elegant cantilever roof structure, using the reinforced thin shell concrete structure technology that had gained popularity in the 1960’s. This is the last and only remaining Dallas park pavilion of this style.
CHALLENGES
The Hamilton Park Pavilion had been a regular target of graffiti, vandalism and illicit activity. However, it was still considered an important landmark along the White Rock Trail, and for the families that still heavily used Hamilton Park. With the exception of a conceptual rendering, no original construction documents of the pavilion could be located. As a result, the original contractor, in the process of removing cracked and heaving terrazzo flooring, severely damaged the monolithic concrete slab and the structure. This caused a partial collapse of the cantilever pavilion and required permanent shoring and bracing of the leaning roof structure until reconstruction could be done. Then the original contractor went out of business, which caused a years-long delay to the project. Preservation of the historic fabric of the park system remained important to Park and Recreation Department Planning and Design staff, who always advocated for the reconstruction of the pavilion over demolition.
Image by Tracy Allyn Photography
THE WORK
The modern structure required both a complete restoration of the exterior and rehabilitation of the interior. With the lack of original construction drawings, extensive site assessment and investigation were required. An engineered shoring system supported the concrete roof structure as a new concrete foundation and slab tied into the tapered columns. Restoration treatment of the main brick masonry enclosure required cleaning, repointing and application of transparent graffiti-resistant coating. Character-defining details, such as the original men’s and women’s cast stone restroom plaques, were preserved, cleaned and accentuated. The existing decorative masonry block screen wall required structural repairs. All concrete surfaces, including the columns, roofs, and soffits, were repaired, cleaned and re-plastered. The integral roof drainage system, which ran through the columns, was repaired and reconnected to the underground stormwater drainage system. The restrooms, which had previously been shuttered and closed due to vandalism, were emptied of all plumbing fixtures, with new lockable metal doors enabling them to be used for park equipment storage.
Hamilton Park Pavilion in the news….
CLICK HERE TO READ LAKE HIGHLANDS ADVOCATE ARTICLE
