Scranton Cultural Center
Project Type: Cultural
Location: Scranton, PA
Services: Architecture, Engineering, Project Management
Size: 188,000 sF
The Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple, designed by architect Raymond Hood and completed in 1930, serves as a regional performing arts center with two theaters, a ballroom, banquet and both public and Masonic meeting spaces. The Neo-Gothic/Romanesque style, 9 story building, contains 188,000 sq. ft. of space with the exterior clad in Indiana Limestone with multiple carvings and details reflecting this architectural style. The building is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Highland Associates was commissioned by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of General Services (DGS) to conduct a detailed feasibility study evaluating the building envelope (stone, cladding system, roofing, and flashing details), structural components and deteriorated interior finishes. Our team worked with DGS, Pennsylvania Historic and Museum Commission and the Scranton Cultural Center to investigate existing conditions causing the water infiltration problems, identify alternate solutions, establish an overall budget and devise a phasing and implementation plan.
An extensive review of the exterior was conducted using observations from the ground and suspended from ropes. Portions of the building were selected for structural steel corrosion testing and physical investigation both of which involved removing existing limestone blocks and close-up inspection of the wall cavity conditions.
The roof was inspected to check the condition of the concrete deck, check for soundness, surface moisture, subsurface moisture and effectiveness of the wall flashings. The current design of gutters and drains was evaluated including proper holding capacity, attachments, downspouts, scuppers, roof drains and capacity of drain pipes attached that serve them.
The assessment of interior finishes looked closely at historic materials both to understand the design intent and to identify deterioration mechanisms that could have affected the materials’ integrity. This process determined which spaces will require restoration and which spaces can be rehabilitated or renovated.
The study included options and costs to address all identified problems. All proposed solutions complied with the Secretary of the Interior Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties.
Highland managed a multi-disciplined team comprised of John Milner Associates / MFTA, O’Donnell & Naccarato, Westchester Environmental LLC, Mark J. Sobeck Roof Consultant, Inc. and Trophy Point, LLC.