Bancroft Hall

Encore served as the Historic Preservation Quality Control Specialist (HPQCS) to the Contractor for the historic restoration services in the Rotunda and Memorial Hall of Bancroft Hall at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD. The restoration work involved repairing cracked limestone and plaster, replacing stone floors in the vestibules, cleaning the 40-foot tall chandeliers and repainting large portions of the ceiling.

As the HPQCS Encore worked with the general constructor to ensure that historic materials and colors were accurately replaced or patched in kind. A structural analysis of the cracking patterns by Baker Ingram concluded the cracks were likely the result of the 2011 earthquake. A paint analysis by Matthew Mosca revealed the sequence of the ceiling paints and colors throughout the history of the building. The renovation refreshed the building during a compressed 77-day project window and maintained its historic character. The historic documentation on the building finishes completed by Encore will inform future work in these important historic areas of the Academy.