A year-and-a-half long renovation has breathed new life into the John Sevier State Office Building in Downtown Nashville.
Also known as the Tennessee State Office Building, this Art Deco style landmark has earned a spot on the National Register of Historic Places.
After nearly 80 years of wear and tear, however, the building was in need of significant updating and repair. Starting in early 2019, Nashville-based Hardaway Construction has overseen an extensive renovation that included improvements to the building’s interior and exterior. Updates range from revamped offices and conference rooms to new HVAC and building control systems. The project is slated for completion in September 2020.
Mid America Specialty Services (MASS) has handled metal and wood refinishing throughout the building. According to Roger Krick, MASS Director of Facade Services, technicians have refinished 291 doors and 40,000 linear feet of wood trim, baseboard and chair rail.
Metal Refinishing
MASS brought over 35 years of metal refinishing expertise to the Sevier project, with professional refinishers trained in a variety of restoration techniques.
Interior metal work included elevator entrances and interiors, handrails, fire hose boxes and decorative grating. On the outside, refinishers restored the building’s entrance doors, night doors and flagpole to a like-new finish. For Krick, one big highlight of the project was completing bronze work on the night doors and entrances.
MASS technicians utilized a variety of finishes for different materials throughout the facility. A satin finish was applied to grates and fireboxes, while a mirror finish was used for wall clocks, elevator doors and elevator cabs. An oxidized finish was chosen for main entrances and night doors.
The refinished metal should retain its appearance for about 5 to 7 years on decorative work. Krick advises that higher traffic areas will benefit from more regular touch-ups.
Wood Refinishing
Architectural wood restoration brings back the functionality and beauty of wood surfaces, boosting appearance and value.
MASS technicians completely refinished the trim, office doors and entry doors throughout the interior of the Sevier Building. After stripping away old finishes, the surfaces were sanded, stained and sealed. A top coating was applied to preserve the condition of the wood.
With routine care and maintenance, wood refinishing results can last a decade or longer. Krick points to a similar project which MASS completed in 2008 on the Davidson County Courthouse, also in Nashville. Twelve years later, the wood work from that project still looks like new.
The Sevier Building is just one of many government buildings MASS has been honored to work on throughout our company’s history. We have provided restoration work for a number of historic landmarks, including the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery and the Soldiers Memorial Military Museum.
If you would like more information about our portfolio of architectural restoration services, please contact us online or call 800-544-4576.
