More Stucco in Bricktown

Oh, my! This one IS a tragedy. Maybe the damage you alluded to and about which I don’t know caused this to happen, but, oh! Makes one want to cry.

When considering a replacement project in Bricktown, Why can’t the old bricks be used to build the new building. I am aware of numerous projects during Urban Renewal that contractors would bid on the the old brick to be reclaimed at a profit. Have all the illegals left and are there no legal workers willing to do this meanial labor. Hire the homeless.

The only thing that prevents this brick from being reclaimed is if the builder used grout instead of morter. Morter is cement, water and sand, grout is cement and water. Grout is much stronger and can’t be chipped off of the old brick. Moter, however, can be chipped off to recover the old brick. In many instances the old brick is solid “pavers” and is much stronger than today’s hollow bricks. Thanks for letting us have our voices heard.

It would be nice to see an independent estimate of the cost of removal of the concrete, to compare with the cost of covering the building with “dryvit”, in order to see how disparate the prices really are. Again, if “dryvit” or EIFS is truly as pricey as brick, why not put a new brick facade on the building? I wonder too, about the longevity of “dryvit” and how it holds up to the weather. Some of the older faux stucco I’ve seen on buildings looks bad. It doesn’t age gracefully like true stucco, and so I wonder if long term brick wouldn’t be less expensive, or at least no more expensive.

I suspect the Bricktown Urban Design Committee is going ask for the same information.

I don’t think any substrate like metal lath was attached to the brick exterior before it was coated with what appears to be stucco. It is very likely to have Portland cement in it rather than being composed of lime and sand, and will be difficult to remove in some areas where it has bonded to the brick better and hasn’t been loosened by moisture infiltration.

The stucco coating that’s on the building now was probably done to cover up some opening infill, damaged brick or poorly accomplished tuck pointing. Of course, it’s entirely possible that someone just thought this dull gray lumpy stucco finish looked nicer than brick . . . who knows what people are thinking.

The best treatment is to remove the stucco coating to the greatest extent possible without doing real harm to the brick, make the necessary repairs, re-point as required and acid clean and pressure wash the surface to remove as much loose material and mortar stain as possible. That way, the building’s physical and historic integrity isn’t damaged, and you wind up with nice looking facades that have some variation in texture and interesting colors. There’s no reason to add insult to injury by putting EFIS on this building. A nice honest, cleaned up and repaired building is a good look.

So, knowing your background and passion for preservation, Old Downtown Guy, can this building be brought back to its original brick facade? Members of the Bricktown Urban Design Committee I’ve visited with would like to see that happen, but aren’t sure whether it’s feasible.
-Steve