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Norwich — Traipsing over glass and other debris, and with water dripping on their heads, officials from the State Historic Preservation Office on Tuesday toured the former Capehart Mill complex. On Friday they said it can be demolished. Having entered the northernmost building on the complex, which stretches from Fourth to Eight Street in Greeneville, years of decay were immediately apparent. Large portions of collapsed ceiling gave way to open sky. Below were piles of collapsed bricks. "These types of days are always more unusual," said state Historic Preservationist Marena Wisniewski. "This is actually kind of a sad one, for preservation. Because there's not really much to be saved here." Last month, the City Council approved the purchase of the mill property from longtime owner, Foot of Fifth, LLC. Town Manager John Salamone said this week the purchase is pending and will be completed soon. As part of an agreement, Foot of Fifth is expected to pay the city $800,000 to forgive tax liens levied against the property for environmental cleanup. The city has already received $11.8 million in state grants to use for demolition and cleanup. The plan is to turn the site into a community park alongside the Shetucket River. Historian Todd Levine and Wisniewski met with city officials and environmental architects around 1 p.m. in a parking lot off Eighth Street, among signs of homeless encampments. There, NCDC President and Executive Director Kevin Brown unlocked the northern gate to the complex, and they went through, climbing a step ladder into the complex. Levine said they were there to determine whether the mill, which is a contributing part of the National Register of Historic Places Greeneville Historic District, had "retained any historical integrity." Terra cotta arches The group used a metal pipe at one point to knock down a horizontal support beam so they could safely enter a room. Climbing through the opening they had created, the group later came upon sprawling, cavernous rooms with high vaulted ceilings. Levine and the group shined their flashlights on floors and walls. The ceiling was made from terra cotta arches held up by a network of steel I-beams. Steel columns, almost a foot-wide ran from the ground to ceiling. Moss has grown on some of the tiles. "Rather than pouring concrete slabs, they're using these arches to accomplish a structural stability," Wisniewski determined, her voice echoing through the vaulted room. At the far end of the same room, Wisniewski pointed to heavy timber beams in a collapsed portion of the roof. Always a danger of fire Last September, a neighbor of the mill walked into the Greeneville fire station claiming he smelled smoke. Responding to the four-story mill, firefighters found smoke coming from a window, and located the fire. It was near a wood window frame in part of the building. The small fire was the most recent at the mill. Through the years, many other fires, often bigger than last year's, have damaged the mill, worsening its condition. There has also been a chemical spill. "They used to use (the timbers) because one, it provides structural support, but two, those big heavy beams actually take a long time to burn. That was their first idea on how to help combat a fire," Wisniewski said. The mill, and many others like it that worked with sensitive materials such as thread, cotton and organic fabric, were built to withstand fires, Wisniewski said. Those materials, and high heat, could easily lead to spontaneous combustion and a fire. When the first buildings were constructed between 1860 and 1870, builders would not have had access to more fire-resistant steel and concrete, which didn't start being used until the late 1800s. The Chelsea Paper Mill City Historian Dale Plummer, not present on the site visit, agreed with Wisniewski's assertions that the "main part" of the mill, which originally housed the Chelsea Paper Mill, was likely built in 1860. Wisniewski described the mill as a "self-contained facility," which could convert raw materials to product all in one complex. There were buildings for manufacturing, storage and power generation via a canal that harnesses the Shetucket River. "It’s amazing to kind of see. Especially today, where everything is made in separate spots," she said. Plummer explained that demand for paper around that time had expanded greatly due to the 1840s development of the rotary press, which revolutionized the newspaper industry and allowed a vast increase in the amount of news that was consumed. Levine said it looked as if there was little to be saved but said the complex "has some great ruins." He said the terra cotta arches were "certainly the most significant architectural feature left." "I've never seen anything quite like that. Marena has. But I think it's very interesting, and it's significant," he said. "You know, when you look at the history of the site, and how it’s impacted the municipality, it has important significance to Norwich." d.drainville@theday.com https://theday.com/news/716987/state-approves-demolition-of-former-capehart-mill-in-norwich/
Norwich — Traipsing over glass and other debris, and with water dripping on their heads, officials from the State Historic Preservation Office on Tuesday toured the former Capehart Mill complex.
On Friday they said it can be demolished.
Having entered the northernmost building on the complex, which stretches from Fourth to Eight Street in Greeneville, years of decay were immediately apparent. Large portions of collapsed ceiling gave way to open sky. Below were piles of collapsed bricks.
"These types of days are always more unusual," said state Historic Preservationist Marena Wisniewski. "This is actually kind of a sad one, for preservation. Because there's not really much to be saved here."
Last month, the City Council approved the purchase of the mill property from longtime owner, Foot of Fifth, LLC. Town Manager John Salamone said this week the purchase is pending and will be completed soon. As part of an agreement, Foot of Fifth is expected to pay the city $800,000 to forgive tax liens levied against the property for environmental cleanup.
The city has already received $11.8 million in state grants to use for demolition and cleanup. The plan is to turn the site into a community park alongside the Shetucket River.
Historian Todd Levine and Wisniewski met with city officials and environmental architects around 1 p.m. in a parking lot off Eighth Street, among signs of homeless encampments. There, NCDC President and Executive Director Kevin Brown unlocked the northern gate to the complex, and they went through, climbing a step ladder into the complex.
Levine said they were there to determine whether the mill, which is a contributing part of the National Register of Historic Places Greeneville Historic District, had "retained any historical integrity."
Terra cotta arches
The group used a metal pipe at one point to knock down a horizontal support beam so they could safely enter a room.
Climbing through the opening they had created, the group later came upon sprawling, cavernous rooms with high vaulted ceilings. Levine and the group shined their flashlights on floors and walls.
The ceiling was made from terra cotta arches held up by a network of steel I-beams. Steel columns, almost a foot-wide ran from the ground to ceiling. Moss has grown on some of the tiles.
"Rather than pouring concrete slabs, they're using these arches to accomplish a structural stability," Wisniewski determined, her voice echoing through the vaulted room.
At the far end of the same room, Wisniewski pointed to heavy timber beams in a collapsed portion of the roof.
Always a danger of fire
Last September, a neighbor of the mill walked into the Greeneville fire station claiming he smelled smoke.
Responding to the four-story mill, firefighters found smoke coming from a window, and located the fire. It was near a wood window frame in part of the building.
The small fire was the most recent at the mill. Through the years, many other fires, often bigger than last year's, have damaged the mill, worsening its condition. There has also been a chemical spill.
"They used to use (the timbers) because one, it provides structural support, but two, those big heavy beams actually take a long time to burn. That was their first idea on how to help combat a fire," Wisniewski said.
The mill, and many others like it that worked with sensitive materials such as thread, cotton and organic fabric, were built to withstand fires, Wisniewski said. Those materials, and high heat, could easily lead to spontaneous combustion and a fire.
When the first buildings were constructed between 1860 and 1870, builders would not have had access to more fire-resistant steel and concrete, which didn't start being used until the late 1800s.
The Chelsea Paper Mill
City Historian Dale Plummer, not present on the site visit, agreed with Wisniewski's assertions that the "main part" of the mill, which originally housed the Chelsea Paper Mill, was likely built in 1860.
Wisniewski described the mill as a "self-contained facility," which could convert raw materials to product all in one complex. There were buildings for manufacturing, storage and power generation via a canal that harnesses the Shetucket River.
"It’s amazing to kind of see. Especially today, where everything is made in separate spots," she said.
Plummer explained that demand for paper around that time had expanded greatly due to the 1840s development of the rotary press, which revolutionized the newspaper industry and allowed a vast increase in the amount of news that was consumed.
Levine said it looked as if there was little to be saved but said the complex "has some great ruins."
He said the terra cotta arches were "certainly the most significant architectural feature left."
"I've never seen anything quite like that. Marena has. But I think it's very interesting, and it's significant," he said. "You know, when you look at the history of the site, and how it’s impacted the municipality, it has important significance to Norwich."
d.drainville@theday.com
https://theday.com/news/716987/state-approves-demolition-of-former-capehart-mill-in-norwich/