Boston—June 26, 2006— Shawmut Design and Construction recently began a major construction and restoration project for the Museum of Afro-American History’s African Meeting House. Originally constructed in 1806, The African Meeting House is the oldest in the country and a true showcase of black community organization and an enduring testimony to black craftsmanship. At this church, school and meeting house, the New England Anti-Slavery Society was founded in 1832 and Frederick Douglass recruited troops for the 54th and 55th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, the first all black regiment to fight in the Civil War in 1863 – both pinnacle events during the slavery abolition movement. Shawmut was selected to manage the project for its expertise in historic preservation, including working with masons, artists and contractors who understand the implications of restoring a delicate national treasure, as well as its strong portfolio of success completing other complex, urban renovation projects.
The project will include construction of a three-story addition as a rear exit and access to new underground mechanical vault, a stairwell and elevator shaft to reach the vault and the historic restoration of building façade and existing interior.
The African Meeting House is located at 46 Joy St. in Boston’s historic Beacon Hill Neighborhood, what was once the heart of Boston's 19th-century African-American community. Its location presents a challenge for the construction crew, working in a congested, residential neighborhood in the center of Historic Boston. A four-foot-wide space allows the only access to The African Meeting House’s courtyard, the site of the new addition.
After completing an interior archaeological assessment, Museum officials determined that the building should be restored to look as it had in 1855. The project will include the historic restoration of windows and walls, since an authentic wall covering was discovered during pre-construction. To preserve the building’s historic fabric, the team will minimize changes to the building’s exterior, building the addition out of view at the rear of the building to support an elevator for handicap access to the Sanctuary and Gallery levels. The project is scheduled for completion in March 2007.
Shawmut’s Cultural and Historic Preservation team has recently completed work on several other historic landmarks in New England, including Touro Synagogue in Rhode Island, Trinity Church in Boston and Harvard’s Sever Hall.
