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The Heller Barn ruins, part of the Michael Heller Homestead site near Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, are all that remain of an English-type stone barn that was partially demolished in 1998 following the collapse of its roof. The Saucon Valley Conservancy, the non-profit group that manages the homestead, plans to reuse the barn ruins for site interpretation and outdoor functions. As a first step in the planned improvements to the homestead site, the Conservancy hired JMA and Keast and Hood consulting structural engineers to assist with the stabilization of the masonry barn ruins.
Lori, then serving as project manager for JMA, first undertook a site survey and produced a letter report outlining and prioritizing recommendations for stabilization. The letter report was used to obtain grant funding, support fund raising, and organize volunteer efforts. She produced construction documents to obtain competitive bids for the use of traditional natural hydraulic lime mortars and salvaged stone to rebuild, repoint, and protect the masonry. Lori then oversaw the successful, on-budget completion of the first phase of work that stabilized the character defining masonry arch and doorway opening. A unique aspect of the work was the use of salvaged sand as aggregate in the repair mortars. Subsequent phases will include work at the remaining masonry walls and conceptual designs to guide the future reuse of the ruins.
Team: John Milner Associates, Inc., Keast and Hood, Rickert Masonry
HELLER BARN RUINS, Heller Homestead - Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
• Heller Barn Stabilization, Saucon Valley Conservancy •
