Library has a read on its preservation

Architect Carl J. Handman wants to make sure one historic building in Luzerne County is preserved for his grandchildren to enjoy.

That’s part of the reason his company, Eyerman, Csala, Hapeman & Handman, has undertaken the multi-phased renovation project for the Osterhout Free Library in downtown Wilkes-Barre.

“My practice over the past dozen years or so has begun to concentrate on historic preservation,” said Handman, who became involved in the project in 2006. “Northeastern PA has a great stock of historic buildings.”

Renovations, which began this year -- thanks to a $1.2 million budget from state and county grants and the library’s reserves -- are focused on the exterior of the building for now. When the exterior renovations are complete, which could be this fall, attention will be turned to the interior, depending on the library’s budget.

In addition to repointing, or renewing the mortar between the exterior’s bricks, Masonry Preservation Services Inc., Berwick, has been contracted to rebuild the building’s historic bell tower.

By renewing the mortar, or filling between the bricks, Handman said the building will be more secure and the coloring should be uniform. The overall goal, he said, is to renew the building and preserve it for another 100 years. The structure was built in 1849 and once housed the First Presbyterian Church. Workers are tackling three components: a stack wing addition built in 1908 on the south side; an area to the back of the original library; and the original structure. The 1982 children’s wing addition appears to be in good shape, he said, as does a 1954/1964 addition in the rear of the building.

“These are efforts they’ve (the Osterhout Board) been working on for many years to get the building up-to-date and more sound,” said Sara Hansen, the library’s new executive director.

Another part of the project, Hansen said, is the restoration of the building’s stained glass windows. Some date to 1849, while others are from 1908.

Baut Studios of Swoyersville is fixing minor cracks in the windows, reinstalling missing pieces, stripping and repainting the frames and adjusting the colors to the original 1908 look – thanks to a historical color analysis done by Handman’s company.

Conrad Baut said his studio is working on about 18 of the library’s windows, which comprise nearly 170 sections of stained glass. But, Baut’s been nursing the windows for years, he said. Every time there was a crack, he was called on to fix it.

“It was an absolute blessing for them that they are at this stage where they can go do this and have it preserved because a lot of them were hanging at the fringes,” he said.

“When we’re done with the process, the windows will be able to perform, I bet you, another 100 years,” he explained. “When they leave here, they’ll be like they’re brand new.”

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