Columbia County, PA

Structural Engineering: Carver Hall Bloomsburg University

Carver Hall, built in 1867, was the first building erected at Bloomsburg University (BU) and is on the National Register of Historic Places. The hall, with its ornate white bell tower, has become a recognizable icon throughout the campus and community. The existing bell tower and roof system over time exhibited deterioration due to age and overstress. While the tower needed rehabilitation, BU wanted to ensure the historical significance of one of its finest buildings.

As part of its open-end contract with Larson Design Group, BU requested engineering services be provided to reinforce the bell tower and roof structure and to improve the aesthetic presence of the building. Structural reinforcement was accomplished through the use of steel plates in the tower and wood reinforcement in the main roof.

Several design options for the refurbishment of the dome were presented, including a new copper cap and gold leaf. A new slate roof was designed to replace the old roof, which incorporated the original historic character of the building through the use of historically appropriate materials.

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