SEATTLE, WA — Western Specialty Contractors - Seattle Branch has been contracted to repair the stone facade for the original portion of the Seattle Art Museum in downtown Seattle, Washington.

The 150,000-square-foot, five-story museum features an undulating facade faced in limestone, incised with “Seattle Art Museum” in large letters. The ground-level entrance features an arcade of arched, triangular, and ogee-arched openings trimmed in sandstone, various colored granite, marble, and terra cotta pieces. The museum was constructed in 1991.

The lowest stones above the museum’s original southwest entrance and along the University Street side of the building had begun to shift, causing gaps to form in the facade. Western worked with Seattle-based architect/engineer RDH Building Science to identify why the stones were slipping, the type of mechanical connections currently in place, and the process for removal/repair/reinstallation of the affected stones.

“There are many opportunities for problems to arise due to the stones weighing close to 1,000 pounds each,” said Western Project Manager David Kimble.

Once the cause was confirmed, Western’s craftsmen began removing and repairing the anchoring systems for these stones to restore them to their original positions. Western is also replacing 7,700 linear feet of stone joint sealant, performing stone patching, applying anti-graffiti sealant, and cleaning over 25,000 square feet of the facade.

“We are excited to see the restoration of this beautiful museum to its former appearance,” Kimble said. “Western along with RDH have done a spectacular job at predicting and extinguishing any potential opportunities for future facade failure.”