Port Huron Federal Building

Port Huron, MI

Vertical Access was retained by Lord Aeck Sargent to perform a hands-on investigation of the exterior of the cupola to assist the project team with preparation of repair recommendations and documents.

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Building description

The Port Huron Federal Building was designed by Alfred B. Mullett, Supervising Architect for the United States Treasury Department, and constructed between 1873 and 1877. Designed in the Renaissance Revival style, the building is the oldest federal building in Michigan that is still occupied by the federal government. The classically detailed exterior features an octagonal cupola that sits on top of the three-story masonry base of the building where two gable roof sections cross. The cupola has wood framing and exterior cladding of unpainted copper and painted wood. The base of the cupola is clad in “Osborn’s Guaranteed Old Style” lead and tin coated sheet steel panels with folded seams. Above the base, the drum has large double hung windows, one on each of the eight facets, flanked by wood pilasters. The cornice between the dome and drum of the cupola has pediments on the four sides with the oculus windows. The unpainted sheet copper clad cupola dome above the drum flattens near the top and is surmounted by a wooden balustrade. There are wood-framed with wood sash, four-light oculus windows with ornamental wood window surrounds on four sides of the dome.

Scope of work

  • Performed a hands-on survey of the exterior materials and documented existing conditions of all sides of the cupola above the sheet copper roof of the lower portion of the building.
    Documented representative and notable conditions with digital photographs hyperlinked to annotated conditions drawings.

Building owner

  • General Services Administration

In collaboration with