1889 Building Window & Door Restoration
3721 Divinity Way – Catholic University of America
Caldwell Hall was the first building to be erected as part of the Catholic University of America campus. On May 24, 1888, the cornerstone for Caldwell Hall was laid while President Grover Cleveland as well as members of Congress and the U.S. Cabinet attended. On March 7, 1889, Pope Leo XIII had formally established the Catholic University with his apostolic letter Magni Nobis Gaudii. The building was originally known as Divinity Hall at the time of it’s building. By late 1889, Caldwell Hall was completed and opened for use as the University opened its doors for the first students in November of that year. Established as a papally chartered graduate and research center, The Catholic University of America officially opened as an institution of higher education on Nov. 13, 1889. Caldwell Hall was the campus’s main building for a time, housed University scholars, as well as classrooms. In 1900, Catholic University was among the 14 institutions offering instruction for the doctorate that formed the Association of American Universities, a group of leading research institutions. In 1904 undergraduate programs were added to the offerings of the University.
Sealed in the cornerstone is the original letter dated April 10, 1887 from Pope Leo XIII approving the University’s founding. The building contains a chapel, paid for by Caldwell’s sister, Mary Elizabeth, and a wing of the building known as “the House,” which is inhabited by student ministers. The Romanesque architecture stood as one of the only examples of its kind in the DC at the time. A neoclassical revival was about to take off downtown on the National Mall, so this type of architecture remains a unique style in the city.
Romanesque WinDow Fabrication
Romanesque Door Fabrication
130 years later in 2019 another restoration began calling on Gepetto to custom fabricate new doors to match the historic profile. In addition to the time tested original joinery, we designed in our shop drawings a ‘stave core’ door that intelligently balanced the weather beating functions of three elements: First, an GENUINE Honduran mahogany that naturally grew to be resistant to rot and stable against weathering was our solid exterior. So that veneer is book matched on the surface. Second, the staves were accurately milled and the grain pairings lined up by hand to balance any heating, cooling, or humidity expansions or contractions. The grain structure of the Accoya staves was hand paired in reverse by our craftsmen between each pair of staves to add strength and stabilization. Third, we vacuum pressed the staves and faces with resorcinol. Epoxy has become more popular since it’s introduction but has poor UV resistance and in most structural applications has only a modest heat resistance making it less than ideal for exterior doors facing south. Resorcinol remains a suitable adhesive for exterior and marine use with a history of use since the 40’s. Unlike epoxy, it is not gap-filling, so that was what required us to use a higher standard of workmanship and joint fitting combined with a vacuum press to create a door that will last a century. If you have any questions about building stronger in wood – drop me a line, I’d love to chat! About what stave core can achieve – what adhesives to avoid – or what Accoya acetylated wood will do for your project.
Hand Balanced Grain
Vacume Pressed Staves
Arc Window Frames
Honduran Mahogany Panels
Family Owned Shop
Virginia Historic Door Builders
Photographic Tour Of Caldwell Hall Exterior
