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Project Description

The Salem Square branch of the Worcester Public Library was founded in 1859 by Dr. John Green, who donated 7,000 of the original 11,500 volumes from his own collection. His nephew, Samuel Swett Green, served as a librarian and trustee, and was a founder of the American Library Association. The branch was one of the first public libraries in New England to open on Sundays. Today, the library serves nearly 200,000 patrons.

The library's current building was constructed in 1964. The exterior webs and columns featured the “bush-hammered” effect, a once popular finish for exposed concrete. The Worcester Library Trustees grew tired of the exposed aggregate and rough texture, and opted to eliminate it during the 1999 renovations.

Some of the concrete showed signs of spalling, corrosion of reinforcing steel, and water entry. Conproco worked with the design team from Tappe Associates to formulate and implement a system of repair materials that would offer long-term protection for the concrete, while softening the harsh look of the original finish.

Once the concrete had been pressure washed, it was treated with Conpro Start consolidant. Patching was done with Conpro Set repair mortar. Plastermix, a Portland Cement based resurfacing material (used for filling surface irregularities), was then applied by trowel and floated to a fine texture. After 14 days of curing, two coats of Conpro Lastic elastomeric coating were applied for weather protection and color consistency.

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