Rogers Struc rpt 2016-08-09
August 8, 2016
Louis Hasbrouck
Building Commissioner
City of Northampton
Town of Williamsburg
lhasbrouck@northamptonma.gov
Re: Fire Damage – Structural Assessment
Rogers Hall, The Clark School
49 Round Hill Road
Northampton, MA 01060
Dear Mr. Hasbrouck:
On this date James Norden, P.E. Principal at GNCB Consulting Engineers walked through the
fire damaged building, Rogers Hall, accompanied by the building owner, James Herbert and
project architect Tom Douglas and Dan Banham of Thomas Douglas Architects, Inc. of
Northampton, MA. The purpose of this visit was to provide an initial review of the fire
damage to the structure which occurred on August 5, 2016 and to assess the present
buildings structure integrity in regards to potential collapse.
It appears that the fire started somewhere in the 2nd or 3rd floor in an area just north of the
existing fire doors to the connector to the occupied building to the south. As such, the fire
damage of the 2nd and 3rd floor is concentrated in this wing of the renovated areas. The fire
did spread upwards consuming the wood mansard walls and roof and attic above the 3rd
floor.
At present, the fire debris from the mansard walls, roof and attic within the building area is
atop of the 3rd floor timber deck. Some localized floor damaged fire debris is on the 2nd
floor deck as well.
GNCB is working with the office of Thomas Douglas, Architect to complete a plan defining
the next step for cleanup and debris removal and a survey of the remaining in-place
structural systems including each floor level and vertical masonry support walls. This plan
will be forth coming for review and use.
Louis Hasbrouck, Building Commissioner
City of Northampton
Page 2 of 2
The current condition of the structure is such that it is stable and not subject to collapse.
There is a large amount of the existing 1st, 2nd and 3rd floor structure with an ability to carry
its own weight and to provide current bracing of the building’s exterior masonry walls. The
approximate 3 foot projection above the exposed 3rd floor of the exterior masonry wall is
subject to wind loads on either surface. This may be subject to failing under an extreme
wind load case such as found in a hurricane. As it is only 3 foot in height, its failure would
fall well within the limits of the completely fenced in construction site.
If you have any questions or concerns at this time, please feel free to contact me. We will
be forwarding our clean up and assessment plan to you once completed.
Very truly yours,
James F. Norden, P.E.
Principal
cc: Thomas Douglas, Architect