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 The Hotel Sowles
Urbana, Ohio
The historic Hotel Sowles has been a landmark building for the City of Urbana for almost 200 years. This classic example of midwest architecture needed extensive restoration to save the structure.
Originally built circa 1800, the Hotel Sowles has been a landmark building for the City of Urbana for over 200 years. The hotel was completely remodeled in 1888. Historic records show that every Ohio Governor from Worthington to McKinley stayed at the Hotel Sowles.
This classic example of Midwestern architecture needed extensive restoration to save the structure. The building required structural stabilization to shore up bowing walls and sagging floors.
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The floor was removed to show the tree timbers that were used as floor joists. These have been removed. We filled the basement with gravel, installing steel structural supports and placed a concrete floor over this area. Salvaged wood flooring will be installed to conceal the stabilization. |
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At one time, repairs were attempted by inserting concrete block into the original brick wall. This weakened the overall integrity of the structure and required several sections to be removed. |
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The corner and seven feet of wall on both sides were removed on all three floors and rebuilt with similar historic brick to blend with the original wall. The right rear portion of the building, shown here, has been removed. It will be replaced from here on the second floor to ground level. |
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This exterior brick wall was badly bowed. |
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We are looking down from the third floor with the outside wall on the right. Structural steel I-beams were installed along the bowed wall to stabilize the building. The beams were installed along the wall from the basement to the 3rd floor, and securely bolted through the brick wall. Additional support was added by connecting the I-beams to the floor structure. |
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The I-beams were bolted together and extend through the open second floor. |
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The bolts are clearly visible on the exterior of the wall with the decorative metal stars which finish the bolt ends. |
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