Orange County NC Website
15 <br /> -2- <br /> NORTH SIDE toward JAIL <br /> A grass lawn slopes from the jail down toward the boxwoods lining the office's north side. Cut a shallow <br /> grassy swale to the north of the shrubbery to carry the water runoff around and to the rear or east of the office. Cut <br /> the boxwood back to at least 12"off the wall to reduce moisture on the lower brick work. Reduce the soil level <br /> against the brick work by 4-5". A more drastic solution to reduce moisture on the north side would entail <br /> removing the shrubbery and lowering grade adjacent to the wall about 12"and sloping it down from there to a new <br /> swale 6-8' away. Splashing off the shrubbery and rising damp are spoiling the interior plaster work. <br /> Moderate Measures $ 600. <br /> Drastic Solution $1,000. <br /> EXTERIOR: <br /> FRONT(WEST) <br /> The two bay brick gable front of the office contains a reproduction raised five panel door in good <br /> condition and a reproduction 9/9 window capped with flat brick arches. The brick work is in good condition with <br /> some open brick joints and slightly heaved brick below and to the south of the front door and along the foundation. <br /> Minor repointing is necessary over the entire front wall where small missing pieces of mortar allow water into the <br /> wall. Three inches of the stone foundation is visible above the stone terrace. The rake board and comer covering <br /> board are in good condition. The window is a replacement but of reasonably correct dimensions. Reglaze as <br /> necessary. The window shutters are in fair condition—needing some repairs--consolidation and flashing caps. <br /> Consider replacing the aluminum storm door with a wood screen/storm door. It protects the wood door behind it <br /> from water but even a wood screen/storm door is not"correct"for the period. The mortise lock on the front door <br /> operates,but is not proper for the period. An early"carpenter"lock or older rim lock would accurately fit the <br /> period of the structure. Replace the threshold. <br /> $1,920. <br /> SOUTH SIDE <br /> The two bay deep south side features two 9/9 windows evenly spaced along the solid brick wall. Reglaze <br /> the windows as required. The shutters are O.K. but remove for repointing work. The cornice boxing is in fair to <br /> good condition. Nail the loose roof mold back into place. Replace downspout and realign gutter. The gutter now <br /> dumps water down the center of the wall—repair as soon as possible. The brick side wall has bulged about three <br /> inches and been repointed several times(see engineering report). Pieces of steel have been bolted to the bulging <br /> wall and probably help retain it Ugly conduits carry electric wires across this elevation just above the foundation, <br /> which is constructed of bulging (most likely dry laid)stone work covered with a portland cement stucco coating <br /> and laid up in the last 15-25 years in an attempt to inhibit further displacement of this wall (refer to engineers <br /> report). Remove conduits and telephone wires and run wires behind baseboards on interior. Fill holes carefully, <br /> repoint open cracks in the brick wall,seal the joint where the brick rests on the stone/stucco wall and cap the wall <br /> to stop water entry. Consider weep holes low in the wall. <br /> $1,850. <br /> REAR WALL(EAST) <br /> This windowless solid brick wall features a center chimney projecting both into and outside the rear wall <br /> with an exterior fireplace in addition to the interior one. Perhaps an addition in this direction was contemplated <br /> during construction. There are minor settlement cracks on this wall that have been repointed previously as well as <br /> some open joints and cracks requiring repointing. Add mortar caps to the steps of the chimney above the exterior <br /> fireplace and cap the chimney top or add a flue for a gas log fire is desired. Replace a few missing bricks around <br />