Porch Stabilization
Bok Kai Temple
Marysville, California

In 1880, this temple was built to serve Marysville's Chinese population and has been in continuous use as a religious and social anchor for the local population. Unfortunately, in recent years the building began to show signs of its age, prompting the National Trust for Historic Preservation to include the building on its 2001 list of America’s Most Endangered Historic Buildings.

ARG/CS was retained for a design-build project to stabilize the building’s porch, including the exterior mural, porch roof, brickwork and heavy timber framing. The wing walls of the porch had developed significant cracks and displacement due to progressive failure of the supporting wood beams. Further, the entire surface of the mural was deteriorating and required conservation treatment.

ARG/CS assembled a project team consisting of a structural engineer, two mural conservators, a finish carpenter, a stonemason, and architectural conservators to undertake the project. Shoring was installed to stop the porch assembly from further settlement. Portions of the brickwork that were in a precarious condition were stabilized and emergency conservation of the mural was completed.