The Wauregan

Water Infiltration Consultation for Adaptive Reuse

In a high-profile urban renewal project, design firm Becker + Becker fought an uphill battle to preserve the nearly condemned Wauregan Hotel. Once a showpiece of luxury and playing host to celebrities that included then presidential candidate Abe Lincoln, the Wauregan deteriorated along with the mill businesses of the turn of the century. By the 1990s, most of the city favored tearing down the 1855 building, despite its listing on the National Register of Historic Places. However, preservationists persevered, and Becker + Becker secured a contract to convert the structure to affordable housing units and ground-floor retail.

To address water infiltration issues at the Wauregan, Becker + Becker retained Hoffmann Architects + Engineers as expert waterproofing consultants. Following the sweeping building renovation, leaks were reported at two roofs above the lobby and a second floor apartment, where a concrete slab was added as a seismic bracing element. Hoffmann’s initial observations found multiple potential water entry points; using methodical water testing, the firm identified the wall counterflashing as the source of moisture intrusion.

Hoffmann’s design professionals determined that the detail at the top of the roof flashing was not sound. In an illustrated report, our architects and engineers explained how water was able to penetrate behind the incorrectly detailed copper counterflashing, which permitted water to migrate behind the TPO roof membrane and into the building interior.

In consultation to Becker + Becker, Hoffmann provided the investigatory services that helped the newly restored and repurposed Wauregan maintain its functional integrity. The successful adaptive reuse project has brought positive media and community attention to Norwich, with articles in the Hartford Courant and the New York Times praising the renovation.