Old State House

The historic preservation of the Old State House involved completely restoring the building’s west façade and east balcony. Restoration work included window frame replacements, window sill replacements, sealing the windows between the wood and masonry. The iconic Lion and Unicorn statues were carefully removed and restored, repairs were made to their copper and steel structures, and shiny new coats of palladium and gold leaf were applied to their surfaces. The restored statues were returned to their perches, and repairs to the brickwork and wood of windows and the balcony were completed.

Project Specifications

• 28,000 SF
• 9-month schedule
• Considered Boston’s oldest surviving public building, originally constructed in 1713
• Restored the historic east balcony from which the Declaration of Independence was read in 1776
• The life-size Lion and Unicorn statues were placed in custom crates and transported to a sculpture restoration studio in suburban Woburn
• Due to space constraints, the Old State House’s new MEP equipment, which was located on the 9th floor of an adjacent 10-story building, was piped down the neighboring structure, under the sidewalk and fed into the Old State House
• The historic preservation and restoration of both the Old State House and Faneuil Hall were completed simultaneously
• An active “T” station, located in the building’s basement remained fully operational during construction
• Listed in the National Registry of Historical Buildings