The historic town of Harpers Ferry is a museum town, dating back to the Revolutionary War.  Some of the original buildings remain in place.  Henry Adams' task was to provide mechanical and electrical design to restore the buildings for offices and exhibits.  Working with the architect and National Park Service, Henry Adams designed and prepared for installation of mechanical equipment with minimal impact on the appearance of the buildings, while providing comfort and environment fit for modern times. Also, consideration was given to the fact that flood levels are high at the site. The solutions were to locate the air handling units in the attic, and ductwork and sprinkler piping was located within the floor joists, wall studs and closet spaces. Chiller and associated evaporative condenser were located inside false window of an attached structure. Electric service was increased to provide new feeder and new equipment, and was located on the upper floors, out of the flood plain. New lighting and power systems, infrastructure for a future communication system, and a new fire alarm system were provided. A new floor wireway system was designed for the exhibit areas.  A securty system with motion detection, glass breakage detectors, door contacts and a control panel were also added.  Emergency power for egress was provided through a central battery unit.

This project won a design award for historic preservation from the Baltimore Chapter of AIA.

Additional Information:

Location	Harpers Ferry, WV
Construction Value	$1,760,000
Owner	National Park Service
Architect	GWWO, Inc./Architects

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