Meridian Hill Park: Rehabilitating a Historic Landscape with Consigli Construction (Members Only)

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DC Preservation League Members are invited to join us on Wednesday, May 26th at 12:00pm EDT for a presentation and discussion with

Consigli Construction Co., Inc. about their current project to rehabilitate Meridian Hill Park. 

Meridian Hill Park is a 12-acre formal Italian-styled landscape designed and built between 1912 and 1936. The site takes its name from the original District of Columbia milestone that was placed on the site  in 1791 at the line of longitude or the meridian. A mansion was erected on the site in 1819 and served as  John Quincy Adams’ home after his presidency concluded. The grounds were converted to a public park  and Union troops utilized the space as a campground during the Civil War. In 1910 the grounds were  purchased by the U.S. government and George Burnap and Horace Peaslee were hired as the landscape  architects. Master Craftsman J.J. Early developed a technique of mixing aggregate in concrete then  scrubbing the surface to expose the concrete as a way to mimic ancient pebble mosaics. The use of  exposed aggregate concrete was a revolutionary development in building materials at the time.  

During this phase of the restoration, the architectural features at the Lower Plaza and Great Stair will be  rehabilitated, including repairs to exposed aggregate concrete paving, walls, and decorative elements  that will be replaced with new. The character of the original landscape will be restored at the Lower  Plaza including adding new trees and a silva cell system for drainage and water management. An ADA  accessible route will be installed on the 16th Street side to make the park welcoming to all. At the Upper  Plaza, the Linden Allee will have new pleaching frames installed as per the original, never executed  design. The trees will be trained on them to frame the view of the Washington Monument from the  park.  

In this presentation, representatives from Consigli Construction Co., Inc. will show the audience the work that has been completed so far, discuss the challenges that they have faced working in this unique landmark, and introduce the upcoming work and what can be expected of the final product. 

Speakers

Philip Brault, LEED AP BD+C  

Project Executive, Consigli Construction Co., Inc.  

Phil Brault has spent his entire fifteen-year career working for Consigli Construction Co., Inc. As Project  Executive, Phil has led numerous historic preservation projects across multiple states including the New  York State Capitol, Boston Public Library, and Smithsonian National Zoo Police Station. He is also  currently leading teams on the restoration of the Netherlands Carillon, Meridian Hill Park, Dumbarton  Oaks Main House, and the Menokin Glass House.  

In 2018, he was awarded Boston Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 Award and Preservation Mass’s Paul &  Niki Tsongas Award: The Next Generation, which is the highest honor that Preservation Massachusetts  bestows upon people, projects and places that demonstrate the highest level of commitment to historic  preservation in the Commonwealth. His passion for historic preservation led him here to Washington  DC, where he continues to be an activist for Consigli’s DC office in all things preservation. He and his  family reside in Montgomery County where they enjoy outdoor activities in their leisure time.  

Phil earned a B.S. in Civil engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) and an MBA from  Northeastern University. He is a LEED AP BD+C (Building Design + Construction) and is a Certified  Construction Quality Manager with the US Army Corps of Engineers. He is a Trustee for the DC Preservation League (DCPL) and serves on DCPL's Project Review Committee.  

Naomi Doddington  

Assistant Project Manager, Consigli Construction Co., Inc.  

Naomi has worked for Consigli Construction Co., Inc. for almost four years. In addition to managing the  restoration of Meridian Hill Park, she is currently involved with the historic restoration of the  Netherlands Carillon, the National City Christian Church, and Menokin Plantation. Her past projects with  Consigli include the Smithsonian National Zoo Police Station and Architect of the Capitol’s Olmstead  Terrace, the U.S. Botanic Garden Exterior Stone Repair and Roof Replacement, The Library of Congress - Thomas Jefferson Building East & West Main Pavilion Roof Replacement and Thurgood Marshall Federal  Judiciary Building Facade Protection System. A current DC resident, she formerly worked as an architect  for the National Park Service’s Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) documenting historic sites,  structures, and buildings.  

Naomi earned an M.S. in Historic Preservation and Conservation from Clemson University/College of  Charleston Graduate School. She has a B.F.A. in Theater Production from the University of Florida. She currently serves on the board of The Association for Preservation Technology, Washington DC Chapter  as Treasurer.

About Consigli Construction Co., Inc. 

Consigli Construction Co., Inc. first made its mark in 1905 as a masonry contractor, built on a firm and  longstanding foundation of quality workmanship. Four generations and over 100 years later, Consigli has  grown from a local business into one of the largest construction managers and general contractors in  the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic.  

Consigli is recognized for its historic restoration portfolio which includes the preservation of three state  capitols in New York, Maine and Massachusetts; the Smithsonian’s Renwick Gallery in Washington, D.C.;  Travelers Tower in Hartford, CT; and the Bowdoin Art Museum in Maine. Through this experience, we  know how to work with a wide range of architectural styles and such challenges as ADA and life safety  upgrades, envelope restoration, waterproofing and energy upgrades while maintaining the character  and integrity of historic structures. By integrating time honored restoration approaches with modern  technology, Consigli has successfully managed the most difficult historic restoration and preservation projects with the eye of a genuine builder.

Thank you to our sponsors! 

Bonstra | Haresign ARCHITECTS • Clark Construction Group, LLC 

Consigli Construction Co., Inc. • FILLAT + Architecture 

Quinn Evans Architects • Roadside Development LLC 

ZDS Architecture and Interiors