Gladwyne Library

The Gladwyne Free Library resides in a 1921, two-story stone structure originally owned by the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania. The Diocese constructed the building as a community hall, and the structure has subsequently been a post office, a community health center, a polling place, a site for various club meetings, and gymnasium. In 1931, Maud and Stuart Bell established a community library in one of the rooms, and twenty years later, the Episcopal Diocese sold the building to the Gladwyne Free Library Corporation. Over the past sixty years, the Gladwyne Free Library has been expanded and updated.

CWA was hired to repair and restore the Children’s Library. The Children’s Library, located in the basement of the building, had suffered significant interior finish damage due to water infiltration through the stone foundation walls. As was common practice in 1921, the original foundation walls were not waterproofed and a foundation drain was not provided. The Library Board decided to remedy the foundation wall problems before undertaking any interior restoration work. Our work entailed documentation of mold remediation and interior and exterior waterproofing strategies including exterior site work and streetscape improvements. When the waterproofing was complete we renovated the damaged interior finishes.