Avondale Office Build – floor removal

Any old building is sure to have secrets and the station certainly did not disappoint.  The original floor was suspended by a series of beams pocketed directly into the stone walls.  These beams had been modified over the years and even doubled up in one section presumably to mitigate the effect of the rotting joists.  A beam centered under the floor also added support in this area and was anchored on either end by a brick and stone column.  This stage of the project revealed several small openings in the walls which would have been supported by heavy timbers originally.  The wood had since rotted away, leaving the stone in an unstable condition.  New concrete lintels were installed to provide modern support to the old walls.