Architect Jeffrey Scott Penn and Joseph Shibley, owner of the Bismarck Hotel building at 16 Union St. with a rendering of the refurbished porches. (Photo by Amy Porter)
WESTFIELD – Joseph Shibley, co-owner with Donna Shibley of the historic Bismarck Hotel (built in 1899), which houses Pilgrim Candle and other businesses at 16 Union Ave., said the project to restore the exterior porch is 95% complete.
“We’ll finish in the spring,” Shibley said. He said the welder has repaired some railings that were bent when they dismantled the old porch; they finished the electric, and the metal has been prepped for painting, which couldn’t be completed because the weather got too cold.
The façade was a project funded by a grant of $250,000 from the Community Preservation Committee, and endorsed by the Historic Commission.
During the discussion on the project funding at the Community Preservation Committee meeting, Historic Commission chair Cynthia Gaylord said the Hotel Bismarck, along with Buschmann’s Block next door (built in 1873), also owned by the Shibleys, are historic destinations in the city. She said both buildings are stops on the Historic Commission’s walking tour, Whipping around Westfield.
“I’m really happy with the construction part of it so far,” Shibley said. The contractors for the job were Saloomey Construction, and the design work was done by Architect Jeffrey Scott Penn of Huntington.
Once completed and painted, the porch has been wired to allow lighting. Shibley said by next year, it will be lit up for the holidays.
Shibley said he plans to host a grand opening for the project once it’s completed in the spring, which he said should take only two weeks at most, in order to thank those that made it possible.
