Hyde Park, IL

Fox River Country Day School, Concrete Grain Silo

Scope/Solutions

The 53-acre Fox River Country Day School campus, a designated Natural Heritage Landmark, comprises ten major buildings constructed during different eras. When the school was established in 1923, the property included a working farm. The City of Elgin now owns the campus, including two of the original farm structures: a concrete grain silo and a log barn. To support an effort by Landmarks Illinois to summarize the campus’s repair needs and historical significance, SGH assessed the concrete grain silo’s condition.

SGH visited the site to investigate the condition of the cylindrical silo, which is approximately 12 ft in diameter and 40 ft tall. We determined the silo walls were generally in good condition, but the deteriorated roof permitted water infiltration and certain appurtenances (e.g., metal access ladder, concrete vent stack, and wood trim pieces) were also damaged. We also researched historical construction methods to better understand the silo’s design and inform our recommendations.

To help Landmarks Illinois in their planning effort, SGH developed a conceptual repair plan for the silo and estimated the probable costs. Highlights of our recommendations include the following:

  • Locally repair deteriorated concrete at the walls and roof
  • Apply a protective coating to the repaired roof to slow future deterioration
  • Repair damaged wood at windows and doors

Project Summary

completion-date

2017

Completion Date
Solutions
Repair & Rehabilitation
Services
Structures
Markets
Education | Industrial
Client(s)
Landmarks Illinois
Specialized Capabilities
Repair & Strengthening | Preservation

Key team members

Peter Babaian
Peter Babaian
Building Technology Division Head, Chicago
Kevin Conroy
Kevin Conroy
Associate Principal