551 Congress Street

Project History

551 Congress Street is located in downtown Portland’s Art District. The building was designed by brothers Charles N. and Selig Whinston of New York City. The structure, built in the late 1920s, is a wonderful example of Art Deco design. Earlier remodeling and a lightly colored finish had obscured many of the building’s architectural features. The present remodeling sought not only to repair the structure, but to elevate the building’s profile with an improved storefront design. The building is constructed of concrete block with sandstone detailing, and was covered in cracking stucco, which was caused by water infiltration and repeated freeze/thaw cycles. The stucco was removed, and a layer of Structural Skin was applied. The concrete block was then finished with Conpro Lastic, in a shade much darker than the previous finish. The sandstone repair work was accomplished with MIMIC, a color-matched repair mortar for natural stone. The sandstone was then coated with Conpro Shield W water repellent.