VA Hospital Abandoned Bridge Abutment Repair
St Cloud, MN
The St Cloud VA Health Care Center is located just south of the Sauk River, west of County Highway 15. In 2013, Leech Lake Builders contracted Blackstone Contractors to repair a concrete fishing pier, stabilize the riverbank and repair an abandoned bridge abutment that serves as a historic interpretation area and pedestrian gathering space on the Sauk River. The new precast concrete fishing pier is set on helical anchors to provide an accessible area for users.
Due to the bridge abutment’s historical and cultural significance, Blackstone’s masonry and structural concrete repair work had to comply with Federal and the Minnesota’s State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) guidelines. This included salvaging and documenting placement of existing, removed and replaced stone pieces and restoration using building material mixtures that comply with the historical time period of the original work.
