RBA Engineer Contributes Article to Construction Specifier Magazine

Troy, NY – May 12, 2006 – David T. Biggs, P.E., Principal of Ryan-Biggs Associates, P.C., in Troy, NY, authored an article titled, “Brick Nogging, Historical Investigation and Contemporary Repair” for Construction Specifier magazine. The article, featured in the April 2006 issue, explores the historical use of brick in timber-framed buildings, drawing on the investigations of the Kent Tavern in Calais, VT.

Brick nogging is a European method of construction which was brought to the new world in the early-nineteenth century. It was a common construction method that employed masonry as infill between the vertical uprights of wood framing. Kent Tavern is a rare example of that construction. The article presented the strategies used to renovate the masonry walls and maintain the historical integrity of the building as it becomes a state museum.

Built by Abdiel Kent between 1833 and 1837, Kent Tavern served as a stagecoach stop between Boston, Massachusetts, and Montreal, Canada, until the arrival of the railroad in 1846. The Vermont Division for Historic Preservation named Kent Tavern a historical landmark in 1997.

David Biggs is a masonry specialist with over thirty years of experience. He was elected an Honorary Member of the American Society of Civil Engineers in 2005 based upon his engineering expertise with historical restoration and forensic evaluation of structures. Ryan-Biggs Associates has been involved with the restoration of over 300 historical buildings and structures in the United States. Over 80 of these buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places by the National Park Service, which is part of the US Department of the Interior, and 10 have been designated “Save America’s Treasures,” a program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the National Park Service. Some of Mr. Biggs current restoration projects include the Jean Hasbrouck House (c 1680) in New Paltz, NY, Fort Ticonderoga (1754) in Ticonderoga, NY, Hacienda Santa Elena (c 1790) in Puerto Rico, and the Bennington Battle Monument (1889) in Bennington, VT.

About Ryan-Biggs Associates, P.C.
Ryan-Biggs Associates, P.C., is a consulting engineering firm specializing in structural engineering. Since 1973, they have been providing design services from their main office in Troy, New York, and branch offices in Skaneateles, New York, and West Chester, Pennsylvania.