The historic Lightner Museum is a prominent landmark in the Historic St. Augustine downtown area. That’s why there was no question about pursuing a contract to renovate the building previously-called “the castle of happy returns”. The museum is housed in the former Alcazar Hotel, which was built in 1888 by Henry Morrison Flagler. Once the hotel closed, the museum was opened in 1948 and has been a mainstay in the community ever since. Our owner at Performance Painting, Jason Parker, was adamant about the prospect of renovating the old Spanish Renaissance style building. Not just because of the exciting business opportunity but also because the building is very dear to him.
“In 2001, I married the love of my life at the Lightner Museum. Having this opportunity for my company as well as myself gives me tremendous pride. The experience of restoring beauty to this symbolic structure is a true honor,” said Jason Parker, owner of Performance Painting Contractors, Inc.
We were invited by Childers Roofing to be the painting contractor for the restoration of the museum. Childers was already tasked with removing the original barrel tile, replacing the roof below and then reinserting the original tiles. They recommended us because they knew of our unique ability to handle the scope of work needing to be done. Our team would be in charge of preparing and painting all of the soffits, window trim and doors of the museum.
The crew began by scraping off all of the loose and failing paint. Once the failed paint was removed, the surfaces were sanded down and the edges feathered to create a smoother appearance. During the removal of the old paint, lead safe practices were meticulously followed to ensure that
all of the old, lead paint was contained. Performance Painting is a lead certified company whose employees are trained to follow these practices to standards according to the EPA. This was a vital part to the project as the museum and surrounding area was a high traffic zone for residents and tourists alike.
Once all of the failing paint had been removed, all surfaces were primed with Peel Bond Primer before painting. This unique, water-based penetrating hi-build bonding primer helps reduce cracking and peeling of the top coat by remaining flexible for the lifetime of the paint. After the primer had time to cure, two coats of Benjamin Moore Aura were applied to every surface. The great thing about the Aura product is its superior fade resistance and exceptional color. It also protects against cracking, peeling, mildew and stains.
Applying the paint was one thing, however, getting into position was another task altogether. To reach the soffits of the museum, a sophisticated scaffolding system had to be put in place to allow our crews to reach the work areas safely. Due to the height of the structure, the scaffolding had to ensure the crew’s safety against wind and falling debris. All of this was completed on time by our crew of six, with them finishing July of 2014.
“Currently the general public sees scaffoldings and covers, but once those come down, the building will be in its natural state with updated paint for all to see and enjoy,” said Raymond Bryant, project manager for the Lightner Museum Project.
With more than 15 years of expertise in the painting industry. Performance Painting Contractors has become a reliable one-stop shop for any painting task in the state of Florida. Our experienced painting contractors have the know-how to proudly offer a variety of services, ranging from interior and exterior surface preparation, wall painting, wood and concrete staining, pressure washing, waterproofing and epoxy flooring as well as metal coating applications.
