Named after benefactor Silas Cobb, the historic Cobb Hall was built in 1892 by architect Henry Ives Cobb and was the first University of Chicago building completed on the Hyde Park campus.

Cobb Hall was constructed using solid masonry exterior walls clad with decorative and flat ashlar Indiana limestone units. The outer wythe limestone cladding is supported using steel lintels, shelf angles, and mechanical anchors. The building frame consists mainly of steel construction and the exterior walls thickness is nearly 2” in some areas.

In spring of 2017, The University of Chicago retained ZS to provide professional design services and issue construction bid documents for historic restoration/rehabilitation of targeted exterior wall elements. The first phase of the repair construction work was started and completed in the summer of 2017 and was performed while the building was occupied and functional. The second phase of the repair work was started and completed in the summer of 2018, and was also performed while the building was occupied and functional.

ZS’ scope included:

• Hands on field examination and documentation of existing conditions supplemented with destructive and nondestructive testing
• Design Development Report
• Development of the restoration/rehabilitation bid construction documents
• Bidding Assistance
• Construction Observation and Administration