Delbarton School Tower Study

Located in Morristown, New Jersey, the Delbarton School is a Catholic independent school, educating young men through seventh to twelfth grades. The East Tower of the Senior Garden was built during the site’s original use as a private residence and extensive gardens. The East Tower acts as an essential spatial junction connecting the Old Main Building with the sculpture-fill loggia that leads to the West Tower. Together, the two towers create a tranquil enclosure which frames the picturesque Senior Garden. EverGreene has conserved many of the sculptures in this garden.

In the winter of 2019, EverGreene was contracted by the Delbarton School to conduct an overall assessment of the East Tower after a quarter of the east wall exterior collapsed due to water infiltration and freezing. There was concern about the stability of the entire structure.

The on-site investigation and evaluation conclude that the East Tower is experiencing a more extensive material deterioration than estimated before the study. The malfunction of the drainage system forced water to run within the masonry walls and gradually wash out binder in the original mortar, causing the cleavage of east wall, lost of adhesion in mortar especially within south wall, and pervasive efflorescence throughout interior surfaces.

Based on our study and a separate engineering evaluation, a full-scale restoration of the tower occurred.