Our expertise was once again put to use on one of Nevada City’s most iconic historical buildings, the Stonehouse Brewery Building at 107 Sacramento Street. A brewery on the site dates back to 1857, with granite walls constructed in 1882 when George Gehrig, a local businessman, hired Italian stonemasons and Chinese laborers who quarried granite blocks, one stone at a time.

While the architect, builder, and engineer are unknown, like many gold-rush era buildings, the three-story structure was constructed from locally sourced building materials including the granite blocks, bricks and timbers. When it comes to locally fired bricks, understanding methodology, local aggregate composition, and what repairs have been made over time are all important factors in assessing brick and mortar condition. The building is 10,000 sq. ft. in size and includes three stories with both Group A-1 and Group R occupancy ratings that include large assembly areas, commercial kitchens, and living spaces.

A storage cave dug into the hillside was originally used for aging casks of ale and is now used for special events. It was accessed from inside the building when the building covered a space that is now a patio area. The cave had been connected to other parts of the city via tunnels that were filled in almost a hundred years later when California State Route 49 became a freeway. Also beneath the cave is an aqueduct that channels water into Deer Creek.

The challenge of this inspection, like many large gold-rush era buildings, is understanding the mixed-use balance needed for both commercial usage and residential living space with different code and safety requirements for each. Since there were multiple HVAC systems and large commercial electrical requirements, we employed our TEAM Approach using our trusted local specialty contractor partners. Our knowledge of gold-rush era masonry and building techniques was also an important factor in this inspection.