Kryton Smart Concrete® INTEGRAL WATERPROOFING & DURABILITY SOLUTIONS
b
  • English
  • Spanish
  • India
  • China
  • Products
    • Krystol® Technology
    • Smart Concrete®
    • Admixtures & Additives
      • Krystol Internal Membrane™ (KIM®)
      • Hard-Cem®
      • Con-Fume®
      • Krystol Mortar Admixture™ (KMA)
    • Surface Applied Waterproofing
      • Krystol Broadcast™
      • Krystol T1® Concrete Waterproofing
      • Hydrostop™ Sealer
    • Construction Joints & Details
      • Krystol Waterstop Grout™
      • Krystol Waterstop Treatment™
      • Krytonite™ Swelling Waterstop
      • Crack Inducing Waterstop
    • Concrete Repairs
      • Krystol Leak Repair System
      • Krystol Repair Grout™
      • Krystol Bari-Cote™
    • Concrete Monitoring
    • Standard Warranty
    • Krystol Assurance Program™ (KAP)
  • Sectors
    • Buildings
    • Industrial
    • Infrastructure
  • Case Studies
  • Resources
    • Information for Owners/Developers
    • Information for Architects
    • Information for Engineers
    • Information for General Contractors
    • Information for Concrete Producers
    • Technical Info
      • Application Overviews
      • Application Instructions
      • Specifications
      • Technical Data Sheets
      • Safety Data Sheets
      • CAD Drawings
      • Testing & Certification
      • LEED
    • Courses
    • Brochures
    • Videos
  • Sustainability
  • About
    • Why Kryton
    • Leadership
    • Our Values
    • Kryton History
    • Testimonials
    • News
    • Blog
    • Careers
      • Life as Krytonite
      • Current Positions
  • Find a Distributor
  • Regions
    • Spanish – Español
    • India – English
    • China – 简体字

Media

Contact Us

Royal Mills River Point Apartment Rehabilitation

Media » News January 26, 2011

The unique and historic Royal Mills apartment complex in Rhode Island was originally built in 1890 as a hydropowered cotton mill and operated as one of the world’s busiest mills for over 30 years until it was partially destroyed by fire in 1919. After cotton production was moved from the site, Royal Mills housed numerous manufacturing operations until its official closure in 1993.

The abandoned site was purchased in 2003, and the massive conversion project began. The derelict buildings were converted into 250 trendy loft-style apartments, public spaces, retail spaces, and a completely revived riverfront, including a public walking path. The former dam on site was also renovated and is now used to produce green energy in the form of hydroelectric power.

ASSESSMENT NECESSARY

Royal Mills’ location on the river, years of harsh weather abuse, heavy industrial use, fire, and years of neglect presented a big challenge for the developer. The developer invited a local cementitious waterproofing firm and distributor of integral crystalline waterproofing products to conduct an extensive repair study assessing the various conditions that plagued the complex. The waterproofing firm was then retained to perform remediation work to bring the facility to a higher rentable condition and restore the complex to its former glory.

The firm’s assessment found severe water intrusion including wet stone and brick inside occupied apartments—poor conditions in many subgrade units, and no insulation or weather-stop from the outside, allowing the weather to migrate right through the walls from the outside.

When the waterproofing firm was brought on the project, nearly 15% of the apartments had signs of internal moisture. Some had mold growing, and it didn’t look like they would be able to be brought up to living standards.

WATERPROOFING WORK

Along with extensive cosmetic work, significant waterproofing work was needed to bring the space to habitable levels. The waterproofing firm used a line of integral crystalline waterproofing products for the job. The products were selected because they allowed the company to waterproof from the inside out, leaving the building’s beautiful stone exterior intact. The waterproofing products selected for the repair and waterproofing work also feature self-sealing abilities; the crystalline technology reacts with incoming water to self-seal the cracks that inevitably develop in concrete, protecting the structure against water and contaminants that can weaken or destroy the concrete. Because the site sits along a canal and waterfall, the resistance to hydrostatic pressure that the waterproofing products offered was a very important benefit.

Sustainability was also important to the developer; much of the original flooring was refinished, and 50% of all construction debris from the historic site was reused in signage and other public areas. The crystalline waterproofing products used at Royal Mills are environmentally friendly because they are added directly to the concrete mixture. There is no need for old-fashioned petroleum-based external membranes, and the concrete waterproofing admixture contains no volatile organic compounds and has no affect on air quality. Not using traditional external membranes also greatly decreased the job-site waste.

The extensive waterproofing repair work included:

  • 1000 linear ft (305 linear in) of sealed cracks;
  • Cementitious concrete waterproofing slurry applied to interior walls to waterproof below the river level;
  • 250,000 ft2 (23,225 m2) of water-repellent sealer used to seal the original stone exterior and reduce water absorption;
  • A crystalline admixture added to the mortar used to repair the historic stone veneer to reduce permeability;
  • Several slabs poured using the same crystalline admixture to provide a permanent waterproofing solution and eliminate the need for an external membrane;
  • Extensive windowsill and lintel repair with a variety of crystalline material;
  • Several concrete and rubble elevator pit repairs; and
  • Mold remediation to the areas that required it.

Because of the extensive waterproofing and repair work, the developer was able to use a number of additional units that were once deemed unsuitable for living.

The project was finished ahead of schedule and on budget, and the owners and investors can now rest assured that their investment will be much improved.

Royal Mills was added to the national historic registrar in 2004.

Royal Mills River Point Apartments 
OWNER
Struever Brothers Eccles & Rouse
Baltimore, MD
PROJECT DESIGNER
New England Dry Concrete
Danbury, CT
REPAIR CONTRACTOR
New England Dry Concrete
Danbury, CT
MATERIAL SUPPLIER
Kryton International, Inc.
Vancouver, BC, Canada
PROJECT ENGINEER FOR MT & T BANK
PCI Consultants

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kevin Yuers is a lifelong veteran of the construction industry, having spent many years running his own contracting company before joining Kryton International, Inc. in 1994. Today, Yuers is responsible for Product Development and Technical Services at Kryton. He spends most of his time providing customers with real-world solutions to their challenges throughout Kryton’s worldwide network. Yuers writes a weekly blog offering advice and comments on all things concrete-related, with a focus on waterproofing, restoration, and repair Read it at www.waterproofconcrete.com.

Subscribe to our eNewsletter

Stay connected and subscribe to get the latest news. You can unsubscribe at any time.

"*" indicates required fields

By submitting the form, you agree to our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy

Terms of Use Privacy Policy Distributor Portal
Toll Free: +1.800.267.8280 Tel: +1.604.324.8280 Email us

Corporate Headquarters: 1645 East Kent Avenue, Vancouver, British Columbia, V5P 2S8 Canada

Calgary (Cementec): 13 Industry Way SE, Calgary, Alberta T3S 0A2 Canada

China: Room 1012, Block B, Tongzhou Wanda Plaza, No. 58, Xinhua West Street, Tongzhou District, Beijing

India (Kryton Buildmat Co. Pvt.): 136-137 Centrum Plaza, Golf Course Road, Sector 53, Gurgaon Haryana 122002

©2023 Kryton International Inc.