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In 1970
Richard Muckle, owner of Muckle & Associates, Inc., graduated from Brown
University and began self-employment as a carpenter performing restoration
and fine cabinetry work in the historic 17th and 18th century
homes of Benefit Street, Providence RI.
His reputation as a
joiner grew, and by 1980 the firm was performing small general contracts for
historical restoration in private and commercial projects. The firm won its first preservation award from the Elmwood
Historical District in 1978. Some significant projects from this
period included the complete interior restoration of a Pawtuxet
Cove Victorian estate into condominiums, renovation of a Georgian mansion on
Providence’s East Side into a radiology laboratory and offices, and
renovation of a high-fashion Thames St. boutique in Newport. In 1983 the firm relocated to Lowell, MA and expanded its focus to include important historical preservation in the Lowell mills and churches. In 1985, Richard Muckle designed and executed the restoration of twin five-story free-flying staircases in the Appleton Mills. The huge mill stairs were leveled, restored, and structurally stabilized using epoxy consolidation and filling and traditional carpentry, without the use of metal or concrete supports. This was not only a pioneering use of epoxy technology, but it provided the required stability for modern usage without compromising aesthetics or historical accuracy, and it is as solid today as the day it was completed. In 1991, the firm took on its largest challenge up to that time, the restoration of the Ayer Mill Clock tower, a 267’ landmark in the Merrimack Valley. The experience gained by the successful execution of such a complex and challenging project was the foundation for a new phase of growth into larger public and institutional general contracts and specialty contracts, all historical restoration. Space in Lawrence was leased for offices and a conservation shop in 1996, and in 2000, the firm purchased and renovated a building in Lawrence. Today, Muckle & Associates has over 6000 square feet of space for millwork and window restoration in its conservation shop, with office space in the same facility, and it employs a group of dedicated construction professionals and master craftsmen. Having grown tenfold in size, skill, and experience, the firm has maintained its focus on restoration and continues to provide its clients with outstanding service and quality in the preservation of their historic structures. |
Chimney - Walker Building