At Precision Foundation Repair and Concrete Lifting, I recently had the incredible opportunity to visit the historic Baker Hotel located in downtown Mineral Wells, Texas. Construction on this landmark began 100 years ago, but after sitting vacant for roughly the last 50 years, the property fell into various states of disrepair.
Today, it is undergoing a tremendous renovation. While the interior craftsmanship being restored is already unmatched, one of the first exterior features the team wants to get up and running is the Olympic-size pool situated at the front of the hotel
The History of the Suspended Pool
This is not your average swimming pool. A century ago, the hotel’s builder, Mr. Baker, returned from a trip to California and decided he wanted his property to be among the first hotels to feature a pool out front. (source: Wikipedia)
Even though construction was already underway and basements had been dug exactly where the pool sits today, he ordered the hotel’s footprint to be moved over to accommodate his vision. Because of this late architectural change, the pool is actually suspended, meaning you can literally walk underneath it.
The Challenge: Historic Preservation vs. Trip Hazards
Over the decades, the original concrete slabs surrounding the pool have settled unevenly, creating serious trip hazards. Catching a toe on one of these uneven edges in a pair of flip-flops is a major safety risk, and these hazards are scattered all around the pool deck.
However, the restoration team wants to maintain as much of the original 100-year-old concrete as possible. They are dedicating tons of attention to detail on the inside, and that same standard applies out here around the pool deck. Tearing out the historic concrete and starting over was not an option.
The Solution: Polyurethane Concrete Lifting
Our non-invasive polyurethane concrete lifting process is the perfect fit to preserve this piece of history while restoring safety.
Here is our exact plan for the Baker Hotel pool deck:
- Precision Lifting: We will pump our high-density poly underneath the sunken slabs to perfectly level the uneven concrete.
- Sealing and Protection: Once the slabs are flush, we will seal the existing cracks and expansion joints to prevent future water intrusion.
- Rapid Restoration: We will complete the entire lifting and sealing process in just a day or two.
This method cleans up the deck, patches the vulnerabilities, and gets the original concrete fixed back up and ready for use.
Protect Your Own Backyard Oasis
We feel deeply honored to be considered for an incredible project like this; there are not many facilities like the Baker Hotel out there. But you do not need to own a 100-year-old historic landmark to get this level of professional care.
If you have a regular pool in your backyard dealing with sinking concrete and trip hazards, we fix tons of those all the time.