Architectural Preservation Studio, DPC

New Paltz, NY

Architectural Preservation Studio was retained by SUNY New Paltz to investigate and design repairs to the existing lead-coated copper batten-seam roof at van den Berg Hall. The building was constructed in 1935 and is a three-story masonry building with a clock tower. A fire destroyed the original clock tower in 1990, including part of the existing roof. Our work includes the design and administration of selective roof repairs to keep the building watertight and the design of a new snow-guard system.

New York, NY

McVickar Hall at Columbia University is an eight-story, 50,000 GSF residential building that was built in 1908. In 2005, Columbia decided to convert this residential building into an office building that would provide a state-of-the-art work place for the Alumni Relations and Development Groups, and a warm and inviting Welcome Center for alumni. 

The professional staff from APS were responsible for the façade restoration project. On the interior, a new second elevator was added to the core and the original elevator was refurbished. A communicating stair was added between two of the more executive floors. ADA-compliance was achieved by the sensitive addition of a ramp on the exterior. The missing sheet-metal cornice was replicated from period photos.

Photo by Alexander Severin Architectural Photography

New York, NY

New York, NY

Bronx, NY

Constructed in 1935, Keating Hall is a neo-gothic granite building with carved limestone trim. The central clock tower is a landmark of Fordham University’s Rose Hill Campus. Over the years, the limestone deteriorated, whereas the granite remained in good condition. After an initial conditions assessment, the professional staff of Architectural Preservation Studio, under WASA Studio, designed a probe program to evaluate concealed conditions. Probes revealed the underlying cause of the limestone failures was related to the location of flashing, which led to moisture retention in the limestone.

Subsequently, in collaboration with Severud Associates, structural engineers, we designed and oversaw the repair of the tower. We conducted a stone-by-stone inspection of the façades, and deteriorated limestone trim was repaired by installation of matching dutchmen, and in some cases, full stone units.  At the crenellated parapets, original limestone copings were removed and reset on through-wall copper flashing carefully designed to provide overlaps and end dams, thus precluding moisture penetration into the stone courses below.  The copings were anchored into place using stainless steel fasteners.  Lead weather-caps sealed the transverse joints. 100% repointing with a high-calcium lime-modified cementitious mortar was performed.

The tower’s steel-casement and diamond-patterned lead-came windows were meticulously restored and their performance improved by refurbishing original hardware to full functionality and the addition of compatible weather-stripping. The slab of the upper level roof was so deteriorated it required full replacement. This led to the reconstruction of the copper bulkhead. At both the lower and upper roofs, new flat-seam copper roofs replaced the failed existing. The copper housing for the clock mechanism was recreated, and new copper louvered vents replaced the existing metal-fatigued originals at the four turrets. The wrought-iron staircase was stripped to bare metal, repaired and repainted.

In addition, an earlier project designed and administered the replacement of 900 wood windows in the remaining building with aluminum double-glazed replicas that matched existing sightlines. The unique wood tracery details were retained and conserved.

Bronx, NY

APS is currently working on the exterior restoration of two of the Manhattan College’s historic quad buildings, Memorial and De La Salle Halls. The Georgian Revival buildings, completed in 1923, are built primarily of red brick, with limestone cornices, tableaus, pediments, water table, and string courses, as well as keystones and spandrel insets.

During earlier investigative phase under WASA, the professional staff of APS discovered that the construction of the buildings is somewhat unusual. Probes revealed that the exterior load-bearing walls support steel beams that carry concrete floors. In addition to flat and round brick arches above window openings, loose steel lintels were also employed at various locations and depths in the wall. Years of intermittent and sometimes persistent roof leaks have led to the corrosion and movement of many of these steel components. Repairs included resetting of limestone cornices and string courses, stone Dutchmen, trowel-applied patching, and epoxy injections. Other typical repairs included stitching in new brickwork at existing cracked masonry, reinforcing building corners, slate-sill replacement, and replacement of many of the steel lintels. Repairs at the roof included resetting of slate tile, re-cladding of dormers, and chimney restoration. The monumental stairs were also reconstructed.

In addition, under WASA, the professional staff of APS designed and performed the masonry rebuilding of the load-bearing south wall at Chrysostom Hall, the oldest building on campus. We provided the Seventh Cycle FISP (Façade Inspection Safety Program) critical examination and report filing for Horan Hall, and then undertook the design and administration of the SWARMP (Safe with a Repair and Maintenance Program) repairs. We also performed a similar exercise for Overlook Hall.

Avon, CT

It was founded in 1927 and the campus and original buildings were designed by Theodate Pope Riddle, one of America’s first female architects.

The Avon Old Farms campus was designed in the style of an English Costwold village from 1818 to 1929. Riddle Refectory is rectangular in plan, with the greater portion being an open, two-story hall. The smaller, west end is divided into an entry on the lower level with the upper level serving as a balcony overlooking the hall. In cross-section, the building profile is that of a “basilica”, in that it has a stepped roofline with a central section raised as a continuous double-sided clerestory. The roof is framed and supported by a stacked, double arch composed of heavy timbers, providing an open hall free of columns. Walls are constructed of red sandstone with an interior plaster finish. The roof is clad in random-sized red slate graduating from thinner at the top to thicker towards the eaves. A rounded copper ridge extends continuously along the peak of the upper roof, terminating in rounded ends. Above the main entrance, on the lower roof, is a single “fantail dormer” that illuminates the balcony.

Architectural Preservation Studio provided preservation consulting services which included reviewing the existing slate roofing conditions and existing drawings and proposed repair procedures at the Riddle Refectory (Dining Hall) at the historic Old Farms campus.

Waterbury, CT

Piscataway, NJ

Demarest Hall, erected in 1950, was named after William Henry Steele Demarest (1863-1956). Demarest was the President of Rutgers College from 1906-1925, and Trustee of Rutgers from 1899-1947. Demarest later became President of the New Brunswick Theological Seminary from 1925-35.

Demarest Hall is a three-story residential building and is colonial in style. The plan is “U”-shaped and the façade is articulated with a red brick with quoins at the corners, white-trimmed windows, and a slate roof topped by a central cupola. The central roof is gabled and the two side wings are gambrel with punctuated dormers. Between the gable and gambrel are slightly recessed east and west hyphens, which are also gambrel in style.

At the request of the client, Architectural Preservation Studio designed a new asphalt-shingle replacement roof, new copper lined built-in gutters, cornice and cupola repairs, and new aluminum windows for the roof dormers. APS performed an investigation from an aerial lift, developed the construction documents, assisted with bidding, and administered construction

Hoboken, NJ

John Stevens, the founder of Hoboken, bought land in 1784 and built his summer resort on Castle Point – the highest elevation in the area – in the early 1800s. After his death in 1838, his heirs established the Hoboken Land and Improvement Company, selling off large parts of the property to the City of Hoboken. Thirty acres of Castle Point remained under the family’s ownership. Edwin Stevens, son of John Stevens, replaced the old summer resort with a Victorian mansion (known as “Castle Stevens” or “Villa on the Hudson”) in 1853. In 1886, Edwin’s will bequeathed the funds and land for an “institution of learning.” The Stevens Institute of Technology opened in 1870.

From 1900-03, the Stevens family gradually sold vacant land parcels to new buyers, which led to the establishment of the Castle Point Terrace neighborhood with its yellow cobblestone street. In 1900, 809 Castle Point Terrace was sold to construct the current Neo-Gothic house. In 1963, 809 Castle Point Terrace became the new home for the Delta Tau Delta, and in 1991, Castle Point Historic District was established to protect the prestigious neighborhood. The building continues to be the home of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity and is owned by the Stevens Institute of Technology.

The two-storied Neo-Gothic structure is clad with white iron-spot bricks and terra-cotta ornamentation. The sloping roof is covered with Ludowici-Celadon Imperial Closed shingles. Most of the windows and gables have ornamental terra-cotta floral decorative units, and the pattern above the windows mimics the three-pointed Gothic arches. The structure is located up the slope from Castle Point Terrace, and the street level is connected to the main building entrance portico via a set of steps supported by retaining walls.

APS performed an exterior conditions assessment, which included a drone survey of the leaking roof. Much of the terra cotta, particularly at lintels, has cracked, presumably from concealed corroding steel. The terra-cotta shingle roof and membrane setback roofs have outlived their service life and require replacement. Retaining walls are in poor condition. Leaks were also occurring through the foundation walls at the uphill side of the building. APS design and administered foundation damp-proofing, including re-routing of downspouts and installation of piping to carry away foundation moisture.

Hoboken, NJ

Architectural Preservation Studio was retained by Stevens Institute of Technology to restore the exterior of the Castle Point Gatehouse, the surviving remnant of the Stevens Castle, a 40-room mansion. Dating to 1853, the Castle Point Gatehouse currently marks the southern entrance to the Stevens Institute of Technology campus. The load-bearing stone and brick structure was in a serious state of disrepair. APS performed a conditions assessment and structural review of the collapsing areas, providing a report along with a construction cost estimate. Following this, the structure was stabilized, while APS developed Construction Documents. APS then administered construction, restoring the masonry and wrought-iron work, accomplishing re-roofing, and refurbishing the wood windows, for a fee well below the client’s budget. The project also involved the application of lime-based stone patching for the repair of the existing serpentine-stone masonry.

Soon after completion, an accident occurred where a truck attempted to pass through the gate, thereby structurally destabilizing it. APS designed the stone-by-stone disassembly.

New York, NY

New York, NY

Completed in 1906, 24 Waverly Place is an 11-story academic building on the NYU campus. Located on a corner, the street façades are constructed with concrete bricks, the upper two stories of which had been replaced with EIFS. The facades are articulated by string courses of terra cotta. Architectural Preservation Studio performed an initial survey and designed the repair of SWARMP (Safe with a Repair and Maintenance Program) conditions. These included spandrel rebuilding, re-pointing, secondary spandrel steel replacement, terra-cotta cartouche disassembly and reassembly along with terra-cotta crack and patch repairs, and EIFS repairs. For the 8th Cycle of FISP (Façade Inspection Safety Program, formerly known as Local Law 11/98), the building was filed as Safe.

New York, NY

18-20 East 8th Street constructed in 1834-1835, is used as housing for NYU faculty. It is located between University Place and 5th Avenue within the Greenwich Village Historic District.

This section of East 8th Street was originally designed as a row of single-family townhouse residences. This Greek Revival building was remodeled in 1916 when it was converted into apartments. The façade was redesigned in the Mediterranean style.

The north façade is rendered in stucco with a brick base and brick sills. The entrance has a semicircular arched door surround decorated with tiles. This façade is mostly symmetrical; decorative elements above windows vary and an arched parapet breaks the roofline on the 18 East 8th Street side. The south, east, and west façades are constructed of brick with a stucco finish along the 1st floor, stone sills and lintels, single-hung windows, and a fire-escape stair along the south façade.

Architectural Preservation Studio initially undertook an exterior conditions assessment of the building. Sections of plaster on the east façade and the bulkhead were in poor condition. The fire staircase had peeling paint, missing guard rails, and corrosion. Rusted lintels, deteriorated party-wall copings and finally the concrete staircase leading to the basement was entirely spalled. Following the submission of a report with a prioritized cost estimate, APS developed construction documents and is currently overseeing bidding and construction administration that includes stucco repair, fire staircase recoating and guard rail installation, lintel replacement, party-wall coping replacement and rebuilding the concrete staircase.

New York, NY

316 Third Avenue, also known as Gramercy Green, was completed in 2006. It is a 22-story pre-cast concrete panel and a glazed curtain-wall residential structure. Architectural Preservation Studio performed the FISP critical examination and filed the building as SWARMP (Safe with a Repair and Maintenance Program). The conditions identified were deteriorated sealant, concrete cracks, concrete spalls, and failed waterproofing at the roof. The building went through a 100% sealant replacement, all concrete cracks were repaired and spalls patched. The failed waterproofing membrane at the roof was replaced and new waterproofing was added to the bulkhead balcony.

New Brunswick, NJ

Helyar House is a two-story residential building located at 20 College Farm Road, in New Brunswick, NJ. It is constructed in masonry with a low-slope roof. The building was designed by Eckert Gatarz Architects and completed in 1968. The existing roofing has an area of approximately 6,500 SF and had reached the end of its service life. Architectural Preservation Studio designed and oversaw the construction of a new lightweight concrete topping followed by a new SBS modified-bitumen roofing system with a 20-year NDL warranty. In addition, associated masonry repairs, including the partial rebuilding of the chimney, were also accomplished.

Bronx, NY

Horan Hall is one of the largest dormitories at Manhattan College. Built in 1991, the building is a 12-story concrete-frame structure, with a cavity-wall system clad in brick.

The professional staff of Architectural Preservation Studio, under WASA, was retained to file the Seventh Cycle NYC FISP (Façade Inspection Safety Program) report. We identified deteriorated and cracked parapets, spalls at exposed horizontal “eyebrows” (slab edges), and spalls at the railings. The Seventh Cycle FISP report was filed as SWARMP (Safe with a Repair and Maintenance Program). We then prepared construction documents for repairs. Concrete around railing penetrations was demolished to provide access to the base and anchorage. Corroded railings were prepared, primed and painted, and re-anchored into repair mortar. Joints were sealed, and the patches treated with a water-repellent coating. A similar approach was taken for the eyebrows. Upon removals, bent stainless-steel pins were inserted to provide additional mechanical attachment. Existing and new reinforcement were prepared and treated with an anti-corrosion coating and binding agent prior to repair-mortar placement. Following a 14-day cure period, the patches were coated with a water-repellent.

 Branchburg Township, New Jersey

The 48,000-sf plaza forms the core of this central New Jersey community college. The existing plaza, located on three levels and partially over occupied space, had been leaking for many years. The professional staff of Architectural Preservation Studio was engaged to investigate the existing waterproofing conditions and to develop a comprehensive rehabilitation program that could be implemented in phases to accommodate the academic calendar and budget.

The new waterproofing system employed new lightweight concrete over the existing structural concrete deck, followed by a two-ply SBS modified-bitumen system, filter fabric, drainage mat and the reinstallation of the existing concrete pavers. Due to intricate terminations, a fluid-applied waterproofing system was specified at all perimeter walls, parapets, scuppers and adjoining areas. Phase 2 of this project was completed in November 2011. Architectural Preservation Studio was recently retained to design and administer Phase 3.