A New York City Landmark, the Consolidated Edison (ConEd) Headquarters building at 4 Irving Place is an iconic example of Renaissance Revival architecture. It was designed by Henry J. Hardenbergh in 1911, with later additions by Hardenbergh and Warren & Wetmore; the contractor was the George A. Fuller Company.

As the restoration Engineer / Architect for the building, SUPERSTRUCTURES was a recipient of the 2022 Project of the Year Award from the NY Chapter of the International Concrete Repair Institute (ICRI). The project was successful thanks to ConEd, our enlightened client, and the contractor, Pullman SST, Inc. who executed our restoration design.

SUPERSTRUCTURES provided investigation, design, and construction administration services to restore the building’s limestone, granite, brick masonry, stucco, copper, and bronze facade. Investigation methods included a Gigapan survey of the building’s envelope and examination of the cupola via rope access. Restoration work included: sounding and removal of limestone spalls; replacement and patching of cracked limestone masonry using micro-injection grout; dutchman stone repairs; brick and stone masonry repointing; sealant installation; and stucco coating repairs.

Completed in 1908 as P.S. 5, this downtown Brooklyn high school was designed by C.B.J. Snyder, the noted architect and Superintendent of Buildings for the New York City Board of Education who contributed many innovations in school design. A masterpiece of Snyder’s signature Collegiate Gothic style, its architectural flourishes are inspired by the colleges of Oxford and Cambridge. With the construction of a 1963 addition, the school was renamed in honor of the great American engineer and inventor, George Westinghouse (1846-1914).

SUPERSTRUCTURES' 2018 exterior restoration project addressed several major building components. Key among them was the parapet which crowns the building with a detailed ornamental outline containing small pointed arches, large gable outlines, and ornate tracery. The entire street-facing parapet was reconstructed, matching original materials in shape, color, and texture. Another highlight of the project was restoration of the arched, Guastavino-tiled ceiling in the Tillary Street loggia, which had been damaged by water infiltration from above. Work also included roof replacements and repair of exterior masonry.

The GSA has recognized the Conrad B. Duberstein U.S. Bankruptcy Court project in Brooklyn, NY, with a Design Excellence Award. The six-year, $61.7 million project included the replication of 16,000 terra cotta units, granite cladding restoration, and replacement of slate roofs and gutters.

SUPERSTRUCTURES, as a member of the Construction Management team led by Lend Lease, participated as Commissioning Agent throughout the project duration. Our commissioning services encompass historic preservation, structural engineering, materials conservation, and waterproofing. This project, with its vast amount of data, was a quintessential opportunity to enhance our commissioning services through the use of our proprietary Asset Information Manager (AIM) software.

St. Paul’s Chapel in lower Manhattan is part of Trinity Wall Street parish. It is among the very few 18th century buildings remaining in New York City, and is the most notable both architecturally and historically. It has been deemed one of the two finest examples of Late Georgian church architecture in the United States. Thomas McBean designed St. Paul’s as a rustic interpretation of the famous St Martin-in-the-Fields in London, England.

The east and west porticos of the chapel, its clock tower, and steeple were the focal points of the restoration. One goal was to retain as much of the original building fabric as possible. After extensive research and discussion between SUPERSTRUCTURES, the parish, and the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission, it was decided to restore the building as much as possible to its condition as of 1929. No major alterations had occurred since then and it was the earliest period for which overall conditions could be reasonably be verified for a historically cohesive restoration.

Widely thought to be one of the finest Victorian Gothic buildings in the United States, the Jefferson Market Branch of the New York Public Library is one of the most beloved landmarks in Greenwich Village. The building is not only prized for its original design, but as one of the first examples of an adaptive re-use project in the United States – a veritable landmark in the history of landmarks.

Given this context, the current exterior restoration project sought to preserve both stages of the building's development as being historically important.

As architect, structural engineer, and conservator, SUPERSTRUCTURES provided comprehensive investigation, design, and construction administration services for the complete exterior restoration. Some structural issues were also investigated and addressed as required. The project was managed by the NYC Department of Design and Construction for the New York Public Library.

Originally constructed in 1898 to serve New York City as a public school, this 5-story Collegiate Gothic building on Manhattan's Lower East Side was designed by C.B.J Snyder, the then Superintendent of School Buildings. It currently serves as a community arts center focused on the preservation and presentation of Latino culture. The building’s façade, characterized by its steeply pitched roof line punctuated by dormers and decorative features, had suffered extensive deterioration by the time the project was initiated.

SUPERSTRUCTURES provided comprehensive investigation, design, and construction administration services for the complete exterior restoration. The Department of NYC Cultural Affairs and NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services funded the project, which was managed by the NYC Department of Design and Construction.

The Rod Rodgers and Duo Multicultural Arts Center on East 4th Street in Manhattan was built in 1889 and is now owned by the City and managed by Fourth Arts Block, a non-profit organization. The 5-story building is located in the city's only designated Cultural District. Its unusual façade often draws the eye of passersby – particularly the circular iron fire escape leading down from a loggia on the fourth floor, screened from the outside by perforated iron mesh. Also notable are the large French windows on the second floor, and classical detailing.

The exterior restoration, comprising repair or replacement of almost every visible element of the building and requiring expertise in a host of materials, has resulted in an impressive transformation. The project was managed by New York City’s Department of Design and Construction. SUPERSTRUCTURES provided investigation, design, and construction administration services.

Newtown High School is a large secondary school in the residential neighborhood of Elmhurst, in western Queens. It is one of Queen's most prominent buildings, and occupies an entire city block. Newtown High School celebrated its 115th anniversary in 2012.

The renovation project consisted of comprehensive exterior envelope repairs. Considerable skill in documentation and construction was demonstrated with the replacement of poly-chrome terracotta ornament and reconstruction of the four secondary turrets and their copper roofs. The project was completed for the New York City School Construction Authority.

The MacIntyre Building at Broadway and 18th Street was built in 1890-92 as an office building. The structure, now a cooperative apartment building, has been recognized by the Landmarks Preservation Commission "as one of the most distinctive and distinguished in the neighborhood," which, given the wealth of estimable buildings in the vicinity, is high praise indeed.

The exterior restoration and preservation work at the MacIntyre, comprising a masonry façade restoration and roof replacement, offered some special challenges - the AIA's Guide to New York City memorably characterizes the building's style as "Unspeakable eclectic: a murmuration of Byzantine columns, Romanesque arches, Gothic finials and crockets - the designer used the whole arsenal of history in one shot."

SUPERSTRUCTURES provided comprehensive investigation, design, and construction administration services for the complete exterior restoration.