With baseball season underway, we’re reminded of this Yogi Berra quote. Fuzzy math aside, we identify with the sentiment.

We have a healthy respect for the tools of our trade—both traditional and cutting edge. For example: the ruling pen. Precise yet finicky, this draughtsman’s tool of yesteryear has since been replaced by the Rapidograph, lead on mylar, and finally by the clean digital lines of CAD. But are newer tools always better?

SUPERSTRUCTURES is excited to launch the sixth season of the Frost Jacking Day Tracker. "Frost jacking" is what happens when freezing temperatures cause rain or snow to turn to ice and expand cracks in a facade. As cycles of freezing and thawing accumulate, the cracks continue to grow and exterior hazardous conditions or interior water damage or leaks can occur.

Our 2023 series of “Lunch & Learn” seminars kicked off on March 22nd with “Through Wall Flashing and Transition Membranes” presented by York Flashings. 76 SUPERSTRUCTURES team members brushed up on their flashing knowledge, earned CEUs, and enjoyed a free lunch.

The International Institute of Building Enclosure Consultants (IIBEC) retired the term envelope in favor of enclosure to describe a building’s array of exterior surfaces. Sure, enclosure might be a more intuitive way to describe a building’s exterior and primary function. But we’re sticking with envelope for a few reasons.

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day and congrats to our own Paul Millman, who took second place in the New York Landmarks Conservancy’s limerick contest!

Tempus Fugit…Latin for “time flies.” For New York City, that means that a growing number of its buildings are already a century old (or more). When SUPERSTRUCTURES started out in 1981, we impressed clients by saying, “some of the buildings we work on are almost 100 years old” (constructed in the 1880s). But at that time, such structures were few and far between. 

In precision driving, the formula for victory is speed + safety. Completing the race in the shortest time without wiping out requires finding and following the “racing line,” the ideal route to negotiate turns swiftly without costly wear and tear. Similar logic applies to building restoration—the secret to success is knowing when to accelerate a project, when to brake, and when to adjust course.

Sidewalk vaults must be maintained to keep them structurally sound and watertight. But vaults aren’t just vacant space below grade; they often carry mechanical, electrical, and plumbing components as well. Structural considerations are obvious for sidewalk vault restoration, but MEP components can be the biggest challenge. We employ innovative tools and methods to accommodate them.

Most building owners are familiar with New York’s trio of Local Laws intended to protect and preserve its structures (and citizens)—Local Law 11 (the Facade Inspection & Safety Program or FISP), Local Law 37 for retaining walls, and Local Law 126 for parking structures. But what about sidewalk vaults? Facades, retaining walls, and garages are highly visible. But since NYC’s miles of sidewalk vaults are essentially out of sight, they can also be out of mind.