From Harlem to Hell’s Kitchen in Manhattan, plus Hunt’s Point in the Bronx, Queens’ Kew Gardens Hills, Brooklyn’s Fort Greene, and Staten Island’s St. George, SUPERSTRUCTURES has restored buildings in virtually every neighborhood of the five boroughs. This map illustrates the storied origins of Manhattan’s major neighborhoods, reflecting the city’s Dutch roots as well as its social and economic history.

What if old buildings are greener than new ones? We think we know the answer to this question posed by a recent Slate article. It offers a nuanced consideration of the embodied energy issues that can guide the decision to restore an existing structure versus building new. But we think that, in most cases, preservation wins the day when all factors are considered. The National Trust for Historic Preservation’s position is that “the greenest building is one already built,” an assertion that SUPERSTRUCTURES has long shared.

A recent Habitat article outlines an unexpected downside of deferred maintenance of condo and co-op buildings: ineligibility for FNMA mortgages for individual owners. Add this to the list of reasons to be proactive in maintaining your building’s envelope. Topping that list is the fact that maintenance costs can spiral out of control if not nipped in the bud, so proactive repairs effectively flatten that curve.

Patients are always reassured when their physician is team doctor to the Mets, the Rangers, or the Knicks (or the Yankees or Giants). Think of SUPERSTRUCTURES as the “team doctor” for the Dormitory Authority, The Port Authority, the School Construction Authority, the Housing Authority, and the U.S. General Services Administration. In the field of exterior restoration, that's like being the team doctor to every pro team in the region.

SUPERSTRUCTURES has something in common with the Oakland A's of Moneyball: an aggregate of talent rather than an all-star approach.

The NYC DOB just released Using Drones to Conduct Façade Inspections, and SUPERSTRUCTURES would like to thank the department for the opportunity to have contributed to its report. We’d also like to reiterate our support for allowing the judicious use of drones to facilitate the inspections required by the Facade Inspection & Safety Program (FISP).

In 1992, multiple Grammy winner Vince Gill sang a country classic with the refrain “There ain’t no future in the past.” We beg to differ. Our contemporary practice includes the preservation of many of New York City’s historic buildings—irreplaceable beacons of the past.

Continuing our conversation about SUPERSTRUCTURES’ long-standing logo, we consider a company that’s synonymous with swift delivery: FedEx. The company’s iconic logo incorporates an arrow hiding cleverly in plain sight (the negative space between the E and the x), an allusion to their reputation for on-time delivery. We’re also known for on-time (and on-budget) completion of projects.

"If I had an hour to solve a problem I’d spend fifty-five minutes thinking about the problem and five minutes thinking about solutions.” Attributed to Albert Einstein, this may sound like a lopsided approach to problem solving, but it’s relevant to SUPERSTRUCTURES’ method. It’s not that our restoration solutions don’t get due diligence; it’s about a “measure twice, cut once” philosophy in reaching those solutions.

An important reminder for garage owners in New York City: a new inspection program for parking structures will take effect soon—likely in the first quarter of 2022. While we await the precise kickoff date for this program, another legislative milestone has been passed and it’s not too soon for owners to act.