The roof replacement designed by SUPERSTRUCTURES for the Savoy Manor building at Hostos Community College is now substantially complete. The existing roofing was removed down to the metal deck – the new roof is a low-maintenance green roof, planted with pre-grown sedum vegetation. Green roofs offer many benefits: conserving energy, improving stormwater management, mitigating the urban heat island, and increasing the longevity of roofing membranes, as well being more aesthetically pleasing. Client: Dormitory Authority of the State of New York.

The DOB’s new website mapping out all the sidewalk sheds in NYC was highlighted in the Times this week -- and with over 8,000 of these necessary protective structures now in place, they are indeed ubiquitous.

As specialists in façade restoration SUPERSTRUCTURES has met many unique challenges. In the case of the curtain wall restoration at the 20-story A.C. Powell Jr. State Office Building, each of the 1,042 new windows to be installed weighed 300 pounds. We worked with glazing manufacturers on special details to prevent shifting in the frames during handling and deflection in the window sill members owing to the weight of the glass. The project also included stone repair and cleaning and reinforcement and reconstruction of 6 monumental “supercolumns.” Client: NYS Office of General Services.

SUPERSTRUCTURES’ exterior restoration of this 1914 C.B.J. Snyder school involved the removal and resetting of 270+ lineal feet of parapet wall comprising 100+–year-old decorative terra cotta and brick masonry. Most of the historic terra cotta was salvaged and reinstalled -- some damaged units were replaced with architectural precast-concrete units. Steel pinning was introduced to provide additional support. Client: New York City School Construction Authority.

SUPERSTRUCTURES provided architectural and engineering services for this $10 million exterior restoration of iconic downtown Manhattan office tower One New York Plaza – completed a year ahead of schedule! The project involved complete curtain-wall sealant replacement, and selective cleaning. The building is owned by Brookfield Properties; the contractor for the restoration was Benjamin Maintenance.

Nearing substantial completion, SUPERSTRUCTURES’ project at George Westinghouse Career & Technical Education High School in downtown Brooklyn is the exterior restoration of this 1908 historic “Snyder” school building and its 1963 addition. A highlight of the restoration is the replacement in kind of the street-facing parapet, notable for its detailed ornamental outline. We were retained by the New York City School Construction Authority as the Architect/Engineer for the project; the contractor is Lo Sardo General Contractors.

Work is well underway as approximately 2000 terra cotta units are being replaced as part of the ongoing façade restoration project at John Jay College’s Haaren Hall on Manhattan’s West Side. The new terra cotta is replacing damaged terra cotta, and some cast stone and fiber-reinforced concrete units, restoring some of the 1904 structure’s lost architectural integrity. New waterproofing and stainless steel anchorage will extend the building’s life – the entire facade will also be cleaned. SUPERSTRUCTURES is the Architect/Engineer for the project, which is being managed by The Dormitory Authority of the State of New York for the City University of New York campus; the contractor is Nicholson and Galloway.

Is your inner private-eye up for a challenge? Submitted for your consideration: These umbrella stands at a Jersey Shore resort weigh 175 pounds each. Lifting or sliding them is a 2-person operation – at least. Last September both stands were perfectly aligned with the paving pattern of the pool deck. The deck has been undisturbed by snowplows or mechanical devices all winter.

The Daily News chose an appropriate photo to illustrate their article on New York City’s new green energy law. The Borough of Manhattan Community College’s new 2.3-acre roof was designed by SUPERSTRUCTURES to accommodate what is now the site of the largest public photovoltaic facility in Manhattan. Project owner CUNY and contractor ABCD Construction share the credit on the project, at the forefront of NYC’s green energy initiatives.

SUPERSTRUCTURES is excited to launch 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.