battery maritime building sees major guastavino · pdf filemajor guastavino repairs fine...

IN THIS ISSUE

ARTICLES

Rockefeller Center

The Cork Factory

Nassau County CourtHouse

Golden Trowel Awards

Pitt Students

DEPARTMENTS

Golf Tip

ArtiFACTS

A N I N F O R M A T I V E N E W S L E T T E R O NR E S T O R A T I O N A N D P R E S E R V A T I O N

G R A C I A N O • M A S O N R Y A N D C O N C R E T E R E S T O R A T I O N S I N C E 1 9 1 6 • W W W . G R A C I A N O . C O M

First Quarter u 2006

Battery Maritime Building SeesMajor Guastavino Repairs

F ine architectural designallows buildings with even

the most common purposes tostand out and be noticed. Suchis the case with the BatteryMaritime Building in lowerManhattan. Designed at the turnof the century as a ferry terminal,the building served as a vital portfor boats carrying commutersfrom Brooklyn, Queens and NewJersey for decades. Over time,however, the effects of wear andtear, as well as the elements,began to take their toll on thestructure – particularly on theexpansive and architecturallysignificant Guastavino tile archin the building’s loggia.

Continued on page 2.

The rehabilitationof 21 Corinthian

columns is alsoincluded in this

restoration.

View of the south pavilion 8th Avenue elevation prior torestoration. The façade of thenew Moynihan Station will berestored to its original splendor.The cheneau feature atop thecornice will be refurbishedincluding new terra-cotta pieces.All architectural features, lighting and windows will berestored upon completion of this project.

It’s been said that the only constant is change.This axiom couldn’t be more true in New York

City real estate, where countless older buildingshave been renovated for new and expanded uses.And it’s precisely what is happening at the James A. Farley Post Office, one of Manhattan’s largestlandmarks.

Located between 31st and 33rd Streets and 8thand 9th Avenues, the massive and active postalfacility will be renovated into a new transportationcenter that will serve as the new main entrance to Penn Station and will provide access to bothsubway trains and commuter railroads. The newstation will be named Moynihan Station in memory of United States Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan.


Renovations Put James A. Farley Post Office On New Track

http://www.graciano.com


G R A C I A N O • G I V I N G A F U T U R E T O T H E P A S T • 2

Battery Maritime Building Sees Major Guastavino Repairs

Continued from front cover.

Built of multiple layers of terra-cotta tile that was arranged in colorfuland intricate patterns, the arch began to sag and crack over time – a situation that posed a significant safety concern. “The structuralintegrity of the arch was clearly being compromised,” remarked TomCorbo, Vice President and General Manager of Graciano’s New YorkDivision. Cracks were becoming larger and more visible, and there was a risk that the arch could fail and fall. We were brought in by thearchitect, Jan, Hird, Pokorny Associates, and the engineer, RobertSilman Associates, to help implement a stabilization program.”

Although repairs had been done to the arch in the past, this round ofstabilization and restoration activities involved significant structuralreinforcement. Fortunately, Graciano was able to draw on its extensiveexperience in working on Guastavino tile. In the spring of 2000, thefirm successfully restored the Guastavino tile arches that line the underbelly of the Queensboro Bridge. That space now forms the backdrop for the successful Bridgemarket – a local tourist attraction.

To keep the arch from sagging further – and from potentially damagingmore tiles – a steel suspension system was designed to fit into the atticabove the arch. Graciano installed the steel framing in the space, andthen gingerly attached anchors and stainless steel rods to the back of thetile surface to keep it from descending further. Due to the tight confinesof the space and the need for significant welding, great care was taken tocontain sparks and minimize the possibility of fire in the attic.

Accessing the building was also a challenge, as one of the structure’s slips is still used for ferry service to Governor’s Island. “We had to make sure our activities didn’t cause disruption for people using thebuilding,” commented Dino Rossi, Graciano’s Vice President of NewYork Operations. “We scaffolded beneath the arch and shored it upwhile we were working on it. Scaffolding and shoring was coordinated as not to disrupt the work of other trades.”

Once the new steelwork was installed in the attic over the arch, repairwork to the tile surface could be started. “We injected grout with high adhesive and low compressive qualities to literally glue the archtogether,” observed Dino. “We also installed an expansion joint to

accommodate movement gen-erated by structural and thermalstresses that are exacerbated by the harsh winter conditionsfound in lower Manhattanalong the East River. Finally, we repaired and replaced thedamaged tiles, and successfullyreplicated the patterns andcolor variations of the glazes.When the job is complete,you’ll never know the repairswere made.”

“Guastavino tile installations are particularly difficult to work on,” addedGlenn Foglio, President of Graciano Corp. “Finding craftsmen whounderstand how architectural elements, such as this arch, are assembledis not easy. But, fortunately, we do have the right craftsmen for this project. They were instrumental in a previous Guastavino restorationseveral years ago on a much larger project – the Queensboro Bridge. ”

Battery Maritime Building

Project: Battery Maritime Building

Owner: Port Authority of New York City

General Tishman Contractor: Construction

Architect: Jan, Hird, Pokorny Associates

Engineer: Robert Silman Associates

Date of Completion: Fall 2005


3 • M I L E S T O N E S • F I R S T Q U A R T E R 2 0 0 6


Graciano’s New York Team Keeps Rockefeller Center Shiny Clean

When you ask native New Yorkers toname the most famous buildings in

their city, you can rest assured that RockefellerCenter will likely be near the top of their lists.One of New York’s largest and most recogniza-ble landmarks, Rockefeller Center is comprisedof 12 structures that house a number of theworld’s leading corporations – includingGeneral Electric and NBC, as well as the studios for the Today Show and SaturdayNight Live.

Built in the 1930’s and clad in 2.5 millionsquare feet of Indiana Limestone, the struc-tures are touchstones for the hundreds ofthousands of New Yorkers who routinely pass the complex as they travel to other parts of the metropolitan area. GracianoCorporation has had a long-standing rela-tionship with the management of RockefellerCenter, and has been actively involved in keeping the stonework that covers the complex looking its best. Between the fall of 2004 and the spring of 2005 Graciano completed cleaning operations on half of thestonework that covers the buildings. Thisspring, once the winter weather breaks, thefirm will continue cleaning operations untilthe entire complex has been refreshed.

According to Tom Corbo, Vice President andGeneral Manager of Graciano’s New YorkOperations, this was the second time Gracianowas awarded this assignment – in 1996 and1997, Graciano cleaned all of the complex’sbuildings. As in the past, all cleaning work hashad to be completed unobtrusively, withoutdisrupting the daily commerce conducted inthe buildings. The buildings at 610, 620 and630 Fifth Avenue were cleaned prior toNovember 15, 2004, the day New York Citybegan enforcing its winter water ban that precludes cleaning operations. Three morebuildings were cleaned in the spring of 2005.

On the lower structures, Graciano conductedcleaning operations at night, using four truckcranes equipped with man baskets. Suspendedscaffolding has been employed on the higherstructural elevations. This access approach was selected due to compressed deadlines onthe lower structures. All rigging operationswere deployed systematically, and coordinatedto minimize disruption to the many dailyactivities, productions and pedestrian trafficencountered within Rockefeller Center complex.

“Due to the number of people and vehicles in and around the complex, we’ve been chal-lenged with keeping the cleaning operations as invisible as possible,” remarked Dino Rossi,Graciano’s Vice President of New YorkOperations. “We’re using a ‘soak and rinse’method to remove accumulated soil from thebuildings, and doing patching, dutchmanrepairs and replacement work on damagedstones as we move along.”

Continued on page 8. Rockefeller Center

Project: Rockefeller Center Cleaning

Property Tishman-Speyer Manager: Properties

Date of Completion: Spring 2006


“This assignment is hopefully the first of more that we will beinvolved in here at the Farley Building,” remarked Tom Corbo,Graciano’s Vice President and General Manager of Graciano’s New York Division. “This building has such a presence, and is a well-known landmark for many New Yorkers. Converting it intoMoynihan Station will significantly expand its usefulness and willshowcase the exceptional architecture.”

Work at the site began in August of 2005. A ceremonial stone to beplaced at the corner of 33rd Street and 8th Avenue will inaugurate the building’s new identity as Moynihan Station.

“We are pleased to be involved in this high-profile project that will support more efficient transportation in the New York metro area,”added Glenn Foglio, President of Graciano Corp. “We are certain this project will be a fitting memorial to Senator Moynihan.”

Known as the James A. Farley Post Office, the building is a national historic landmark that was designed by McKim, Mead & White in theBeaux Arts style. The building was built in 1912, opened in 1914, anddoubled in size in 1934. It covers a site of more than eight acres, andcontains more than 1.5 million square feet of interior space. Tunnels,tracks and platforms racks for commuter and subway trains currentlyrun beneath the massive structure. The building also has its own railplatform in Penn Station. When renovations are complete, the buildingwill serve as a major transportation hub, a post office, as well as a keytourist attraction.

Graciano’s initial assignment involves restoring 43,400 square feet of the building’s main elevation on 8th Avenue between 31st and 33rd, just west of 8th Avenue. The primary focus of the project will berestoration of the building’s architectural cheneau feature, which willinvolve significant repair and replacement of hundreds of terra-cottacomponents. The assignment will also entail cleaning, pointing andstone repair, restoration of 33 windows, rehabilitation of 21 Corinthiancolumns and birdproofing.

This is Graciano’s second tour of duty at the Farley building. In 1992,the firm was called in to stabilize damaged and failing terra cotta. Thecurrent assignment involves removing the materials that were used inthe stabilization, as well as the remaining pieces of terra cotta that comprise the cheneau.

“Restoring the cheneau is quite an involved process,” observed DinoRossi, Graciano’s Vice President of New York Operations. “It essen-tially entails removing the entire top of the building and replacing it with newly manufactured components. Our terra-cotta suppliershave been challenged on this assignment, in that the cheneau ispieced together like a jigsawpuzzle. Components are notstandard-sized and must fittogether precisely to recreatethe look of the original cheneau.Combine that with the usualissues of color and texturematching, and you have a fullplate. In addition, to reattachthe terra-cotta components to the building, our craftsmen have had to fabricate new, stainless steel anchors to tie into existing structure.These anchors have to be architecturally invisible.”

To gain access to the building, Graciano has erected pipe scaffolding,complete with pedestrian protectors, on 8th Avenue. During therestoration, five post office entrances must remain open. The project’swork schedule was significantly challenged in September, as the remainsof hurricanes Katrina and Rita drifted up the east coast and soaked theNew York Metro area with several inches of rain. Graciano craftsmenhave since made up for lost time caused by the storms, and the project is on schedule.



Renovations Put James A. Farley Post Office On New Track

Continued from front cover.

Farley Post Office

Project: James A. Farley Post Office

Owner: United States PostalService

Developer: Empire State Development Corp.

Moynihan Station Development Corp.

GeneralContractor: Graciano Corporation

Architect: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP

Restoration Building Conservation Consultant: Associates

Engineer: OVE, ARUP & Partners Associates

Date of Completion: Spring 2006

Pipe frame scaffoldingwill allow hands-onaccess to all of the façadeelements.


The Cork Factory

Project: The Cork Factory

Owner: Big River Development, LP

Developer: McCaffrey Interests and Partners

ConstructionManager: Plant Construction

Architects: Glance & Associates, Architects+Planners

MasonryRestoration Contractor: Graciano Corporation


A great deal can change in 30 years. People come and go, neighborhoods

rise, fall and rise again, and buildings with a storied past can quietly fade away or berenovated for new and vibrant futures. All of these things happened in Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania at the Cork Factory buildings,a sprawling former industrial complex that is being brought back to life as an exclusiveresidential housing development overlookingthe Allegheny River.

Constructed in 1901 and expanded in 1913,the 440,000-square-foot manufacturing facility was abandoned from 1974 until the early spring of 2005. The once majesticbuildings, designed by the renownedPittsburgh architect, Frederick Osterling,quickly became the targets of vandals andscavengers once the original owner – TheArmstrong Cork Company – ceased opera-tions. Within a few years of being left idlewithout utility services, the buildings beganto leak, windows were smashed out, and the entire complex – less than a mile fromDowntown Pittsburgh – began a slow andhighly visible disintegration.

“These buildings were always local landmarksfor anyone that came to Pittsburgh’s StripDistrict, commented Don McDevitt,Graciano’s Vice President of Sales. “Theirsize, as well as their visibility from downtown(the business areas of the Strip District andthe Allegheny River), made them stand outfrom other buildings in the area – even asthey became more heavily damaged. Early in2005, McCaffrey Interests, a Chicago devel-oper, partnered with the local owners of thebuildings to create 297 luxury apartmentswithin the shell of the industrial complex.”

After three decades of neglect, a flurry ofwork commenced on the site. Graciano was charged with cleaning all of the two-building facility’s exterior brick masonry,stone and terra-cotta surfaces. Graciano was also responsible for removing extensiveaccumulations of graffiti, as well as spot-pointing masonry joints, removing and replacing damaged brick, patching or replac-ing stone architectural features, and repairingdamaged terra-cotta trim. Work commencedon the site during the week of April 2, 2005,and is scheduled for completion by the end of the construction season.

“This assignment required a great deal ofcoordination between a number of buildingtrades, all of whom were active on the site atthe same time,” remarked Don. “To accessthe façades, we used four or five swing-stagescaffold assemblies on each building, andemployed multiple crews of craftsmen fivedays a week. Also, to gain access to the upperfloors of the buildings, all equipment had tobe crane-hoisted to the roof or carried up thescaffolding by our craftsmen, since the inter-nal stairs within the buildings were removedyears ago.”

Plant Construction, of San Francisco,California, was the general contractor on the project. The firm selected Graciano based on their expertise in the restoration of high-profile buildings around the country.Eugene Hom, Plant’s Project Manager,remarked, “We were impressed with the professionalism Graciano brought to this job. We’ve got the results we were lookingfor, and they were quite accommodatingwhen unexpected challenges appeared.”

According to Dan McIntyre, the ProjectManager on the assignment and Graciano’sVice President of Production, one surprisewas the amount of dirt on the façade surfaces.“We actually discovered layers of dirt andgraffiti as we began to clean the exterior surfaces. Industrial grime that accumulatedon the buildings over the years was coveredwith graffiti, and subsequent layers of dirtand more graffiti.

We found it was frequently necessary to treatand clean parts of the buildings two and three times before the foreign materials weresuccessfully removed. We also had to handlethis extra cleaning within a tight schedule, as other trades – particularly the windowinstallers – were working right behind us.”

Graciano worked closely with the project’sassigned historic architect, Richard Glance, principal of Glance & Associates,Architects+Planners, to maintain the vintage appearance of the buildings.“Graciano achieved the variegated look we were seeking,” remarked Glance.




A Clean Slate For The Cork Factory


“They also salvaged brick from some of the structures that werebeing razed on the property and reused them in the main buildings.”

Graciano’s hard work – and their compliance with the aggressiveschedule set forth by the developers – resulted in additional work atthe site. After another contractor failed to perform to expectations,Graciano was assigned their portion of work. “We were assigned additional duties that involved cleaning the interior walls in the warehouse building,” remarked Don. To comply with workplace regulations, we had to get our craftsmen certified for lead abatement.We were able to cover that base within a week, and our men quicklypicked up where the other contractor had left off.”

“It gives Graciano a lot ofsatisfaction to be involvedin this project that willhave a dramatic impact onPittsburgh,” commentedGlenn Foglio, President of Graciano Corp, “It’sexciting to bring part ofPittsburgh’s past into thefuture, and even moreexciting to help turn anabandoned industrialproperty into a prestigiousaddress.”

Law and order are the cornerstones ofAmerican society. To reflect the important

role of the law in daily life, countless court-houses and public buildings across the countryhave been built with durability and permanencein mind. One such building is the Court Housein New York’s Nassau County.

For more than 100 years, this impressivecast-in-place concrete building has served as the backdrop for judicial decisions thathave changed lives and laws. Over time,however, the elements had begun to compromise sections of the structure.

“This building is constructed of cast-in-placeornamental concrete with an exposed aggregatefinish,” observed Dino Rossi, Vice President ofGraciano’s New York Operations. “Over theyears, water had made its way into and behinda number of the architectural and structuralelements, and had caused extensive cracking,spalling and general deterioration. Our chargewas to stabilize the structure of the portico anddome and return it to its formerly impressiveappearance.”

After scaffolding the portico, Graciano quicklydiscovered that several elements comprising the structure’s pediments were beyond repair.“There was simply nothing to work with,”commented Tom Corbo, Vice President andGeneral Manager of Graciano’s New YorkDivision. “We needed to replicate the compo-nents and make sure they matched to color and texture of 100-year-old concrete – no

small order. We were, however, fortunate to find a strategic partner who could help uswith this challenge.”

Townhouse Restoration, specialists in replicat-ing concrete architectural elements, partneredwith Graciano to recreate damaged sections ofthe pediment. They began by making molds of the existing pieces, and then replicated theelements in pre-cast concrete. “Townhousewas outstanding in perfecting the color andtexture of each piece they made,” added Dino.“When compared to the old pieces, the matchwas nothing short of outstanding.”

To stabilize the original cast-in-place structure,Graciano used innovative Cin-Tec anchors.According to Dino, “the replacement pre-caststone units were fabricated with an integralstainless steel support system. This systemincorporated stainless steel rods extendingfrom within the stone. Graciano drilled intothe supporting structure, injected epoxy intothe holes and hoisted and pushed the replace-ment units into place. Each replacement stoneweighed in excess of 1,400 lbs. This blindconnection eliminated any scarring on theface of the new pre-cast stone units typicallyassociated with conventional connectionmethods.”

With the portico’s structure stabilized,Graciano crews completed cleaning and patching activities on the dome and the supporting elements. Crews are in the finalstages of completing the job, which should be wrapped up by the end of the year.

“This building is a true statement to perma-nence,” remarked Glenn Foglio, President ofGraciano Corp. We are pleased to be able tohelp prepare it for another century of use.”



A Clean Slate For The Cork Factory

Continued from page 5.

Graciano Implements Repairs On Nassau County Court House

Nassau County Court House

Project: Nassau County Court House Repairs

Owner: Nassau County

Architect: John G. Waite

Engineer Robert Silman Associates

ArchitecturalConcrete Townhouse

Fabricator: Restoration



Accessing and employing business data is the key

to good decision-making. This is particularly true when it comesto estimating the scope and costs of a restoration or con-struction project. The right data, employed in the most efficient way can mean the difference between an accurateestimate and a costly error.

Recently, three University ofPittsburgh industrial engineeringstudents had the opportunity to work with Glenn Foglio,President of Graciano Corp., on the development of a database-driven information managementsystem that’s optimized to supportthe estimating and business devel-opment processes. “We really didn’t have a system in place thatallowed us to access and leverage

the historical data gathered frompast jobs,” observed Glenn. “Ihad a system like this in mind forseveral years, and with the help ofthe students – Andrew Franklin,Jennifer Zielinski and FernandoBosch – Graciano now has a state-of-the-art system that reallyworks for us.”

Driven by MS Access anddesigned to operate on the company intranet, the systemallows users to enter CSI codesand instantly pull up project histories for specific tasks. Thenew system makes data availableacross the organization, providesa 95% confidence rate on accu-racy and eliminates errors ofomission. It also referencesindustry standards for particulartasks, allowing estimators tocompare project outcomes

against standards and to factor real-world perspectives into theestimating process.

“The system reallyallows us to see whatstandard fits a particulartask best, and to accesscomplete information every time,” commented Glenn. “Bestof all, the new database system is intuitive and extremely user-friendly, so there really isn’t aneed for training. Our estimatorsand sales personnel can log onand use it almost instantly.”

In addition to devising the data-base system, the students also analyzed the entire estimating and sales system and suggested a number of improvements –many of which have already been implemented.

According to Glenn, “This project was a great way for the students – all of whom areseniors – to become acquaintedwith our organization, to experi-ence a real-world challenge, andto see how their skill set can be applied in a constructionenvironment. It was a pleasureworking with them, and theyreally approached the projectaggressively and with profes-sionalism. It was a win-win for everyone involved.”

Graciano Corporation was honored for its outstanding work with a Best of Category award for masonry restoration at the 2005

Western Pennsylvania Golden Trowel Awards. Sponsored by theInternational Masonry Institute, the awards recognize outstandingachievements in masonry design and construction.

Graciano’s recognition results from its successful work at Two MellonCenter, formerly known as the Union Trust Building, one ofPittsburgh’s most stunning landmarks. An imposing Flemish-Gothicstyle limestone structure, the building occupies a full city block and features a 65-ft. high mansard roof pitched at a 17-degree angle. Eachelevation of the roof features 38 dormers of varying size positioned inthree uniform tiers spreading across surfaces of the mansards.

As the masonry contractor responsible for the full scale restoration of the building, Graciano Corporation partnered with the architecturaland engineering firm of Raths, Raths and Johnson to develop a compre-hensive system to stop water infiltration that had plagued the structuresince its original construction in 1919. The five-year, multi-million dollar restoration effort involved repairs to both the main roof and themansards, installation of a water diversion system and waterproofing of exterior surfaces. The assignment also included replacement

of damaged terra-cotta components, restoration of architectural elements, and significant repairs to thestructure’s steelwork.

“We are pleased to be honored by our peers in themasonry restoration business,” remarked Glenn Foglio,President of Graciano Corp. “This is clearly one ofPittsburgh’s most beautiful buildings, and this projectensures that it will continue to be one of the city’s mostrespected business addresses.”



Pitt Students Devise New Approach To Data

Graciano Corporation Takes Top Honors At 2005 Golden Trowel Awards


ArtiFACTS

If your golf shots are not starting in the correctdirection, it could mean your shoulders are out

of alignment. It is crucial for straight shots that your shoulders are square, that is, parallel to yourintended target. Your hips can be slightly open orslightly closed but your shoulders must be pointedin the direction you want the ball to start. To checkyour shoulder alignment, lay a club on the ground(where the ball is) pointing to the target and thenhold a club against your shoulders. If the two clubsare parallel, you are aimed properly and are set upfor a straight shot. If you want to hit a draw, aim

your shoulders right, but aim the club face at thetarget. If you want to hit a fade, aim your shouldersleft but aim the club face at the target. Also, thiswinter to quickly cut strokes, practice your puttingindoors 10-15 minutes every other day. Remember,the shoulders will also dictate the direction yourputts will start. One more thing: for the new year,spring for a couple of lessons from your local PGApro to go along with that new high tech driver youreceived for the Holidays!

HAVE A PROSPEROUS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!

GRACIANO CORPORATE OFFICE: 209 SIGMA DRIVE, PITTSBURGH PA 15238-2826 • 412-963-8400 • 800-523-5076 • FAX 412-963-6284

NEW YORK OFFICE: 18-73 43RD STREET, ASTORIA, NY 11105 • 718-932-7867 • FAX 718-932-7869

Graciano – A Reputation For Quality Since 1916, Graciano Corporation has specialized in historic preservation and concrete and masonry restoration, beautifi-cation and structural repair. We’ve been entrusted to restore some of the nation’s most prestigious structures. We’ve earned the highest reputation in our fieldbecause we offer:u Unsurpassed Expertise u Competitive Pricingu Dependabilityu Project Problem Solvingu Management Responsivenessu No Project Delaysu Beautiful Resultsu Project Documentation

Graciano services include:u Free Specification Design and

Review Servicesu (Local Law 10 & 11) Building Inspectionsu Free Surveysu Masonry Restorationu Historic Restorationu Concrete Masonry Restorationu Terra-Cotta Replacement and Repairu Stone and Brick Restorationu Tuck Pointingu Abrasive Cleaningu Waterproofingu Caulkingu Urethane/Epoxy Injectionu Deck Coatingsu Shotcrete and Guniteu Water-Control Groutingu New Construction

On these types of structures: u Historic Buildings u National Monumentsu Parking Structures u Reservoirs/Damsu Schools/Collegesu Churchesu Condominiumsu Commercial Buildingsu Bridgesu Decks and Plazasu Industrial Processing Plantsu Stadiumsu Correctional Facilities

Graciano Corporation operates throughoutthe United States and is bonded, licensed andinsured in all states of operation. We are affiliated with the BOMA, IMI,AFL-CIO Building Trades International,ACA, UMWA, PMI, SWI. We maintain acomprehensive safety program in compliancewith OSHA and MSHA standards and arelicensed to apply numerous state-of-the-artfinishes, grouts and sealants.

Graciano welcomes the opportunity to bidon your upcoming restoration/preservationproject. Call 800-523-5076 for moreinformation, or visit our web site atwww.graciano.com.


Golf TipGolf Tip

PLEASE PLACE GRACIANO ON YOUR LIST OF BIDDERS TODAY! 800-523-5076

ã 30 Rockefeller Plaza, one of the most prominent build-ings of the art deco period, holds a prized position atRockefeller Center. Known as the GE Building, thestructure stands 70 stories tall and rises to a height of 850 feet. The exterior is clad in Indiana limestone,brick and granite, and features a front entrance that is framed in gilded and poly-chromed carved stoneand glass relief by artist Lee Lawrie.

ã St. Paul’s Cathedral in London was built between 1675 and 1710. It is the seat of the Episcopal Dioceseof London, and is the fourth structure to be dedicatedto St. Paul in the city since the first one was built in604AD. The building features ornate iron gates craftedby Jean Tijou in 1700, magnificent mosaics createdduring the 19th century Victorian period, and an organinstalled in 1695 that was played by Mendelssohn.

ArtiFACTS

From David Graciano

ã Henry Hobson Richardson, who lived between 1838 and 1886, is the father of the Richardson style of architec-ture. A combination of French and Spanish Romanesque elements, Richardson style buildings are typicallyidentified by their massive stone walls and dramatic semicircular arches. His style influenced numerous otherarchitects, including Louis Sullivan and Frank Lloyd Wright. Examples of Richardson structures include theAllegheny County Courthouse and Jail in Pittsburgh, PA, Austin Hall at Harvard University, and Trinity Church in Boston, MA.

In addition to cleaning the stone, Graciano was alsoinvited to lend expertise to two special restorationprojects within the complex. Dino added, “Wecleaned, patched and restored the Channel Gardenson the 7th floor roof deck of 45 Rockefeller Center,and then moved on to the 70th floor observationdeck at 30 Rockefeller Center. On the observationdeck, we cleaned the stone and generally refreshedthe space to ready the newly reconstructed deck forreopening after many years of being closed. Weworked closely with Tishman-Speyer Properties andthe general contractor responsible for reconstructingthe observation deck and installing 9-foot tall glass

suicide panels around the perimeter of the space.”When the work was complete, one of New York’smost spectacular views could again be seen in its best light.

“It is a pleasure to be working on this project, andare honored to have earned the repeat businessfrom Tishman-Speyer Properties, the managers ofthe complex,” remarked Glenn Foglio, President ofGraciano Corporation. “Our crews are pleased toknow that their cleaning and restoration efforts arehelping to keep some of New York’s most impressivebuildings looking their best.”

Graciano’s New York Team Keeps Rockefeller Center Shiny Clean

Continued from page 3.


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