CANY

It’s been a year of growth and change for the CANY office, and we’ve got it wrapped in rope right here. Check out these stats on life with CANY, and we’ll see you in 2025! #nyc #restoration #architecture #architecturaldesign #buildingscience #newyork #facade #ll11 #skyscrapers #ropeaccess #rappelling #buildingenvelope #buildingrestoration

Do you have an appreciation for historic buildings? A member of our staff brought to our attention the Upper West Side Cinema Center’s intent to purchase the former Metro Theater on 99th and Broadway and restore the façade and marquee. They are finalizing the purchase and just beyond halfway of raising the additional $7 million required by January 3, 2025. Please consider donating to help preserve local New York City history and culture.

Every time a bell rings, an angel gets its wings. Or so they say. Not far from the miracles on 34th Street, angels can be seen decorating the façade of the Pershing Square Building at 125 Park Avenue, designed by John Sloan and T. Markoe Robertson of the firm Sloan & Robertson, working with York and Sawyer, and erected in 1923. In 2016 the building was designated as a New York City landmark. There are several glazed terracotta angels around the building, each one crowned with a different headdress and holding a different symbolic object. Our inspectors found the ornamentation in remarkably good condition considering the age of the building. Have you seen these angels for yourself? Which one appeals to you the most? #nyc #restoration #architecture #architecturaldesign #buildingscience #newyork #facade #ll11 #skyscrapers

Tis the season for holiday festivities! The office is looking pretty festive with our blue tree thanks to a few CANY elves 🎄💙

Who is in the harness today? We’re getting to know Jaime! Jaime Chavez (he/him), newly promoted Director of Operations, is recognized by his peers as a natural teacher generously sharing all the experience he has gained since starting at the company as a junior drafter in 2003. Joking he’s taken every title going, Jaime has helped propagate the empowering culture embedded in those early days of everyone sitting around the same table, sharing with and learning from each other. A man who likes fixing things properly and finishing well, he sees his new role as a facilitator, freeing others to be the people they want to be, unafraid to ask questions. What industry tool would you be and why? “I would love to be a level because it's useful for ensuring everything is perfectly straight and aligned. Whether hanging pictures, installing shelves or keeping things neat, a level ensures everything looks right. Plus, it saves you from dealing with crooked objects, which can be frustrating!” What are your hobbies or interests? “I love whipping up desserts, pastries, and cookies. My flan is awesome.” What's a fun fact about you? “I enjoy playing volleyball and also coach a middle school team. It's fun to help kids improve their skills.” #withcany #architecture #restoration #nyc #buildingscience #newyork

Your wall is (literally) in good hands with CANY. This wall has pulled away from the ceiling enough that Kate’s hand goes right through it. “While I can’t walk through walls, I can jazz-hands through this one!” 👋 #canynyc #architecture #restoration #nyc #womeninconstruction #buildingscience #facade #buildingenvelope #newyork #inspection #registeredarchitect

Are those chunks of sugar crumbling? Today Xsusha Arogunmati, FAIC, APT-RP talks about consolidation. What are the advantages and limitations of consolidation, what kind of life extension can we expect, and what might be misunderstood about consolidation by a novice? XA: Consolidation is when you apply a chemically reactive liquid to the surface of a stone that is experiencing severe surface deterioration—sometimes called “sugaring” where it is crumbling apart—like sugar granules. Depending on the product and the masonry type (i.e. marble or sandstone) the consolidant will cause the surface of the masonry grains to “grow” small spines that then interlock—thereby tying the grains back together. It only penetrates millimeters and is not a way to salvage a stone with severe structural deterioration. Consolidation is something that should not be done without the assistance of an architectural conservator. A conservator can help determine how effective the treatment will be and how it may or not help the situation over the long term. The life span of the treatment is highly site specific. #AskAConservator #CANY #nyc #nycarchitecture #buildingconservation #architecture

CANY congratulates Mark DeMairo of Neue Galerie New York for winning International Association of Museum Facility Administrators Lifetime Achievement Award! Learn more about IAMFA at https://www.iamfa.org/

It’s the American Institute for Conservation & Foundation for Advancement in Conservation's Ask A Conservator Day. Ask A Conservator Day began in remembrance of the 1966 flooding of Florence, where generations worth of design, artistry, and craftsmanship were damaged and to this day are still undergoing conservation efforts. We have CANY’s conservators, Xsusha Arogunmati, Director of Architectural Conservation, and Alafia Akhtar, Senior Architectural Conservator, in the hot seat.   What inspired you to pursue conservation? XA: I’ve always had an affinity for art, tools and buildings. When I found out that architectural conservation was a career (when I was 26) I jumped into getting my degree. AA: I've always loved art, architecture and working with my hands. I knew that I wanted to be in a field that allowed for a creative outlet. What has been your most challenging project to date and why? XA: A museum undergoing a 91-million-dollar interior and exterior restoration. The interior and exterior are historic and everything had to be documented before, during and after treatment. There was an entire team of conservators specializing in different areas of conservation (paintings, metals, objects etc.) that we had to coordinate with along with the general contractors doing the work. So many moving parts! AA: I worked on a building in Gramercy Park that had a multitude of issues and continuous moving parts. Figuring out the different repair methodologies for each type of material and repair area, which included understanding material science and how each type of type of material interacts adjacent to another, was important in developing a repair strategy. What has been your most memorable project? XA: Probably the same project mentioned above. I got to spend several nights with one or two other conservators and a security guard in the museum. The museum used to be mansion and I liked feeling like I was hanging out with the former residents. Getting in on that Gilded Age action and feeling so much more connected to the history and importance of the building. AA: A current project where we are working on the repair of a school that is comprised of two historic mansions of prominent New York figure at the turn of the century. The project has required testing of materials to better develop repairs as well as the implementation of general preservation knowledge in order to properly perform the required work.   #AskAConservator #CANY #nyc #nycarchitecture #buildingconservation #architecture

CANY loves the challenges of working with great architects on award-winning projects, and Magnusson Architecture and Planning PC and Casa Celina is only the latest and brightest example of this trend (below). Right now we’re proud to be working with exceptional architects on exceptional projects, and we like to think that the in-depth evaluation that we bring to often-complex facades sets us apart from others in our field. So please feel free to reach out to us, and we’ll bring our focus to bear on your project.