Creative solutions for inherent challenges
Like most projects involving historic buildings, this one presented many of the same challenges we’ve come to expect after 90+ years of experience in historic preservation and renovations. Transporting materials up to the eleventh and twelfth floors of this nearly 200-year-old building was exceptionally difficult, given the constraints of tight floorplans and small pedestrian elevators. While we were able to utilize an adjacent building to transfer some products up to our work area, most had to be fabricated in our shop in pieces and then assembled on site. This required an elite level of creativity, coordination and skill on behalf of our designers, engineers and craftspeople to ensure the final products met our exacting standards of quality craftsmanship and precision.
Another common component of historic projects are the unexpected discoveries made after construction begins. While we base our designs on initial measurements, those are subject to change once the walls come down and MEP work is implemented. When unforeseen challenges in the Mercantile Library required us to revise certain custom pieces, we relied on our technical expertise and deep field experience to produce quality woodwork with a flawless finish.
