HPCS Plaster on Wood Lath Conservation Projects
Upper Manhattan, New York City (1804) The Building:National Historic Site and former residence of one of America’s founding fathers. The Problem:The flat plaster was failing in the principal rooms. The Development of a New Product:Historic Plaster Conservation Services worked closely with Naomi Kroll, Senior Conservator for the National Park Service, to develop a new product … Read more
Annandale House National Historic SiteTilsonburg, Ontario (1880) About the Building:With its magnificent interior, Annandale House serves as a monument to the Victorian style of design, known as the “Aesthetic Art Movement”. Popularized by Oscar Wilde, this movement promoted the use of colour and decorative detailing in all areas of the home. From extravagant, hand-painted ceilings … Read more
Baden, Ontario (1877) The Building: The castle is a restored Italianate villa with a large addition designed by architect C.A. Ventin, and converted to house municipal offices in Wilmot Township. Project Synopsis:Historic Plaster Conservation Services was responsible for determining the feasibility of improving the strength of a great deal of heavily decorated plaster, and for developing … Read more
Historic Plaster Conservation Services (HPCS) preserves the plaster at The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Saint John NB.
The Drawing Room, Chateau Laurier Hotel – Fairmont HotelsOttawa, Ontario (1912) The Building:A historic chateau now part of the Fairmont Hotel chain. This Bell Epoch chateau building was built at a time of evolving technology. Not quite fully non-combustible in its construction, the ornamental plaster in the grand rooms was the modern cast fibrous plaster … Read more
St. John’s, Newfoundand (1850) The Building:A neoclassical structure, a provincial historic site and the home of the Newfoundland government and House of Assembly from 1850 to 1959. The building is being restored to become the future Museum of Newfoundland. Project Synopsis:As the plaster conservator on a multi-phased restoration project, Historic Plaster Conservation Services began its … Read more
Brooklyn, New York (1910) The Building: Congregation Beth Elohim, also known as the Garfield Temple and the Eighth Avenue Temple, is a Reform Jewish congregation located in the Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn. In 1910, construction was completed on the new synagogue with a dome-capped sanctuary seating 1,500. The structure was designed and built by the … Read more
St. Peter’s Catholic Church, Charlotte, North Carolina (1893) The Building:St. Peter’s Catholic Church, Charlotte, North Carolina. How to Remove a Precious, Delaminated and Delicate Fresco from a WallSeismic shocks from a nearby underground construction project caused approximately 30% of a 1,540 square-foot contemporary fresco, painted by North Carolina artist Ben Long, to collapse. The fresco … Read more
Hamilton, Ontario (1835) The Building:A National Historic Site and Hamilton’s most famous landmark buildling. Project Synopsis:Although it appears to be constructed of ashlar, the walls of this 1830s Italianate Villa are actually brick covered in stucco. The building underwent a major exterior renovation in the mid 1990s. Working with Taylor Hazel Architects, HPCS and Craig … Read more
St. Thomas, Ontario (1853) The Building:The Elgin County Courthouse has been associated with the administration of justice in the County of Elgin for more than 150 years. One of the first of its kind, the courthouse is a prominent example of the combined courthouse, jail and county buildings erected by counties in many parts of … Read more
Rutherford, New Jersey (1890) The Building:A Gilded Age mansion. The Problem:Classic example of the detachment of plaster from the wood lath as evidenced by numerous broken keys & lugs, and the settlement of plaster away from the substrate. Project Synopsis:Historic Plaster Conservation Services (Canada) was asked to assess the ceiling (which featured valuable decorative painting … Read more
West Haven, Connecticut (1859) The Building:First Congregational Church of West Haven was built on a place called “the Commons”, which denoted common ground for the use of the community. Over the years, the Church has had three separate sanctuary buildings. The first was built in 1719. The second was built in 1851 and burned to the … Read more
Henderson, Kentucky (1914) The Building: First United Methodist Church was constructed in 1914 as a rebuild of a church that was destroyed by a tornado. The Issue of Concern: In the summer of 2014, a seven-foot diameter area of plaster-on-wood-lath ceiling collapsed, almost injuring a group of visiting students. The collapse triggered a capital fundraising campaign for … Read more
Perth County, Ontario (1845) The Building:Located on the former Huron Road, this wayside inn recalls the rugged days of the early settlement of Perth County. It was along this road that settlement in the area began, and the Fryfogel Tavern was a very popular place for weary pioneers to stop for beer, whiskey and a … Read more
Hamilton, Ontario (1796) The building:Gage House (aka Battlefield Museum) was the homestead of the widow Mary Jones Gage and her two children, James and Elizabeth, who journeyed to the area from New York State in 1790. During the War of 1812, the Gage family was forced from the residence, which became the headquarters of the … Read more
Peterborough, Ontario (1843) The Building:Closely resembles the Metropolitan Methodist Church in downtown Toronto. Both buildings were designed by architect Henry Langley. The formal opening took place on Christmas Day 1875. In 1891, a 40-foot church tower was completed with four large pinnacles at the corners and four smaller pinnacles in between. High on the tower … Read more
Belleville, Ontario (1883) The Building:A beautiful historic house museum. Project Synopsis:Since 2008, Historic Plaster Conservation Services has been the plaster conservator for this beautiful historic-house museum featuring extensive decorated paint finishes. Our initial involvement was precipitated by an extra heavy load of snow breaking through the roof and causing the wood lath and plaster ceilings … Read more
New York City, New York (1846) The Building:Described as “one of the city’s greatest treasures”, Grace Church is a French Gothic masterpiece and a National Historic Landmark, designed by James Renwick Jr. Project Synopsis: Phase 1Historic Plaster Conservation Services was retained to conduct a structural assessment of the wood lath and plaster ceiling above this … Read more
Newark, New Jersey (1882) The Building:The Greater Newark Conservancy is a non-profit organization headquartered in Newark, New Jersey with the stated goal of promoting “environmental stewardship to improve the quality of life in New Jersey’s urban communities.” It offers programs for youth education, community greening and gardening, nutritional health, job training, and prisoner re-entry. The … Read more
Keene, Ontario (1833) The Building: A small brick church in a small country town. Project Synopsis:The ceiling was being damaged by seepage and bat guano that had accumulated and was still accumulating in the attic. A very significant cleaning program was initiated by HPCS with a large vacuum truck making relatively short work of the bulk … Read more
Historic Plaster Conservation Services (HPCS) designed the methodology and oversaw the application of their specialized plaster consolidation treatment At St. Joseph Church. HPCS products were used for this ACO award-winning project.
New York City, New York (1863)Delicate Paint Finishes and Plaster on Wood Lath The Building:A popular museum that focuses on America’s urban immigrant history. Between 1863 and 1935, 7,000 tenants lived at this 97 Orchard Street address. An Interesting Curatorial Mandate:The museum has an interesting and challenging curatorial mandate for rooms that are in a … Read more
Toronto, ON The Building:Massey Music Hall was opened in 1894 as a memorial to Hart Massey’s oldest son, Charles Albert Massey and a gift to the city of Toronto. The exterior is red pressed brick and somewhat austere. The interior space of the building is almost entirely taken up by the performance space and seating. … Read more
London, Ontario (1896) The Building:The largest United Church in Canada with seating for 1300 people The Solution:The church was undergoing a major sanctuary redecoration and updating of various mechanical systems under architect Bill Ruth of Tillman and Ruth Architects. HPCS developed and implemented a conservation and stabilization program for the vaulted plaster ceilings of the … Read more
Fredericton, New Brunswick (1882) The Building:A Second Empire style structure, featuring a 125-foot-high dome tower, was built to replace the original building destroyed by fire in 1880. Project Synopsis:Historic Plaster Conservation Service was called to visit the site and make recommendations for a possible conservation strategy for the fragile wood lath and plaster ceiling of … Read more
Ottawa, Ontario (1847) The Building: a gothic inspired edifice and a National Historic Site of Canada. The cathedral is in the centre of Ottawa, which lies above a seismic activity fault line. Our assessment of attached plaster ornament in historic buildings in Ottawa is an especially important focus of our work there. The Wisdom of … Read more
Toronto, Ontario (1899) The Building:The Richardsonian Romanesque former City Hall is one of the largest buildings in Toronto and was the largest civic building in North America upon completion in 1899. Consolidating Plaster from a Remote Location in 150 RoomsThe collapse of a section of office ceiling in 2006 precipitated an investigation by HPCS that … Read more
New York City, New York (1868) The Building: Designed by the same architect who designed New York City Hall, Old St. Patrick’s was the first cathedral church for the Diocese of New York. Originally built in 1808, the church interior was destroyed by fire on October 6, 1866 and then rebuilt and re-opened on St. Patrick’s … Read more
HPCS designed the plaster conservation program at Osgoode Hall and oversaw its execution with Chris Hall of +VG Architects. HPCS products were used to consolidate and stabilize the plaster.
Windsor, Ontario (1845) Project Synopsis:The church is undergoing a major multi-phase restoration. Phase One was completed in 2019 and included a new copper roof, heating system, and abatement work. Phase Two is the interior restoration which started in 2020 and is currently underway and includes stabilization and restoration of the vaulted plaster ceilings of the … Read more
Halifax, Nova Scotia (1818) The Building: The oldest legislature in Canada, featuring the Red Chamber room, which housed the Senate in pre-confederation days and is now used for royal visits and other ceremonial affairs of state. The Problem:The Adams style ceiling of the Red Chamber is festooned with applied plaster moldings thought to have been shipped … Read more
Union City, New Jersey (1875) The Building: Construction of Saints Joseph and Michael Catholic Church on Central Avenue was completed in 1875. The building is a state and national historic place. On March 4, 2017, a fire started in an adjacent apartment building and quickly spread to the church. Project Synopsis: The church was badly damaged from … Read more
New York City, New York (1904) The Building:A monumental edifice on the northwest corner of Central Park West and 96th Street in Manhattan. The Problem:The deterioration of plaster encasing the huge glass skylight presented a potentially serious safety problem. The Solution:Mark Anderson, senior heritage architect with Façade MD, asked Historic Plaster Conservation Services to assess … Read more
New York City, New York (1847) The Building: The Sixth Street Community Synagogue was originally the German Evangelical Lutheran Church of St. Mark, built in a renaissance revival style in 1847. Much of the church membership was killed in the 1904 General Slocum steamboat disaster in which the boat caught fire on the East River and more than … Read more
Toronto, Ontario (1866) The Building:Former estate of a prominent Toronto family, the mansion was initially restored as a museum and civic reception centre in the late 1980′s. Project Synopsis: HPCS was responsible for the design and execution of the conservation plan for the exhibit areas in the five basement rooms, including the kitchen and staff quarters. … Read more
Reading, Massachusetts (1887) The Building:The need for a church in the Reading area was made evident by the experience of Rev. Thomas H. Shahan. On his way to visit relatives in Melrose, he had an hour lay-over at the train station in South Reading (Wakefield). When some of the Catholics of the area learned of … Read more
Jersey City, New Jersey (1908) The Building: Designed by architect Charles Edward, St. Aloysius is a granite French Renaissance style church and bell tower that can accommodate nearly 1000 persons. Project Synopsis: An assessment of the 14,000 square foot plaster-on-wood-lath ceiling revealed that the plaster had lost a significant amount of its structural integrity in relation to … Read more
Brooklyn, New York (1847) The Building: A historic Episcopal church in Brooklyn Heights designed by prominent 19th century architect Minard Lafever. The stained glass windows, designed by William Jay Bolton and John Bolton, are the first complete canon, or set, of figural stained glass windows made in North America. The Bolton windows consist of six distinct … Read more
New York City, New York (1948) Restoration in the Nick of TimeThis elegant and brilliantly designed church with a ceiling that looks like the hull of a ship was closed and abandoned in 2001 when a crack in the east wall became irreparable. As demolition crews arrived and began smashing the antique stained glass windows, … Read more
Yonkers, New York (1752) The Building: This historic church in the Getty Square neighborhood of Yonkers was originally constructed in 1752, with an addition in 1859 and modifications to the facade in 1874 by noted architect Edward Tuckerman. It is constructed of rough gray fieldstone with red brick on the corners. It is cruciform in plan, … Read more
Boston, Massachusetts (1899) The Building: St. Leonard’s Church is a Roman Catholic church located at the corner of Hanover and Prince Streets in the north end of Boston. Founded in 1873 and completed in 1899, it is one of the oldest churches built by Italian immigrants in the United States. Construction of the current building, designed … Read more
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (1897) The Building: A notable landmark in Pittsburgh, overlooking the city from the top of Mt. Washington. A New Alternative Treatment Method for Stabilizing Plain Face PlasterAn up-close inspection of the surface side of the ceiling revealed significant areas of plain face (vernacular) plaster in danger of falling. Particularly loose areas of the ceiling, … Read more
Toronto, Ontario (1848) The Building: Designed by renowned architect, William Thomas, St. Michael’s is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto and one of the oldest churches in the city. Project Synopsis: HPCS has a long-standing relationship with +VG Architects-The Ventin Group, a Toronto-based firm that brings an enlightened and progressive approach to … Read more
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (1859) The Building: St. Paul of the Cross Monastery and Church, designed by architect Charles Bartberger, is a historic landmark complex of buildings that stand on a hilltop overlooking the south side of the City of Pittsburgh, just a few minutes from the city center. Project Synopsis: HPCS USA was called in to inspect the … Read more
Croghan, New York (1902) The Building: On April 24, 1902, a fire consumed 21 buildings in the Village of Croghan, including the previous St. Stephen’s Catholic Church, which had been built in 1879. Project Synopsis: It didn’t take long for the resilient people of Croghan to spring into action. On August 22, 1902, the rebuilding of St. … Read more
(The Church of Our Lady of the Scapular & St. Stephen)New York City, New York (1854) The Building:Historic church featuring a 22,000 square-foot rib-vaulted wood lath and plaster ceiling and fresco paintings by the renowned Constantino Brumidi. An Innovative Solution to a Strange and Challenging Problem:The ceiling was in a terrible state of dilapidation made … Read more
Washington, D.C. (1879) The Building: Saint Teresa of Avila is the Mother Roman Catholic Church of Southeast Washington, DC. The St. Teresa of Avila parish was formed when a need for a church east of the Anacostia River became evident to a growing Uniontown community. Built in 1979, the building features a beautiful mural painted on … Read more
New York City, New York (1868) The Building: Built in a combined Victorian, Byzantine Revival and Romanesque style by Henry Engelbert, The Church of Our Lady of Sorrows served as the national parish for the many thousands of German families who arrived in New York after 1948. The building features an ornately decorated domed ceiling, along … Read more
Ottawa, Ontario (1833) The Building:Since 1967, Rideau Hall has been the official residence of the Canadian monarch and the Governor General of Canada. Originally built as a stone villa, the building has undergone significant expansions over the years, and is now comprised of 170 rooms totaling 102,000 square feet. Project Synopsis:An assessment by Historic Plaster … Read more
Newtown, Connecticut (1870) The Building: Trinity Episcopal Church is a Gothic Revival structure in the heart of Newtown’s historic district. The 1870 church, with its sandy yellow walls and ornate stenciling in plum and teal, saw its last major renovation in 2000. Project Synopsis: Extensive cracking could be observed on the surface side of the plaster 40 … Read more