Vertical Access Top 10 of 2010: Project 7 – The Galleria, New York, NY

Posted on April 6, 2011 by Vertical Access

“Ladder” for descending over plexiglass panels

In June 2010, a major wind event passed through New York City and dislodged a large pane of glass from a balcony near the top of the Galleria building in midtown Manhattan, resulting in extensive damage to the glass-enclosed balconies on the south facade of the building. The Galleria, a mixed use building, has an eight-story base with commercial offices and a public atrium, and a 47-story residential tower with “winter garden” balconies above the 19th floor. At the time of its construction in 1975, the building was the tallest concrete-framed structure in New York.

Following the glazing collapse, Vertical Access was retained by Israel Berger & Associates to identify public safety concerns at the winter garden balconies and document the condition of the balconies where the glass had become dislodged as well as the other balconies. The project posed an interesting rigging challenge for Vertical Access, as access to the balconies on the south facade of the Galleria from the rooftop terrace required descending down a curved plexiglass enclosure. To avoid putting weight directly onto the plexiglass panels, founding partner Kent Diebolt and level 3 supervisor Keith Luscinski developed a “ladder” system consisting of aluminum tube spreaders, spanning across the mullions of the enclosure. This allowed VA technicians performing the investigation to safely lower themselves onto the south facade and complete the investigation of the winter garden balconies.

Keith decending down Galleria south facade

Read about Project 1: Union Theological Seminary Brown Tower
Read about Project 2: University of Buffalo Alumni Arena
Read about Project 3: United States Capitol Dome
Read about Project 4: Boston College Burns Library Tower
Read about Project 5: Mayo Clinic Gonda Building
Read about Project 6: Convent of the Sacred Heart School

Vertical Access Inspects the Arthur Ravenel, Jr. Bridge

Posted on April 5, 2011 by Vertical Access

Arthur Ravenel, Jr. Bridge March 2011

From March 14 to 18, 2011 Vertical Access technicians Keith Luscinski, Evan Kopelson, Dave Dayan and Donn Hewes were on site at the Arthur Ravenel, Jr. Bridge in Charleston, SC to perform a hands-on inspection of designated areas of the bridge. The Arthur Ravenel, Jr. Bridge, designed by Parsons Brinckerhoff and built by Skanska and Palmetto Bridge Constructors, was completed in 2005 to replace two steel truss bridges spanning the Cooper River. It is the longest cable stayed bridge in North America with a main span length of 1,546 feet. The two diamond-shaped concrete pylons stand 575 feet above the water, supporting a total of 128 stay cables.

To perform the inspection of the bridge’s high density polyethylene (HDPE) cable ducts, damper seals, formwork tubes and expansion sleeves, VA used a two-rope roller system designed by SPRAT Level 3 Supervisor Keith Luscinski. VA’s 2011 inspection was the second round of examinations of designated cables. The first inspection was performed in October 2007 and the next inspection is planned for October 2012. See a video clip of the 2011 inspection here.

Vertical Access Top 10 of 2010: Project 6 – Convent of the Sacred Heart School, New York, NY

Posted on March 28, 2011 by Vertical Access

It is a pleasure to work with repeat clients, and to return to buildings and structures on which we have previously worked. In July 2010, Vertical Access performed a follow-up inspection of portions of the Convent of the Sacred Heart School in New York. The Convent School is comprised of two former mansions that have been renovated to house a private school with programming and facilities for pre-kindergarten through grade 12. The James Burden Mansion, designed by Warren, Wetmore & Morgan and completed in 1905, is adjacent to the palazzo style Otto Kahn Mansion, designed by J. Armstrong Stenhouse with C.P.H. Gilbert and completed in 1918.

Tower of the Convent of the Sacred Heart School

VA had previously performed a hands-on investigation of the numerous facades of the building, including those facing a courtyard on the north side of the site, the walls of the courtyard between the two original buildings and the street facades. The purpose of the follow-up investigation was to help the project team, led by Easton Architects with structural engineer Robert Silman Associates, P.C., identify potential areas for masonry probes. In 2010, Convent of the Sacred Heart School received a Lucy G. Moses Project Award from the New York Landmarks Conservancy.

SCUP Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference, March 6-8 in Williamsburg, VA

Posted on March 24, 2011 by Vertical Access

The Mid-Atlantic Region of The Society for College and University Planning (SCUP) held its annual conference from March 6 to 8 in Williamsburg, VA. Vertical Access partner Evan Kopelson attended the conference. Most of the events of the conference took place on the campus of the College of William and Mary, which contains a wide range of significant buildings from the Wren Building, the oldest college building in the United States, to a new state-of-the-art business school designed by Robert A.M. Stern Architects. Most of the 200 plus conference attendees were architects, planners and engineers, with a large contingent of college and university representatives and a smaller number of equipment and support service vendors.

The Wren Building, College of WIlliam and Mary

One of the interesting features of the conference was that about half of the presentations were interactive sessions, which combined a technical presentation with complete audience participation. All participants had the opportunity to participate in design charrettes, role play as various team members discussing sustainability options and even play “Scupopoly” to understand the intricacies of campus real estate planning. Case studies presented over two days of concurrent sessions examined various aspects of higher education planning, from academic curricula to renovations of interior spaces to the design of entire new campuses. The interactive sessions as well as the overall atmosphere of the conference promoted a sense of collegiality, partnership and sharing of knowledge.

Register for Free TPAS Webinar April 11 at 12:00 EST – Open to All

Posted on March 23, 2011 by Vertical Access

Registration is open for the next TPAS University free webinar on Monday, April 11 at 12:00 noon EST.

Vertical Access has developed increasingly sophisticated methods of collecting digital survey data directly in the field during building investigations. The Tablet PC Annotation System – TPAS – allows for direct digital annotation of building conditions into AutoCAD drawings.

We’ve seen a leap of growth in the software updates in the last 6 months leading up to this new release and are excited to share the new features with you. This next release will allow for on-the-fly changes to notation specifications, check lists, radio buttons and drop down menus. Most importantly, we have completely revamped the code so that end users can easily create their own block libraries, with no support. Mike Gilbert, the TPAS technical manager, will provide a step-by-step live demonstration. Licenses for the software are available, please contact Kelly Streeter for more information about the options and benefits of licensing.

This TPAS University webinar is free and open to all! Our current licensees in attendance will be able to take the floor to ask Mike questions. So if you have been on the fence for a while, come and listen in to see TPAS in action and find out where it is headed next!

Some of the changes that Mike thinks our users will be the most excited about:

standard TPAS block libraries simplified: e.g. for masonry materials 12 blocks instead of 60
you can easily set up your own input forms with user-friendly dialog boxes
your custom block libraries can now handle length and area calculations automatically

Space is limited. RESERVE YOUR WEBINAR SEAT HERE.

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With The Association of Preservation Technology International in Cuba, by Kent Diebolt

Posted on March 8, 2011 by Vertical Access

Recently published in the APTI Communique, here is Kent’s report on the APTI Study Group trip to Cuba, in February:

(APTI Members will find this on-line, along with Mary Jablonski’s trip report and all sorts of other current APTI news)

On the morning of February 4th, 29 APTI members met at Miami International Airport and soon departed for Havana, Cuba, for a 10-day professional study trip. We represented a cross-section of the APTI membership; architects, engineers, decorative arts specialists, and conservators, both young and old, from across the United States. All were accounted for except Stanley.

This was my second trip to Havana, the first taking place in 2001, with the New York Landmarks Conservancy, and I was looking forward to seeing what progress had been made in the last decade.

I think I speak for our group in reporting that we were all completely welcomed by the Cuban people we met, both professionals and the public. I am also sure that none of us had any notion of how closely we would all bond during our ten days together.

The program was conceived and designed by conservator Rosa Lowinger, who is herself Cuban, and whose family left Cuba during the post-revolution exodus in the early 1960’s. Rosa was ably assisted by tour guide Nelson Ramos, from Havana Tours, whose organizational skills, silver tongue and wicked sense of humor were all constantly in play and fully appreciated by all of us.

Arriving in Havana on that Friday afternoon, we reached our hotel as the sun set over the city, illuminating the restored and the decaying with equal charm. The next few days were spent in and around Old Havana, and as this APTI Communique piece does not allow for a full, day-by-day travelogue, I will touch on a few highlights, which include a substantial side-trip to Cienfuegos and Trinidad de Cuba, both World Heritage City sites on the Caribbean coast.

Certainly, for me, there are so many memorable, poignant and joyous memories, that it is difficult to decide which to report on. An evening with Cristina Vives-Figueroa and her husband, Jose Figueroa at their home and contemporary art gallery was a high point for everyone. Figueroa was an assistant to Korda, the former fashion photographer that took the iconic photo of Che Gueverra that now graces t-shirts and banners seen all over the world. Figueroa has gone on to produce his own body of work, some of which was recently shown at the International Photography Center in New York along with the work of Korda and others.

Early in the trip,we were also greeted by Eusebio Leal, the head of the Office of the Historian of Havana, who is responsible for all aspects of the historic district; from finances to training of architects and craftsmen to determining which buildings get renovated and when, as well as implementation of social policies such as creating day-use centers for the elderly.

On several occasions, some of the group took part in local musical events, particularly through the knowledge of Carol Stone, of our tour company, Cuba Tours, who joined our group just prior to our bus trip to Cienfuegos and Trinidad. Carol is a professional percussionist who has participated in the Cuban music scene for about twenty years, whose local knowledge created many opportunities to partake in the uniquely local music and dance scene. Many of the group also spent an evening at the famous Tropicana, taking in the floor show and a few lucky members were able to land tickets for the Cuban Ballet’s performance of Giselle. Certainly, these experiences enriched and broadened our Cuban experience, by providing cultural context for the rest of our trip.

Another highlight, for the group and particularly for this aficionado of Catalan vaulting was the National Schools of Art, on the grounds of the former Havana Country Club. The school, comprised of five building complexes, were designed and constructed using Catalan or timbrel vaulting techniques similar to those employed by the Spanish immigrant builders and entrerpeneurs, Rafael Guastavino, father and son. Never fully completed, these building complexes were designed by three architects, Ricardo Porro, Vittorio Garatti and Roberto Gottardi. Though they were in use during the years since their construction, their slow decay and deterioration due to neglect was inevitable. Now, however, their renovation is ongoing in the capable hands of architect Universo Garcia, our host for the day. The dance and visual arts complex restorations are essentially complete, and now support a vital training and education community.

We also visited many historic fortifications, churches and “palaces”, as well as more humble casas, in various states of disrepair and renovation throughout the trip. We met a number of very hard-working and dedicated preservation professionals, including Nancy Benitez Vasquez in Cienfuegos and Victor Marin and Isabelle Rosello in Havana. All gave generously of their time and impressed us greatly with what they have accomplished with very limited resources.

There was also a significant emphasis, during various parts of the tour, on modernist architecture in La Habana, including a trip to the house designed by Richard Neutra for the Swiss banker, Alfred de Schulthess just before the revolution, now occupied by our gracious host, the Swiss ambassador to Cuba.

Since a day-by day telling of this story is beyond the scope of this brief article, there are a few things to say, in closing. Any opportunity to travel to Cuba should not be missed, if at all possible. Second, be accepting of departures from the itinerary or script, for there is much to be learned through serendipity and surprise. Third, should your bags fail to arrive, as happened to Ilene Tyler, maintain your equanimity and poise, because Cuba and your friends from APT will take care of you. Ilene’s attitude truly set the tone for this trip, earning her the Equanimity Award by acclaim. Many of us left with a commitment to future trips to Cuba, to continue to peel back the layers of history and culture.

And with respect to progress made over the last ten years, while there is much that has been accomplished, the sheer volume of work that remains is daunting. Tourism is both a blessing and a curse, but is the primary economic engine in Havana. I do hope to make more trips, on a more frequent basis, hopefully with Stanley, next time.

Kent Diebolt

APTI Group at Hotel Telegrafo, Havana, Cuba

Guastavino Biennial 2010 Final Lecture, by Kent Diebolt

Posted on March 6, 2011 by Vertical Access

Megan Reese with Rafael Guastavino

In the middle of February, I was in Barcelona, to attend the final lecture in the Guastavino Biennial lecture series at La Massa Theater in Vilassar de Dalt. The lecture was given by the Guastavino Prize winner, Megan Reese, an engineer working with Wiss Janney Elstner Associates, in New York City. Megan’s lecture was a report on her graduate work with Professor John Ochsendorf, at MIT. Megan’s was one of seven submissions for the prize, which included a trip to Vilassar de Dalt, an opportunity to present the final lecture in the inaugural series, a cash prize and publication of her work, in English, Spanish and Catalan.

This is taken from the Announcement of the Competition Results:

Guastavino Biennial Prize 2010: Megan Reese
First Distinction: Jillian Andrews
Second Distinction: Carlos Alberto Rodríguez Galván

STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS AND ASSESSMENT OF GUASTAVINO VAULTING, the work of Megan Reese is an excellent piece of work valuable in that if accomplishes its goal of developing, trough analysis and “real-world” case studies, a practical methodology for analyzing existing Guastavino structures. It progresses through more academic discussions into actual practice, to provide a framework for those practicing building conservation and historic preservation.

19TH CENTURY DOME ANALYSIS IN A 21ST CENTURY WORLD:
GUASTAVINO’S RELEVANCE IN MODERN ENGINEERING, the paper of Jillian Andrews offers a brief, succinct and cogent methodology for analyzing and considering another “real-world” Guastavino dome, in this case, a very significant and critically important piece of American architecture

ANALYSIS ON THE CO2 EMISSION IN THE ARCHITECTURE, the paper of Carlos Alberto Rodríguez Galván is interesting for his contribution in using Catalan vaults in new sustainable constructions.

A link to a lot more information on the Lecture and the competition may be found here:

www.guastavino.cat

The competition and celebratory program, honoring Guastavino’s life and his last project in Spain, the La Massa Theater in Vilassar de Dalt was conceived by the Mayor of the village, Llorenc Artigas, Director of Cultural Affairs, Xavier Yelo-Blat, and Secretary of the Jury, Agapit Boras, whom I have come to affectionately know as “The Three Musketeers”. The lectures, which took place between December, 2009 and December 2010, were attended by both Catalan architects and engineers, as well as village residents and other interested parties.

I served on this first competition jury, along with four Spanish colleagues, including the Jury Chair, Agapite Borras, Professors Mar Loren (Seville), Manuel Fortea (Badajoa), Jose Luis Gonzalez (Barcelona), and MIT Professor John Ochsendorf (Cambridge, MA).

Serving on this jury was an honor and an unique opportunity to learn more about ongoing international research on Catalan, or timbrel vaulting. Plans to undertake similar competitions on a biennial basis are in the works, so stay tuned for an announcement of the 2012 competition late in 2011.

The announcement for the 2010 Biennial Competition may be found here:

Guastavino Bienniale Announcement 2010 (English)

Vertical Access Top 10 of 2010: Project 5 – Mayo Clinic Gonda Building, Rochester, MN

Posted on February 17, 2011 by Vertical Access

Mike Gilbert investigating the curtain wall of the Gonda Building

At the end of June and early July, Vertical Access technicians Mike Gilbert and Evan Kopelson were in Rochester, MN working with Minneapolis-based Buildings Consulting Group, Inc. on the facade inspection of the Gonda Building. The Leslie and Susan Gonda Building, constructed in 2000 and 2001, is situated at the center of the Mayo Clinic campus in downtown Rochester. Viewed from the exterior, the building consists of two distinct sections, each 21 stories tall. The northern section has a curtain wall system with granite spandrel and column panels. Stainless steel covers with round and square profiles are used to cover the joints between panels and at the window surrounds. A stone-clad elevator bank rises to 22 stories on the north side of the building. There is also a seven-story skyway that connects the north side of the building to another Mayo Clinic building across the street. The southern portion of the building, which has only east and west façades, has an undulating curtain wall system consisting entirely of glass panels. Painted aluminum covers with a round profile are used at the vertical joints of the glass curtain wall and painted aluminum covers with a square profile are used at the horizontal joints. The design team for the original construction was led by Ellerbe Becket and included Cesar Pelli & Associates. Centex Rodgers Construction was the general contractor for the project.

Evan Kopelson documenting conditions at the skyway of the Gonda Building

The primary focus of VA’s partial façade investigation was to identify any conditions of immediate safety concern and document conditions of deterioration for planning of maintenance and capital planning projects. A total of 32 inspection “drops” were performed, including the two swing stage drops, allowing hands-on access to cover approximately 50% of each façade. The drop locations included areas on all façades of the building, including the skyway that connecting the Gonda Building to the Charlton Building across the street. As part of the partial façade investigation, the location, severity and quantity of conditions such as loose curtain wall cover pieces, failed gaskets at the covers and windows and cracks and spalls in the stone panels were recorded on elevation drawings using Vertical Access’ Tablet PC Annotation System (TPAS). Deliverables for the project included a condition survey report with photographs, annotated AutoCAD drawings and a spreadsheet of condition quantities. The Mayo Clinic, in commissioning the hands-on investigation of their building that was just 10 years old, demonstrated a proactive approach to facility management.

ICRI Philadelphia Facade Symposium

Posted on February 14, 2011 by Vertical Access

The Delaware Valley Chapter of the International Concrete Repair Institute (ICRI) presents a Philadelphia Facade Symposium on March 4, 2011 to be held at WHYY Broadcast Center in Philadelphia, PA. Vertical Access partner, Kelly Streeter, is a panel participant, along with Michael Luciani of Hill International, Inc, Carl Dress of Heritage Design Collaborative, a representative from the Philadelphia Department of License and Inspections, and Joe Gabarino of the Masonry Preservation Group. Preregister by Feb 24 on the event’s website at www.icridelval.com where you’ll also find more details.