Saint Thomas Church

New York, NY

Since 1995, Vertical Access has conducted numerous conditions assessments and hands-on investigations of the exterior and interior of Saint Thomas Church, working closely with the Church, Beyer Blinder Belle, Silman and other partners. This ongoing relationship has presented the Church with much needed information to help the church pursue capital projects and maintain a safe structure while offering continuity from trusted partners who understand the condition of the Church facility.

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Building description

Saint Thomas Church was designed by Cram and Goodhue and completed in 1913. The Gothic Revival style structure is clad in limestone and features an elaborate reredos designed by sculptor Lee Lawrie.

 

Scope of work

  • Conducted a close visual inspection of the limestone façade, carved stone reredos, stone groins and Guastavino tile vaulted ceilings in order to assist the project team with planning for protection during a major construction project adjacent to the church (1995).
  • Installed remote monitoring equipment at the stone reredos (2000).
  • Used a See Snake® fiber-optic camera to document conditions of the roof drains. (2003).
  • Performed periodic inspections of the exterior masonry, incorporating digital documentation using TPAS® and live feed video for interaction with the project team (2003, 2004, 2010, 2013, 2021),
  • Used infrared thermography to identify potential areas of delamination at the Guastavino tile vaulted ceiling.(2012).
  • Used industrial rope access and customized vacuums to complete cleaning and inspection of the stone reredos with no impact to church services or events. (2016).

Building owner

  • St. Thomas Church

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