229 West 43rd Street, Old New York Times Building, New York, NY

Historic Façade Restoration

229 West 43rd Street, formerly The New York Times Building, is a landmark 18-story office building that opened in 1913 and was expanded in three stages.  It was the headquarters of The New York Times newspaper until 2007. The original design by Buchman & Fox, the 1920s addition by Ludlow & Peabody and the 1930s addition by Albert Kahn.  Shreve, Lamb & Harmon designed the annex wing on 44th Street in the 1940s. The landmarked West 43rd Street façade is comprised of multi-wythe brick with terra-cotta and masonry veneer over a steel structure.   The iconic tower and 12th to 14th floors consist of steel copper roofs, with dormers capping the building.  The annex structure at 44th Street consists of brick masonry.

The châteauesque-like building consists of rusticated limestone on the lower two floors and brick with terra cotta lintel and sills from the 3^rd to the 10^th floor and highly ornamental terra cotta from the 10^th to 12^th floor roof setbacks, with faux balconies.  The 12^th floor parapet contains highly ornamental balustrades and pies over a projecting cornice, with large brackets.  The iconic tower and floor 12 to 14 floor are flanked by steel copper roof with dormers that cap the building.

Diaz Architects & Associates PC identified numerous façade deficiencies and prepared the restoration design plan for a multiple year program including the following major items:

• Replacement of cracked terra cotta units (including chimney cladding stone, pinnacle stones, pier/corner, coping)
• Replacement of 12th floor ornamental terra cotta and masonry parapet and cornice
• including steel repairs and reinforcement
• Replacement of projecting faux terra cotta balconies at the 11th floor
• Replacement of terra cotta brick curb, gutter and dormers at base of pinnacles
• Replacement of cracked brick parapet
• Replacement of deteriorated brick lintel
• Replacement of terra cotta and brick corner
• Repointing of deteriorated mortar joint
• Reconstruction of vertical cracked brick