Exterior Masonry Rehabilitation

Buffalo City Hall is a 29 story “Art Deco” style building first occupied in 1932.  The building is constructed of structural steel framing and primarily clad in sandstone with multi-colored terra cotta ornamental tiles and a granite water table at the building’s street level.

The building is a freestanding structure on the west side of Niagara Square with all elevations exposed to the weather including the prevailing winds from Lake Erie to the west.

The building’s stone cladding is of buttress pier and spandrel construction in which pier columns project beyond the plane of the windows and spandrel panels.  The decorative spandrel panels are constructed of dark gray stone.  Brick backup parapets surround the flat roof areas with lead coated copper flashing.  Copper sheet metal flashing was used recently to repair the existing flashing.

DiDonato Associates contracted with Vertical Access, LLC to survey City Hall as part of this project to inspect, survey, assess the deterioration, identify locations of loose or unsecured stone and terra cotta.  Small, loose material was removed during the survey, however, large loose or unstable material was temporarily stabilized and left in place as part of a separate project.

Based on this study, a restoration plan was formulated and construction documents were prepared.  Phase 1 of this restoration work was completed in 2007, Phase 2 began in 2008 and was completed in 2009.  Phase 3 is on hold.

  • Staging and Site Storage
  • Vertical access, and transportation of manpower and materials
  • Work platforms, staging, and scaffolding
  • Terra Cotta repair, replacement and cleaning
  • Sandstone repair, replacement and cleaning
  • Re-pointing mortar joints
  • Pressure grouting and epoxy repair
  • Masonry anchoring
  • Steel replacement, and waterproofing
  • Miscellaneous roofing and flashing work
  • Joint sealants
  • Lighting replacement and Incidental electrical work

Project Profile

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