Empire State Building Lobby Restoration

New York, NY

Stuart-Lynn worked with Architect Beyer Blinder Belle and Evergreen Architectural Arts on a complete historic restoration of the lobby of the Empire State Building.  The project included restoration of the building entrances, ceiling, floors and lighting as well as restoration to several display vitrines added to the lobby later on in time.  The original Art Deco ceiling murals show the sky as imagined when the building was designed in the 1920’s.  They had been left to deteriorate for more than 35 years after being covered with plastic panels and hence, they had to be completely reproduced.  Other changes to the lobby include reinstallation of chandeliers more faithful to the 1920’s, as well as the replacement of the clock over the information desk with an anemometer, which measured wind speed where dirigibles were supposed to dock.  The restoration required complex and costly logistics and phasing as the entire building and lobby remained open and in use throughout the construction phase.

Size: 16,500 sf

 

Completion: 2009

 

Architect:

Beyer Blinder Belle
Evergreen Architectural Arts (Ceiling Art Restoration)

Engineer:
Robert Silman Associates (structural)
Goldman Copeland Associates (MEP)