NYC Metro branch has completed an extensive two-year concrete façade restoration project on New York City’s iconic MetLife Building.
Located at 200 Park Avenue above Grand Central Terminal, the MetLife Building, with its distinctive 58-story octagonal tower, is among the tallest and most recognizable skyscrapers in the U.S. The world-famous landmark serves as a hub for commuters region-wide and features some of the city’s best shopping, dining and on-site services.
Partnered with NYC Façade Architecture, façade restoration experts Western Specialty Contractors was contracted in September 2022 to repair the building’s precast concrete façade. Western worked with the owner and project consultant to minimize noise and disruption to the building’s tenants during the demolition portion of the repairs by working on Saturdays and 7-9 a.m. during the week.
In addition to the noise restrictions on the project, Western’s scope of work expanded to include repairs to the façade’s previous concrete patches that were failing. The prior patching method was scraped, and a better-matched repair was sought. The extremely dense exposed aggregate of the precast façade panels made matching the façade difficult and required numerous product mockups by Western’s experts to land on a unique method for adding/exposing the aggregate without jeopardizing the structural properties of the repair mortar.
Other challenges on the project included working around falcon nests perched on the building. During nesting season, the birds would become extremely territorial and swoop down at crew members. Western’s crew also had to work carefully around bee hives on the building that produced local honey, as well as 50 other projects taking place in and on the building throughout Western’s façade restoration work.
Western completed the building’s façade restoration project in August 2024.
Have a project you need completed? Contact the NYC Metro branch today https://westernspecialtycontractors.com/nyc/
About Western Specialty Contractors
Family-owned and operated for more than 100 years, Western Specialty Contractors is the nation’s largest specialty contractor in masonry and concrete restoration, waterproofing, and specialty roofing. Western offers a nationwide network of expertise that building owners, engineers, architects, and property managers can count on to develop cost-effective, corrective measures that can add years of useful life to a variety of structures, including industrial, commercial, healthcare, historic, educational and government buildings, parking structures, and sports stadiums. Western is headquartered in St. Louis, MO, with 30 branch offices nationwide and employs more than 1,200 salaried and hourly professionals who offer the best, time-tested techniques and innovative technology. For more information about Western Specialty Contractors, visit https://westernspecialtycontractors.com.