Park Avenue Armory Completes First Restoration Project
Removal of Over a Century of Dirt and Grime Reveals Much About Original Artists and Materials
New York, NY, TK, 2007—The Park Avenue Armory announced today that after nine months, its first restoration project has been completed, revealing much about the building’s original design and character. It was discovered during conservation that the 1,600 lbs., six-inch thick wooden entryway doors were not made of a dark finish as they appeared, but rather a light blond oak finish. Similarly, the building’s soiled granite trim was cleaned and restored to its original creamy white. The cleaning of the historic gates restored their original bronze surface and uncovered the prominent copper plaque signature of Mitchell Vance and Co., one of the premier manufacturers of ornamental metalwork at the turn of the century.
“The most innovative artists and designers of the late 19th century developed the Armory. New Yorkers who know this building will be surprised to see that its original design was not heavy and gloomy, but light and colorful, and in keeping with the highest aesthetic principles of its time.” said Rebecca Robertson, President and CEO of the Park Avenue Armory. “This project is the first step toward restoring this landmark to its original splendor.”
In January 2007, the wooden entryway doors were removed to be studied and conserved. A slow and painstaking process removed over 25 layers of stain, varnish, dirt and grime to uncover the original blond oak finish. As there were no archival records to indicate the original appearance of the doors, conservators had to rely on physical evidence to uncover the original surface.
The restoration work also revealed:
- The lines of the buildings original more slender tower were revealed during cleaning.
- The gates that have been black for decades were originally bronze.
- The ceiling of the outer vestibule, most recently a dirty peeling gray-white was revealed to be originally a sky-blue tinted plaster.
- The Insignia of the Seventh Regiment placed over the gateway may actually have been from another site. Future research will determine its age and original finish.
Work was also done on the exterior lighting and landscaping by the Horticultural Society’s Green Team and Lynden Miller. Also underway is a project to install air conditioning systems in the Drill Hall which will be completed in May 2008, eliminating the trucks and generators that provide air conditioning to the art and antique fairs from outside on Lexington Avenue.
Park Avenue Armory
Built between 1877 and 1881, the Park Avenue Armory is one of New York City’s most important historic structures, occupying a full city block on the Upper East Side. For more than a century, the Park Avenue Armory hosted significant and varied events, including concerts, galas and benefits, and athletic competitions. The Armory’s dramatic and expansive Drill Hall, measuring approximately 200 by 300 feet, with an 80-foot high barrel vault is one of the largest indoor spaces in the city, and the adjacent Administrative Building houses one of the most significant sets of 19th century interiors in the United States. The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission described the Park Avenue Armory’s rooms, representing work by Louis Comfort Tiffany, Stanford White, the Herter Brothers and other prominent designers of the period, as “the single most important collection of nineteenth-century interiors to survive intact in one building.”
The Conservancy for the Park Avenue Armory
The Conservancy is dedicated to weaving the Park Avenue Armory back into the fabric of New York, renewing its historic role as a center for culture, learning and innovation.
The Conservancy is currently restoring the Park Avenue Armory’s historic rooms and upgrading its facilities to make this unique resource an accessible and lively destination for the people of New York, and is committed to reviving the tradition of innovation upon which it was founded.
Restoration Support
The front entrance restoration was made possible by the generous support of the Susan and Elihu Rose Foundation, the American Express Historic Preservation Fund, the Achelis & Bodman Foundations and Enid and Lester S. Morse, Jr.
Additional support was provided by contributions through The Avenue Association, The Felicia Fund, Milton & Sally Avery Arts Foundation, Inc. and Edith C. Blum Foundation, Inc.