A 33-story tower stands high amid a skyline in New York State. The elegant façade is constructed of cast-in-place exposed garnet aggregate concrete – a mix that offers extremely high compressive strengths and a dramatically decorative finish.

Vibrations caused by a mild earthquake reached downtown and caused delaminated concrete to fall from the building’s façade. A subsequent inspection revealed corrosion-induced delaminations and cracks in the concrete, as well as extensive interior honeycombs. Water was also penetrating the building through sealant joints at various locations Recommendations were made for repairs to the building’s structure, sealants, and curtain wall system. PULLMAN was chosen for the project due to their extensive experience in concrete and masonry restoration on high-rise structures.

The project was executed in several phases over multiple years, with each phase running from June to October – leveraging the warmer weather to perform repairs. During each phase, crews operated 24 hours per day, 5 days a week. In total, 1,638 cubic feet of concrete were replaced at 1,912 repair locations; 138,000 linear feet of sealants were replaced (34,500 linear feet per elevation); 2,445 linear feet (516 locations) of existing aluminum channel sections were replaced, and 100-percent of the lockstrip T-gasket system was inspected and 36,000 linear feet were replaced.

In addition to the magnitude of the work, the difficulty in matching the exposed garnet aggregate, the extreme height of the work areas, and the diligence required to protect the public and property presented challenges and learning opportunities.

PULLMAN’s significant preplanning and thorough coordination of continuous operations created a unified team with pride in and dedication to craftsman-inspired work.  Ultimately, by effectively teaming with PULLMAN, the owner ensured the continued beauty and structural integrity of a landmark building.