Stalco Construction completes $11.4 million renovation for 500,000 s/f

General contractor Stalco Construction, Inc. completed an extensive, $11.4 million historic restoration and renovation of the 500,000 s/f Erasmus Hall High School - the oldest high school in New York City, the sixth oldest existing public high school in the nation, and one of the largest. It is located at 899-925 Flatbush Ave. BJLJ Engineers & Architects, P.C. served as architect for the project. The school complex is a designated New York City landmark. "The vast masonry and exterior restoration of an occupied, landmarked, six-building school complex required an enormous amount of pre-construction and logistical planning, scheduling, staging, coordination, and permitting," said Stalco superintendent Keith Ward. The team erected 45,000 s/f of scaffolding on the inner courtyard side and utilized five hanging scaffoldings for repairs to the outside facades. 1,600 linear feet of sidewalk bridges protected pedestrians. The interior renovations encompassed 30 spaces totaling 25,000 s/f, including classrooms and the soaring, 35-foot-high, 8,600 s/f auditorium, which originally served as the school's chapel. The renovation work in the auditorium included extensive plaster repairs, water damage removal, repair to plaster ornaments, and painting. Stalco erected an elaborate scaffolding system that allowed artisans to access the ceiling, walls, balcony, and clerestory windows. Stalco also waterproofed a large underground coal vault, which currently serves as a transformer room. The team excavated the ceiling and walls of the vault to the depth of five feet below grade. Stalco utilized Kemper fluid-applied waterproofing membrane to both the ceiling and walls of the underground structure. As the vault extends beneath Flatbush Avenue, the process called for partial street closings, redirection of traffic, and close coordination with the Department of Transportation.