Facades of Manhattan Apartment Buildings from the 1902–1915 Period. I: Modes of Failure

Abstract

The apartment buildings erected in New York City between 1902 and 1915 form a specific typology characterized by similarities in structural, architectural, and fire protection solutions. Except for a few municipal buildings and “skyscrapers” of the same period, the facades of this typology contain the highest percentage of ornamentation of New York City’s building stock. Several recent facade incidents have fueled new concerns about the condition of architectural ornaments. In Manhattan alone, about 3,500 buildings belong to this typology. The ornaments include materials such as stone, terra cotta, wrought iron, and pressed metal. Using findings from the examination of a sample of 171 facades of five- to seven-story masonry buildings, the author presents the performance of facade components and identifies their most common modes of failure. The findings are based on observed present deficiencies, comparisons with 1908 illustrations, and evidence of past distress mitigation. The inspections produced numerical results for the facades with deteriorating terra cotta, stone, brick masonry, and metals. This paper represents the first half of a study intended to evaluate the remaining life of the facades of this typology. In the follow-up paper, condition ratings and the history of recent repair activities are used to predict the remaining life of the facades.