How MJM+A Looks at Recladding buildings in the midtown NYC area to both fortify their aging structures while also providing a modern look, allowing them to be competitive in the hottest area in the city.
Michael Macaluso, AIA, FARA and his team are forward thinking when they look at an older building. They see past its age and beyond the clinical evaluation of deterioration and necessary safety repairs, to what the building could be with just a little extra TLC.
Michael Macaluso comments, “There are so many buildings in midtown—especially around Grand Central Station—that are literally crumbling from the outside, in. The concrete, brick, stone, etc. that were used half a century ago have done their job valiantly, but now the building exteriors need serious refurbishing. Any building over six stories is mandated to be inspected every five years for this very reason and the building owners are being bombarded with costs in the tens of millions that they did not consider. Well, our philosophy is to offer the option to owners to reclad the building with metals and/or other alloy skins, instead of just repairing the stone.”
“While this may increase budgets on the front end, it can provide exponentially valuable results. Why? Because it’s a great investment on three important levels: first, it addresses the primary issue of safety and code conformance, it lasts far longer than the current substrates, and it actually creates a more modern and much more marketable property that can compete with other buildings that may well be right next door.”
Case in point is a recent midtown building to have undergone such a study. MJM+A was approached by the building owners to evaluate the property and visualize potential design solutions incorporating the added investment of recladding applications. The bones of the building are good, it is a very solid structure at a great address. And with a little bit of effort the result would not only look spectacular but it would migrate a $45-$55 sq. ft. Class B brick rental to a possible $180-$200 sq. ft. Class A. The math is unassailable and the resulting handsome renderings provided a perspective for the owners to consider.
“The reasons for the investment from the owner’s perspective could be varied”, says Michael. “Perhaps they want to set up the building as part of a portfolio for sale to a real estate investment trust. Or they just want a legacy for their family… something for their grandchildren to derive income and point to proudly as a family asset. Either way, and for any other reason, investing in a fabulous asset like a large Manhattan property is well worth it. If you’re going to spend $30 million for upkeep, spending $50 million to envelope the building in a beautiful cladding is a no brainer from a long term perspective.”
Facade reclad is a core competency of MJM+A, as well as compliancy of any codes through their code compliancy division, Oculus Consulting. As such the firm has successfully worked with dozens of buildings in and around the metropolitan area and is known as a specialist in this area by owners and management companies alike.