16B – Real Estate Journal – CDE – January 31 - February 16, 2004 Northeast’s #1 Website - rejournal.com Northeast’s #1 Website - rejournal.com New York Real Estate Journal – CDE – January 31 - February 16, 2004 – 17B COMPANY OF THE MON T H MASONRY AND CONCRETE RESTORATION SINCE 1916

GRACIANO CORPORATION BUILDS ON A LONG HISTORY OF SUCCESS

any firms have come and gone in the historic restoration business. Yet, for nearly information allows us to assess and estimate M 90 years, Graciano Corporation has been quietly and meticulously building itself projects with exceptional accuracy. It also into one of the industry’s premiere firms. A major player in the restoration of some of helps us to eliminate guesswork and uncer- New York’s most beloved structures – such as the Academy of Music, the tainty from projects, while maintaining our Waldorf=Astoria, The Cloisters, the MetLife Building and the Queensboro Bridge to quality standards and ensuring the lowest Offering a complete line of services for structural name just a few, the company brings the same mindset to every potential project. possible costs for our customers.”

David Graciano and Glenn Foglio “Our success has grown out of a single commitment — delivering nothing but our best But planning is only part of the equation. In and historic restoration, beautification and repair. work on every project we undertake,” remarks David Graciano. “My grandfather built , Graciano’s reputation for this business from the ground up by bringing together the right people with the correct hiring and retaining the finest craftsmen has become renowned in the restoration industry. skills to do what needed to be done exceptionally well. That formula was what got this “We have been fortunate to have generations of craftsmen join our company and stay,” business on its feet, and it’s still driving everything we do today. As a firm, we are measured remarks Tom Corbo, Vice President of Graciano Corporation. “For us, it is not uncommon by the success of every project we undertake. We do our homework, eliminate potentially to have fathers, sons and grandsons working together on a project – something that’s almost costly surprises in the field, thoroughly address aesthetic challenges, and consistently go unheard of in any business, but particularly in construction. We have an extremely low the extra mile to make sure our work delights our customers every time.” turnover rate within our ranks, and, as a result, have developed a deep pool of talent that passes skills on to the younger members of our team. There’s a lot of pride put into each Graciano Proudly Planning is the starting point for every proposal Graciano develops. And under the watchful project by our employees, and I think that really shows when you step back and look at eye of Glenn Foglio, President of Graciano Corporation, every facet of a project is reviewed the final product.” before a proposal is developed. According to Foglio, “Many of the projects we undertake Restores New York involve complex work on high-visibility structures. Each and every one of these projects This dedication to delivering exceptional work can be seen in numerous places in brings its own set of constraints and parameters to the table. It’s our job to pinpoint what and around the New York metro area. Recent assignments at the Queensboro Bridge, needs to be done, and to work around those challenges to deliver the best possible result Brooklyn Academy of Music and the MetLife Building have garnered considerable to our customers. Fortunately, after nearly 10 decades in business, we have developed an attention and accolades. extremely accurate database of production standards for every restoration work task. This

A New York City historic landmark built Significant rehabilitation of the masonry, Additional stone was located at an excava- in 1910, the Queensboro Bridge featured terra-cotta, stone and metal trim features tion in the Inwood section of , space on the Manhattan side that was on the building’s facades was also necessary. and utilized as Dutchman on the project. intended for use as an open-air market. Graciano again partnered with Boston On the clocks, the mosaics were completely After nearly 50 years of neglect, however, Valley Terra Cotta to create missing terra- reset and all bronze components were the structure was in total disrepair. cotta elements and new brick. The replicated cleaned and restored. To showcase the According to Graciano, “The area under brick matched the surface and size of the clocks, lighting was installed in each face the bridge – a magnificent cathedral-like building’s original hand-made materials. to illuminate the mosaics and the metalwork, area – was in tough shape when we began In addition, restoration of some highly and to make them a more visible part of the project. Today, it’s the Bridgemarket the existing materials. It was a difficult task, detailed ornamentation, such as cherubs and New York’s night sky. complex that houses several shops and an but our craftsmen did an exceptional job in musical instruments, required the skills of “Whether our projects have been large or elegant restaurant. It has been quite a turn- bringing this amazing space back to life.” Graciano’s Gino Marchese, the company’s small, I continue to be proud of the work around.” superintendent at the site. Once the new At Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), the Graciano team does in New York,” materials were received, the replicated brick This was one of the largest terra-cotta the project began at the building’s roofline sums up Graciano. “It is truly our pleasure was interspersed with bricks salvaged from restoration projects in the world. More with reconstruction of four parapets. With to play a continuing the building to create a complicated seven- than 3,600 terra-cotta tiles, 1,728 trim those repairs underway, attention was then role in helping to course brick bond that replicated the borders and 3,290 ornate field pieces were directed at the building’s five-foot-wide, keep New York’s building’s original appearance. removed, repaired and replaced. In addition, 15–foot-tall cornice. Facade sections around architectural treas- existing mortar joints were removed and the structure were shored and braced, and And, at the 50-story MetLife Building, ures looking their new pointing was installed to match the the entire terra-cotta surface, as well as 40 stories of pipe scaffold were constructed very best.” color of the terra-cotta and the material’s a one-foot thick brick wall behind the cor- to allow craftsmen access to the building’s raised joint tooling. nice was removed to reveal the steelwork. Tuckahoe facades and intricate Corroded steel members were scraped and mosaic clock faces. By chance, a large This project marked the first time that the painted. Then, glass-fiber reinforced con- piece of the marble was located in front bridge’s amazing Guastavino vaults were crete (GFRC) replicas of the original terra of a Texaco station in Tuckahoe, New restored. “To restore the marketplace’s cotta sections, manufactured by David York, adjacent to the original quarry. The failed impression-vaulted ceilings, craftsmen Kucera, Inc. were attached to the refur- station-wagon-sized stone was purchased, carefully dismantled the Gustavino-tile bished structural steel framing. transported and cut into segments for use arches and rebuilt them to a shorter radius,” in the restoration effort. At the site, stone- observed Graciano. “The new configuration masons meticulously carved the marble into provided better clearance between the lintels and other architectural elements. bridge’s main structure and the masonry work comprising the ceilings and dampened MASONRY & CONCRETE RESTORATION • WATERPROOFING • TERRA COTTA • STONE & BRICK the vibrations created from vehicles travel- TUCK POINTING • ABRASIVE CLEANING • CAULKING SEALANTS • EPOXY INJECTION ing over the bridge. We also worked closely with our terra-cotta supplier, Boston Valley DECK COATINGS • SHOTCRETE • WATER-CONTROL GROUTING Terra Cotta, to recreate damaged and miss- ing pieces that would integrate visually with For a free estimate call (973) 857-0507 • www.graciano.com