William “Boss” Tweed was the head of the notorious Tammany Hall, which dominated NYC politics in the mid 1800s. But don’t hold that against the historic courthouse at 52 Chambers Street that bears his name.

SUPERSTRUCTURES is known for our work restoring the outside of the building envelope, but in this case, restoration involved significant work on the inside of the envelope as well.

DCAS had a water infiltration problem that was damaging the skylight-crowned rotunda of the building. As a trusted DCAS consultant for the past 20 years, we were engaged to address the issue.

Our restoration solution included repair or replacement of cracked and spalled masonry units, masonry re-pointing, and joint sealant replacement at existing windows and coping stones. Infrared thermography was used to pinpoint areas of moisture infiltration, and several varieties of brick, mortar, and stone were meticulously matched.

Designed by John Kellum and Leopold Eidlitz and completed in 1881, the building is a National Historic Landmark and New York City Landmark (both the exterior and interior). We’re proud to contribute to the restoration of such irreplaceable parts of the city’s history.