The Newark Post Office and Courthouse Building is a significant federal civic structure in downtown Newark, New Jersey. Graciano Corporation served as general contractor on a multi-phase restoration program carried out over four years through a series of small contracts addressing the building's interior and exterior. The project encompassed window replacement, masonry and stone repair, interior and exterior doors, historic lobby repainting, and marble and aluminum repair.
The phased approach allowed work to proceed while the building remained in operation, requiring careful coordination to protect existing conditions and maintain the building's ongoing function throughout the construction period.
"A seamless, nearly invisible renovation -- a handsomely revitalized civic building."
AIA Jury, 1998 Honor AwardsScope of Work
Services Performed
- Unit stone replacement
- Total slab reconstruction
- Structural steel repair and replacement
- Stonework and stone patching
- Repointing masonry
- Pressure washing
- New brick construction
- Masonry surface rehabilitation
- Masonry cleaning
- Lintel replacement
- Individual brick replacement
- Dutchman repair
- Chemical cleaning
- Brickwork and brick facade rebuild
- Alkaline and acidic cleaner applications
Exterior Masonry and Stone Restoration
The building's exterior presented the typical range of deterioration associated with mid-century federal construction: failing mortar joints, spalled masonry units, damaged stone, and areas where moisture had worked behind the facade. Graciano's crews performed repointing throughout the exterior, raking out failed mortar and replacing it with formulations matched in color and consistency to the original. Brick units beyond repair were individually replaced in kind, and stone elements were patched or replaced using the Dutchman method as conditions warranted.
Cleaning of the exterior was carried out using a combination of pressure washing, chemical cleaning, and alkaline and acidic treatments selected for compatibility with the building's specific materials, removing decades of atmospheric soiling and biological growth without damaging historic surfaces.
Structural and Interior Work
In addition to exterior masonry, the project encompassed structural steel repair and replacement at deteriorated conditions, slab reconstruction where concrete had failed, and lintel replacement coordinating with the masonry above. Interior work included restoration of the historic lobby, marble repair, and work to the building's aluminum elements and interior doors, returning the public areas of this civic building to a standard appropriate to their original design intent.
About Graciano Corporation
Founded in 1916, Graciano Corporation is one of the oldest and most experienced masonry and concrete restoration firms in the United States. With offices in Pittsburgh, PA, New York, NY, and Florida, Graciano has served as both general contractor and specialty subcontractor on federal, state, and municipal buildings throughout the eastern United States. The company is a WBENC-certified Woman Business Enterprise.