Carnegie Library Exterior Sculptural Masonry Restoration Demonstration

Please join APT DC for the second and final part of an exciting series on the masonry restoration techniques used at the Carnegie Library! 

Part two of the Carnegie Library Masonry Restoration Demonstration will focus on the sculptural masonry restoration including stone consolidation and dutchman repair. Restoration of the south façade with sculptural decorations by Philip Martiny is concluding, and this demonstration will provide an overview of the stone stabilization and restoration techniques used by the conservation team.

Background

Designed by the firm of Ackerman & Ross and dedicated in 1903, the Carnegie Library at Mount Vernon Square was the first building constructed to house the recently established D.C. Public Library System. Construction was funded by Andrew Carnegie as part of his nationwide library program to encourage free and public dissemination of knowledge. The building is clad in Vermont marble with sculptural decorations by Philip Martiny, and it features banks of columns on the north side to house the book stacks, a feature celebrated in the design of the New York Public Library from a few years later. The base of building is clad with Milford Pink Granite.

The building is currently undergoing a transformation to become a retail store with a public forum, gallery, and office space for the Historical Society of Washington, D.C. As part of the project, the masonry façade is being restored. Beyer, Blinder, Belle Architects & Planners and Conservation Solutions, Inc. collaborated on the restoration design approach. Lorton Stone and Grunley Construction are the contractors for the restoration. 

1 LU (HSW) is available for this event. Photography will not be permitted.