P.S. 171 Manhattan is a landmark quality school designed by C.B.J. Snyder and completed in 1899.
Standing five stories high, P.S. 171 is distinguished by its light-colored face brick and limestone, and terracotta ornamentation. The school’s most defining features are the pitched red terracotta tile roof and conical oxidized copper spires. By 2007, water infiltration had caused significant damage to the interior. The building required an emergency repair campaign which ultimately uncovered a systemic leak problem pervasive enough to require extensive repairs and restoration of P.S. 171.
Our firm executed a comprehensive program to restore this school. We began with research, observation and mapping, non-destructive testing, exploratory probes, and materials testing. Our findings determined that several deficiencies contributed to the water damage, and performed a comprehensive rehabilitation. We replaced faulty brick and stone masonry, reinforced structural steel, and restored the roof. As a result of our efforts, P.S. 171 Manhattan is once more a beautiful representation of New York’s historic public education buildings and a reinvigorated space for future generations of children.
This project was substantially completed in August 2011.
