Areas of Expertise
We are a technical firm specialized in the exterior building envelope.
We provide specialized architectural, restoration and building conservation services for the investigation, repair and preservation of buildings and are expanding our practice to include energy efficient retrofits.
The maintenance and repair of buildings
is an important requirement for the promotion of healthy, dignified and safe living. To that effect, ARC’s strongest capability relies on its ability to effectively assist property owners improve the integrity of their buildings and assist them with the challenges associated with making their buildings more energy efficient.
ARC has achieved this through the investigation, assessment and repair or restoration of over three hundred and seventy five properties since the company’s inception.
Roofing Systems
ARC’s expertise covers the entire extent of roofing systems and installation techniques available for low slope roofing systems such as: heat applied, cold adhesive applied, liquid applied, self-adhered, spray foam and mechanically attached systems. In addition, our expertise also includes a deep knowledge and understanding of traditional roofing systems and techniques used on historic properties such as slate, tile, and sheet metal roofing systems.
Our firm has a history of being at the forefront of the latest development and trends. We were one of the first firms in New York to utilize liquid applied systems. Our firm has embraced green roofing solutions making us again one of the first local firms to be involved with eco-friendly and energy saving roofing systems such as: cool roofs, garden roofs and energy producing building integrated photovoltaic systems.
Green Turf
Slate Roof
Building Integrated Solar Roof
Liquid Applied Roofing System
Building Assessment
Assessing the physical condition of buildings requires the know-how to accurately locate and diagnose building failures.
The process typically starts with a review of relevant original plans and, if applicable, related construction documents of prior work. Field observation and investigation is supported by using state-of-the-art equipment such as infrared thermal image scanners, psychrometers, laser and moisture meters, video recording borescopes and metal detectors.
In 2009, long before drones were popular, ARC became one of the first firms in the nation to utilize unmanned aerial vehicles to supplement hands-on and visual inspections.
Investigative reports can focus on a single deficiency, such as locating a point of water infiltration or they can be as broad as an assessment of an entire building including its plumbing, mechanical and electrical systems.
Besides providing traditional investigative reports such as leak investigations, building condition surveys and “Façade Inspection and Safety Program Reports”, we also assist our clients to improve the energy efficiency of their properties and help them comply with local laws that are part of New York’s Greener, Greater Buildings Plan and the Climate Mobilization Act. These reports usually provide the basis for a long range improvement plan.
Boom Lift
Industrial Rope Access
Drone Survey
Thermal Imaging
Facade Repairs
Façade repairs require a highly specialized level of expertise and sensitivity in order to successfully maintain or restore a building’s original appearance, while addressing failures in its exterior envelope.
Our architects, engineers and conservators have been academically trained and hold advanced degrees in historic preservation, building sciences, architecture and engineering.
They have field experience with hundreds of pre-war and post-war buildings, and hold a comprehensive understanding of building materials, making them uniquely qualified to respectfully oversee both the aesthetic and performance requirements of façade restoration projects.
Nearly all of our projects include elements of façade stabilization and repairs. We are well versed in all types of natural and manufactured building materials and repair techniques.
Due to our deep understanding of different building envelope systems, we have been called on to work on a very broad range of building types that span over 150 years of building technology history.
Historic Preservation
Historic preservation is an endeavor that seeks to preserve, conserve and protect buildings, objects, landscapes or other artifacts of historical significance.
ARC has been committed to the care and preservation of buildings of historical architectural significance since its inception. Over the years we have worked on a very extensive range of landmarked properties, each one with its particular characteristics and challenges.
Our portfolio includes a mercantile building in the South Street Seaport from 1840, Brooklyn townhouses from the 1880s, Riverside Drive apartment buildings from the early 1900s, Italian Renaissance properties from the 1920s, Art-Deco buildings from the 1930s, Neo-Classical high-rise buildings as well as French Beaux Arts mansions in the Upper East Side.
We are experts in the restoration and preservation of all types of historic materials such as masonry, limestone, sandstone, bluestone, marbles, granites and terra cotta.
ARC’s principal holds a Master in Science in Historic Preservation from Columbia University, the first such program in the United States.
Building Stewardship
Building Stewardship takes a comprehensive view of a property including its history, deficiencies, planned improvements, code issues and violations.
Through the stewardship program, we guide our clients through the processes required to make repairs, upgrade systems, abide by local codes, and clear violations.
Under this program, we oversee and coordinate the work of multiple consultants specialized in specific disciplines such as structural, mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems or environmental engineering.
The stewardship program is designed for building owners that face complicated issues in systems throughout the building, each requiring specialized expertise.
We assist our clients to systematically prioritize, organize, budget, and complete multiple projects.
The long range planning and oversight offered to our stewardship clients helps reduce costs, while protecting the value of the property by identifying the most effective interventions and implementing them at the right moment.
