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SUNY System Administration Building

Albany, NY
  • Capabilities

    Renovations, Repair, & Restoration, Investigation & Inspection, Historic Preservation

  • Markets

    Commercial and Office

The State University of New York (SUNY) Administration Building is also known as SUNY Plaza. The central tower of the building is 13-stories high is capped with an 8-foot-tall working weathervane, a replica of Henry Hudson’s Half Moon. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The building houses offices for SUNY, a public system of colleges and universities in the State of New York.

Ryan Biggs | Clark Davis has worked on several projects at this building over the years.  We designed repairs for the tourelle bay at the south end of the building. Several cast stones had shifted from their original position, and there were indications of steel deterioration.

We coordinated the exterior investigation of this 1914 building, which included limited removals, nondestructive testing, and recommendations for repair.  The stones shifted from water infiltration and corrosion of the steel frame, which was embedded in the brick backup wall. The repairs included removal of the existing stones and portions of the backup wall, evaluation and repair of the steel frame, installation of waterproofing and corrosion protection, installation of a backup wall, and reinstallation of the stone with new stainless-steel anchors.

Ryan Biggs | Clark Davis was also retained to develop a Program Study to which included the inspection and evaluation of roof leaks on the fifth floor.  There were three leaks in the building. All leaks occurred at the gutter elevation.  We provided a written report describing the conditions and synopsis of our evaluation. The report provided recommendations for repair and replacement.

 

Immaculate Conception
Immaculate Conception
Immaculate Conception

*Photography: Igor Tsiperson

Immaculate Conception

*Photography: Igor Tsiperson

Most recently, the firm worked on the exterior preservation of the structure under a term agreement for the State University Construction Fund (SUCF).  The scope of this project included: stabilization or repairs to high-priority façade elements that presented a fall hazard; anchorage for weathervane, cresting, lighting, and lightening protection; repointing of missing mortar on vertical faces of masonry façade; patching or replacing cast stone where spalls were present; addressing cracks in masonry; design new lead weather caps at skyward facing head joints in projecting cornice and belt courses; and design for sealer/penetrating corrosion inhibitor.