St. Vartan Armenian Apostolic Cathedral

St. Vartan Armenian Apostolic Cathedral, located in New York City, was the first cathedral of the Armenian Apostolic church to be constructed in North America. After decades of fundraising the cathedral was built between 1958 and 1967 by the New York architecture firm Steinman, Cain, & White, along with Edward Utudjian of Paris as a consultant, who was one of three architects entrusted with the restoration of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. The cathedral was named for Saint Vartan, who was martyred a millennium and a half ago while defending Armenian Christianity. The structure is a monument to the Armenian community’s history, their struggle, and a promising future.

In 2024, EverGreene Architectural Arts partnered with Beyer Blinder Belle Architects and Nicholson & Galloway to regild the dome, install a new copper cross at its crown, and restore the stone lettering and relief ornamentation on the south façade. Nicholson & Galloway also carried out critical roof and masonry repairs as part of the broader effort.

To ensure both the longevity and brilliance of the new gilding, EverGreene’s restoration specialists developed a meticulous treatment approach, advising on the removal of existing finishes, surface preparation, priming, and the selection of gilding materials. Following testing, deteriorated coatings were carefully removed, and the exposed surface was neutralized and primed before being regilded with 23.75-karat Manetti gold leaf—returning the dome to its original radiance.