Cincinnati Union Terminal Art Conservation

Cincinnati Union Terminal, built by Fellheimer & Wagner in 1933 and immediately recognized as an artistic, architectural, and organizational achievement. Built in the Art Deco style, the station was designed to accommodate 17,000 passengers and 216 trains a day. It became listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972 and then designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1977. Today, Union Terminal is part of the Cincinnati Museum Center, housing museums, theaters, a library, and special traveling exhibitions.

Starting in 2016 and for the duration of two years, the Cincinnati Union Terminal was completely restored back to its original 1933 condition. EverGreene was engaged on several occasions to support this restoration initiative.

Metal Finishes Investigation

EverGreene was contracted to test and assess the exterior metal finishes at the Union Station Terminal Museum Center. Our conservators reviewed historic photos and construction drawings relevant to the creation of the metals to understand the observed conditions. The information revealed the wide use of satin finish aluminum as well as components made of nickel, silver, and stainless steel.

The on-site study included numerous elements on the east façade. Each was observed, documented photographically, and tested in a manner suitable in determining the metal alloy and finish schemes. Tests such as X-ray florescence (XRF), mechanical abrasives, CO2 blasting, and disassembling were used for the study. A detailed conditions assessment including documented research findings, testing analysis, and treatment recommendations were provided to the client.

Pierre Bourdelle Murals Conservation

EverGreene returned to the site for the conservation of 24 Bourdelle paintings, a ceiling mural in the Losantville Dining Room, and a linoleum mural. The 24 Bourdelle paintings were shipped from Cincinnati to EverGreene’s Conservation Lab in Brooklyn for treatment. The goal was to stabilize them, remove discolored varnish where extant, and support all canvases on secondary supports. On site, our conservators in-painted sections of the mural.

Winold Reiss Mosaic Conservation

EverGreene was engaged to conduct a comprehensive conditions assessment and to consequentially restore eight, monumental WPA-era glass mosaics designed by Winold Reiss. The two largest panels were 22 x 110 ft. in size. In addition, 14 mosaics and cementitious plaster murals by the same artist were salvaged, conserved, and relocated to the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport for permanent display.

The murals depicting the history of Cincinnati, the construction of Union Terminal, as well as the various industries located in the area. Treatment for these iconic mosaics included surface cleaning, patching and repairing of the tinted mortar, and readhering and replacing missing tesserae.