Campus Preservation At
Columbia University

The Columbia University in New York City is a private Ivy league university founded in 1754 by royal charter under George II of Great Britain. It is the oldest institution of higher education in New York, and the fifth-oldest in the United States. Today the university includes 17 school and four affiliate schools which are spread across four campuses in and around New York City. The main campus in Morningside Heights was designed in 1896 by McKim, Meade and White. It is recognized as one of the great urban public spaces in America, home to a variety of historic buildings, beautiful grounds, and significant sculptural works.

Over the years, EverGreene has been working closely with Columbia’s staff on the preservation of the university’s outdoor sculpture collection and historic campus architecture. Typical engagements comprise of conditions assessments, implementing conservation treatment plans, and assisting with maintenance. Specific engagements have included:

Sculpture Conservation & Maintenance

• Angel of Medicine
• Le Marteleur, Constantin Meunier, 1886
• Great God Pan, George Gray Bernard, 1898-1899
• The Alma Mater Sculpture, Daniel Chester French, 1901
• Alexander Hamilton Sculpture, William Ordway Partridge, 1908
• Thomas Jefferson Sculpture, William Ordway Partridge, 1914
• The Thinker, Auguste Rodin, 1930
• Cranes Rising, Anna Hyatt Huntington, 1934
• Three Way Piece No 1.: Points, Henry Moore, 1964
• Curls, Clement Meadmore, 1968
• Reclining Figure, Henry Moore, 1969-1970
• Life Force, David Bakalar, 1992

Metal Conservation (Bronze and COR-TEN Steel)
Treatments included surface cleaning to remove atmospheric and biological soiling; removal of corrosion, crusting, staining, and failed or darkened coatings; and repairs to losses, deformations, or previous failed repairs. Where needed, elements were realigned, secured with new anchors or supports, or rebuilt with compatible metal or fillers. Protective coatings were applied—such as patination blends for bronze, wax systems with corrosion inhibitors, and metallizing sprays, epoxies, or urethanes for COR-TEN steel—to ensure long-term stabilization.

Stone Conservation
Stone treatments focused on cleaning to remove soiling and graffiti; removing inappropriate past repairs; and addressing damage through patching and dutchman repairs, crack injection, and repointing of mortar joints, ensuring structural stability and visual continuity.

Art Salvage & Relocation

Henry Moore’s Reclining Figure: EverGreene removed this sculpture from its location, transported it offsite for conservation treatment, designed a new base, and then reinstalled the work at its permanent location in front of Havemeyer Hall. EverGreene conservators worked with Silman engineers to determine a foundation design.

Venetian Wellhead: The relocation was completed in anticipation of construction set to take place in the Avery Courtyard. EverGreene oversaw the relocation to its new home on the opposite side of Low Library, in front of Earl Hall.

Kent Hall: EverGreene assisted in the salvage, re-casting, and controlled demolition of the decorative plaster ceiling in Kent Hall—a Beaux-Arts building constructed in 1911 by McKim, Meade & White. The goal of the project was to properly measure and document the ceiling, and preserve elements in order to support its future reconstruction.

Plasterwork and Decorative Finishes

Casa Italiana is a neo-Renaissance theater building constructed in 1927 by McKim, Mead & White. EverGreene was contracted to restore the decorative ceiling as well as perform some touch-ups on the walls and wood. Work included:

• Paint analysis to identify historic colors and provide a color palette
• Full repainting and glazing of the decorative plaster ceiling, frieze, proscenium, and columns at the front of the stage
• Cleaning and touchup of the metallic painted elements
• Plaster repairs, including crack injections, recasting/installation of missing and/or water-damaged ornamental pieces
• Paint and plaster touchups on the 10 polychromed crests on the walls
• Touchups/refinishing of the wood wainscoting, baseboard, stage dais, and two stage side doors

John Jay Dining Hall is located in John Jay Hall, a 15 story building constructed in 1927 by McKim, Meade & White. The ceiling had previously suffered flooding, which damaged the ornament. EverGreene was contracted to replicate and replace the damaged sections. Work included:

• Creation of molds from intact historic elements
• Replication of elements in our studio
• Reinstallation of elements
• Reinforcement of flat areas with acoustic materials

Low Memorial Library is a neo-Renaissance building constructed between 1895 and 1897 by McKim, Mead & White. EverGreene assisted with the restoration of the main entrance foyer and south ambulatory. Work included:

• Paint analysis to identify historic colors and designs
• Cleaning of soiled pilasters
• Plaster repairs of ceiling, walls, and ornate molding details
• Repainting/glazing of ceiling, walls, and ornate molding details to match paint analysis finding

Jerome L. Greene Science Center is a nine-story, 450,000-sq-ft center research facility constructed between 2007 and 2017. EverGreene was contracted for the installation of two StarSilent acoustic plaster ceilings.

Adaptive Reuse

Millbank Chapel was originally designed by William Potter in 1897. After over 100 years in service, the chapel was transformed into a 250 seat ADA-compliant auditorium and performance venue. As part of the restoration of the building, EverGreene performed the following work:

• Repair and stabilizing the water-damaged plaster substrate
• Touchup/replication of the elaborate stenciling where necessary
• Repainting/reglazing the ceiling to match original colors
• Touchup of existing gilding in the tracery
• Wood-graining the capitals the to match the historic finish
• Conservation of a historic mural, including cleaning, removal of nails/staples/pushpins, resetting disturbed canvas, filling of holes, readhering flaking paint, applying isolation barrier, and inpainting.
• Cleaning, regrouting, consolidating, and performing a Dutchman repair on limestone tracer