Congregation Shearith Israel

Designated a New York City Landmark, this Beaux Arts synagogue, designed by Arnold Brunner and constructed between 1896 and 1897, was the first synagogue in the United States to embrace the Classical Revival style. Inspired by the great synagogues of the Italian Renaissance and Baroque periods, its richly ornamented sanctuary features decorative painting, ornamental plaster, and scagliola of exceptional artistic and architectural significance.

EverGreene’s involvement began with a comprehensive historic finishes investigation that uncovered the original Louis Comfort Tiffany decorative painting scheme concealed beneath later alterations. Our team also conducted detailed condition assessments of the ornamental plaster and scagliola, documenting existing conditions through field surveys, onsite testing, annotated drawings, and a comprehensive report with treatment recommendations. Working closely with the project team, EverGreene developed restoration mockups, provided design consultation, and assisted in preparing the technical specifications for the implementation phase, which included restoration of the sanctuary’s decorative painting, ornamental plaster, scagliola, and historic wood finishes.

The restoration presented several complex conservation challenges. Lead-based overpaint was carefully removed using specialized contact adhesive and HEPA-vacuum techniques to minimize airborne contaminants while protecting the historic fabric. Conservators developed custom methods to stabilize and reset detached scagliola pilasters, repair cracks, and recreate missing areas using hand-mixed scagliola formulated to match the original Siena marble imitation. Final honing and polishing restored the material’s depth, translucency, and refined appearance, returning the sanctuary’s historic interior to its original richness while preserving its exceptional craftsmanship for future generations.