Hoboken Ferry Terminal
The Hoboken Ferry Terminal was opened to the public in 1907 and was a milestone in American transportation development, combining rail, ferry, and pedestrian facilities. It was designed in the Beaux Arts style by New York architect Kenneth Murchinson and was conceived to be entirely fireproof. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.
EverGreene’s work at the Hoboken Ferry Terminal started in 1990 during a restoration of the first floor Main Waiting Room. In 2023, EverGreene’s returned to conduct a comprehensive conditions assessment of flat and ornamental plaster located in the second level of the Hoboken Ferry Terminal. The no longer publicly accessible second level was to be redeveloped for commercial storefronts. However, years of widespread moisture infiltration and an unconditioned interior caused significant damage to the finished surfaces of the plaster, as well as damage to the plaster itself, causing areas of instability and loss. EverGreene was brought on as a preconstruction partner to provide crucial data for restoration planning and project design, providing key insights to project architects Beyer Blinder Belle on technical approaches for restoring severely damaged flat and ornamental plaster. Flat plaster in the Main Hall contained asbestos and required particular attention for recommended restoration sequencing.
The assessment defined and documented damages that can be repaired in place, areas requiring abatement due to the use of asbestos, and to define ornament types and quantities for repair or replication. The finishes assessment was performed from the ground level and from scissor lifts; quantified areas were represented on to-scale rectified photos superimposed on drawings, providing a critical bid document for the overall project. Mechanical attachments and lath conditions were surveyed from the attic to determine their conditions and EverGreene advised on any required interventions. EverGreene also performed a historic finishes investigation and analysis, with the goal of identifying historic paint colors and finishes original to the 1907 construction date to inform restoration design.
