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 collaborated with Beyer Blinder Belle Architects and Nicholson and Galloway to re-gild the dome, a new copper cross crowning the dome, and the stone lettering and relief ornaments on the south façade. Nicholson and Galloway performed roof and masonry repairs alongside other work being done in the building. In order to ensure longevity and appearance of the new gilding, EverGreene restoration specialists consulted on removing existing finishes, surface preparation, priming, and gilding materials. Finishes on the dome were removed using methods determined during testing, and the bare surface was then neutralized, primed, and gilded with 23.75 karat Manetti gold leaf.