I. SUMMARY
In May 2013, in agreement with S.W. Management, Bulado General Contractors Corp. began the façade and chimney/parapet restoration at 3010 Valentine Avenue, Bronx, NY. The project, expected to last slightly over a year, included roof replacement, parapet replacement, and various others scopes of work listed below.
II. CUSTOMER BACKGROUND
Owner: S.W. Management LLP
Architect: Zaskorski & Notaro Architects, AIA, LLP
Project Address: 3010 Valentine Avenue, Bronx, NY 10458
III. SCOPE OF WORK
· Parapet Replacement
· Sill to Lintel Repairs
· Corner Window Column and Panning
· Lintel Replacement
· Replace Single Bricks
· Single Wythe Brick Replacement
· Wood Joist Replacement
· Repointing
· Repair Bricks at Fire Escapes
· Side and Roof Mounted Roof Vents
· Aluminum Cladding
· Roof Replacement
· Door Replacement
· Chimney Reconstruction
· Base Flashing for Skylight
IV. PROBLEMS & SOLUTIONS
We went into 3010 Valentine knowing it was a challenging project; one could observe cracks running the height of the building about 4’ from each corner, giving the illusion of falling brick panels. Before doing any explorations we decided to demolish the parapet walls (part of the scope of work) and thereby remove pressure from the corners. When probes were finally performed we observed severe corrosion of the steel from which the window lintels hung, requiring us to reinforce the columns with ½” welded plates. The new brick panels were installed with expansion joints and stainless steel slip-set stabilizers. When corners protrude significantly there can be severe temperature variations along a brick wall; inadequate provisions for expansion and contraction can lead to severe cracking, which is what the design team hypothesized was the building cracking culprit. The new expansion control system in place will allow the building to respond to temperature fluctuations in a way that preserves the integrity of the building.
