Excellence Award Spotlight: Green-Wood's Historic Chapel
A view of the restored chapel seen from the northwest. Photo courtesy of Walter B. Melvin Architects
The restoration of The Green-Wood Cemetery’s Historic Chapel has been named one of this year’s Excellence in Historic Preservation award winners.
"Preservation is central to everything we do at Green-Wood, whether it's caring for the 478 acres of our living environment or ensuring the structures that mark the landscape are well maintained,” said Eric Barna, Green-Wood's Vice President of Operations. “Restoring Green-Wood's Historic Chapel was a true labor of love for all of those involved, and we're incredibly honored that the Preservation League of New York State has recognized this work with their 2021 Excellence in Historic Preservation Award.”
The Historic Chapel, located just down the hill from the Cemetery’s main entrance, is an icon of Green-Wood’s landscape. Designed in 1911 by the architectural firm of Warren & Wetmore, the Neo-Gothic design features 41 carved window openings, filled with figurative stained glass. A white-tiled Guastavino interior above the dome reflects daylight from the colorful stained glass attic windows. The interior is finished in a combination of natural limestone and imitation limestone sculpted and cast in low relief.
In 2018, a comprehensive restoration of the building interior, including the stained glass windows, was begun, with Walter B. Melvin Architects, LLC leading the building restoration and Julie L. Sloan leading the stained glass work.
One particularly challenging task came halfway through the restoration, when water tests revealed the waterproofing concealed beneath the limestone slab roof was failing. Green-Wood directed the project team to proceed with the enormous task of replacing the waterproofing membrane. A crane was employed to carefully remove the massive limestone slabs (cumulatively weighing in at nearly 40 tons), temporarily store them, and redeposit them on a newly waterproofed substrate.
The restored building once again provides visitors to Green-Wood a most peaceful sanctuary to rest, contemplate and remember, and will help imbue new life into the chapel’s recent significance at Green-Wood as a home for art and music programming — and even celebration.
“The restoration of Green-Wood’s historic chapel is a meticulous preservation project,” said Preservation League President Jay DiLorenzo. “We applaud Green-Wood Cemetery for their commitment to stewarding this New York City Landmark, especially as they continued their efforts safely through the pandemic.”
A view of the Chancel roof during reconstruction. Photo courtesy of Walter B. Melvin Architects
Green-Wood’s Historic Chapel Project team included: The Green-Wood Cemetery – Richard J. Moylan, President, Eric Barna, Vice President of Operations; About the Work – Faye Premer, Principal, Mary Hanna, Director, Project Management, Chloe Lewis, Project Manager; Walter B. Melvin Architects, LLC – Robert C. Bates, Principal, Adele Swank, Associate, Ana Felisa Viana, Technical Personnel; West New York Restoration of CT, Inc. – Alan Gallicchio, Project Manager, Tomasz Mikucki, Project Manager; Northeast Stained Glass LLC – Jim Pinto, Owner, Julie L. Sloan, LLC – Julie Sloan, President; B&H Art-in-Architecture, Ltd – Shi-Jia Chen, President, Muneto Maekawa, Daisuke Kiyomiya; Associated Lightning Rod Company Inc. – Robert Cooper, President.
Click here for everything about the 2021 Excellence in Historic Preservation Award winners!
Since 1984, the Preservation League’s statewide awards program has highlighted projects, organizations, publications, and individuals that exemplify best practices in historic preservation and recognize the people who are using historic preservation to build stronger neighborhoods, create local jobs, provide affordable housing, open our eyes to overlooked history, and save the places that are special to all of us.