Stripping a skyscrapper to its frame?

[frischee112]

According to wikipedia, the Trump International Hotel and Tower in New York (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trump_I...w_York_City%29) was stripped to its skeleton in the late 90s and the facade replaced with what it is today.

How easily is this done? Could it potentially be done with any structurally sound skyscraper? Has it been done on others? And what kind of cost is involved?

[scalziand]

The former Verizon Building on Bryant Park was recently stripped and refurbished. Yes it could be done on any structurally sound skyscraper.

There's already a couple threads on this topic.

Extreme Makeover Skyscraper edition- Verizon building, NYC
Buildings That Need A Reclad And Or Renovation

In Paris Tour Axa was extensivly renovated from this to this.

Recladdings are happening in NY because midcentury buildings are becoming obsolete, but thanks to the zoning, a full teardown and rebuild isn't economic.

[jg6544]

The former I. Magnin store on Union Square in San Francisco was a redone building built prior to the 1906 earthquake. They stripped it to its frame and recovered the whole thing in marble with exquisite detailing.

[ThatOneGuy]

You have to be careful with these reclads because you might tear away the character of the original designs.

[Amanita]

Yeah, a reclad for Astor Plaza aka 1515 Broadway was proposed a while back, it was just god-awful. It would have removed that lovely finned crown and made the poor thing look like a third avenue background building.

[ThatOneGuy]

One of the best reclads of all time has to be that of First Canadian Place, which replaced its crumbling, stained marble cladding with white glass-ceramic panels. It not only retained the defining features of the original design, but subtlely improved it and brought it to the 21st century. The glass ensures the tower will never yellow over time like the old marble, and the black lines of the corner windows sleeken the design and emphasize its height.

[Amanita]

^I was always a huge fan of First Canadian Place aka First Bank Tower. And I like that reclad, it respects the original design, while making the building look better. As cool as a whole Cararra marble facade was, let's face it- it didn't hold up well to Toronto's climate. So this is an example of a good reclad- freshening up a building's look while respecting its design.

There's another building (I think in Indiana) who suffered severe facade damage in a windstorm, and the decision was made to go with a complete redesign and reclad, rather than simply repairing the damage.

[tech12]

Originally Posted by frischee112

Has it been done on others?

It's being done right now to a 400' tower in SF (100 Van Ness), during a conversion from office to residential.

Here's how it used to look:



http://www.ktvu.com/photo/entertainm...rmation/prbCR/

Here's how it looked a few months ago, when it was completely stripped down to the frame:



And here's how it looks now:



source: http://100vanness.tumblr.com/

[Chicago3rd]

Originally Posted by tech12

It's being done right now to a 400' tower in SF (100 Van Ness), during a conversion from office to residential.

Here's how it used to look:



http://www.ktvu.com/photo/entertainm...rmation/prbCR/

Here's how it looked a few months ago, when it was completely stripped down to the frame:



And here's how it looks now:



source: http://100vanness.tumblr.com/

Thanks God and beautiful!

[Amanita]

I'll add One Indiana Square to the list- its whole facade had to be replaced after suffering severe storm damage.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Indiana_Square

[Comrade]

Salt Lake City sorta did this with its Gateway Tower East a decade or so ago:


[source]

This is what it became:


[source]

[ThatOneGuy]

They robbed that poor tower of all its character. Now it looks like an average condo tower like in Vancouver.

[Amanita]

You mean 100 Van Ness?

We could also add 100 Park Avenue to this list as well- complete overhaul and reclad.

And here is one proposal I hope NEVER comes to pass, it's fucking terrible: