Staff Group Tours Construction

A JJML staff-member arrives on the roof.

We arrive on the roof, which is entirely covered by a protective sheet-metal roof while the laylight from the top of the dome is being restored.

Staff members on the roof of the historic library building.

Staff members on the roof of the library’s historic building view the progress that has been made in restoring the exterior brickwork and the dome.

On the roof, the top of the Gustavino dome is visible along with its protective scaffolding and sheet metal roof . The dome has to be covered since the interior of the building is open to the elements while the glass laylight is being restored.

A section of parapet along the buildings rear roof line. The gap is where the original chimney used to be.

Inside the scaffolding’s protective covering, the restored and cleaned brickwork can be seen. All the motar has been replaced with new mortar whose color and chemical composition match the original as closely as possible. The bricks were cleaned, but some of their patina, acquired over the previous hundred years was allowed to remain.

The clean-out door of the library's original coal-fired furnace.

The clean-out door, used to remove ash from the library’s original coal-fired furnace.

Staff viewing the ongoing preservation work inside the library

JJML staff members view some of the water damage revealed during the restoration process.

Flat-arch construction techniques visible through opening in interior wall.

The flat-arch construction technique used throughout the library’s historic building can clearly be seen through this opening in the interior wall. Note the curve of the inner wall.

With the water-damaged interior wall removed, you can see the corroded roof-drain pipe that caused the damage.

Some of the tiles used in the flat-arch construction of the library’s walls and ceilings.

Gas and electric lines were reveealed when the wall sconces were removed.

Gas and electric lines shared the conduits leading to the wall sconces inside the library’s historic rotunda. Somehow, the building survived despite this unusual arrangement.

Staff ascending the scaffolding to the dome

Staff members on their way up to view the interior of the historic Gustavino dome that graces the library’s second-floor rotunda.

Interior of the dome with the laylight removed.

An interior view of the top of the Gustavino dome with the laylight removed. Both the original lighting that illuminated the stained glass laylight, and the scaffolding erected to cover the opening can be seen.

A detail of the frieze around the circumference of the laylight in the dome.

A detail of the frieze around the circumference of the laylight at the top of the dome.

Staff members outside the construction site.

At the end of the tour, Library Director Catherine Creedon explained that the next step in the construction process will be the removal of the scaffolding from around the historic building, followed by ground-breaking for the new addition.

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