Stephen Tilly, Architect Restored Exterior of Sanctuary - View from Central Park West The Congregation Shearith Israel was founded in 1654 and was the rst Jewish Congregation to be established in North America. Facing Central Park at 70 th Street, the synagogue holds a proud place among a row of distinguished early 20 th century apartment houses and neo-clas- sical buildings on Central Park West including the Ethical Culture Society, the Christian Science Church and the New York Historical Society. In 1999 Stephen Tilly, Architect began the restoration of the landmark 1897 Beaux Arts Sanctuary, designed by architect Arnold Brunner with interior nishes by Louis Comfort Tiffany. Outside, gentle mist cleaning and repair restored the luminous limestone façade. New copper and membrane roofs and ashings secured the envelope. The successful restoration of Congregation Shearith Israel was made possible by contributions from ten specialized consult- ing rms, the work of numerous artisans expert in century-old building crafts and direction by highly professional and dedi- cated construction management. Construction Manager: Bovis Lend Lease New York, NY Mechanical Engineer: Landmark Facilities Group, Inc. Norwalk, CT Structural Engineer: Robert Silman Associates, P.C. New York, NY Acoustical Analysis: Marshall KMK Chappaqua, NY Project Staff: Stephen Tilly, Principal Robert Gabalski, Senior Architect Margaret Gaertner, Preservation Specialist Stuart Johnson, Architectural Designer Congregation Shearith Israel, New York, New York Exterior Restoration Exterior of Sanctuary before restoration
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Stephen Tilly, Architect
Inside, heating and air con-
ditioning were overhauled
and lighting upgraded. Fire
detection and suppression
systems were installed,
including New York City’s
rst mist sprinkler system, atechnology devised expressly
for the protection of art
works and ne nishes. A
rigorous re detection system
was maintained during con-
struction. For services, the
architectural team designed
and had installed a new
sound system compliant with
Orthodox Jewish proscrip-
tions against work on the
Sabbath. Restored Sanctuary interior
Women’s balcony, with restored scagliola, sconces,
chandeliers and pews
Congregation Shearith Israel, New York, New York Interior Restoration
As work on interior elements progressed, Tiffany’s vision
for the synagogue came to life after a century of being
hidden. Restored light xtures of glowing brass, gold and
silver, long tarnished black, illuminated a color scheme
reconstructed through microscopic paint analysis and Mun-
sell matching with contemporary materials. Light reected
from refreshed surfaces echoes and complements colors in
the (Tiffany) stained glass windows. Restored architectural
plaster ( scagliola), in concert with Numidian marble, adds
depth and complexity to Tiffany’s subtle masterpiece. Theinterior and exterior work was completed in 2002.
Ner Tamid after restoration Ner Tamid, the Eternal Flame, tar-
nished black before restoration
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