Address:
New York State Capitol
Albany, NY
Owner:
New York State
Office of General Services
Corning Tower
Albany, NY
Completion Date: 1982
The Senate Chamber was the finest interior designed by the renowned architect, Henry Hobson Richardson. Over the course of a century, the architect's original intentions were gradually lost as succeeding generations remodeled and altered the original furnishings and finishes. In the late 1970s, the leadership of the Senate embarked on a major restoration endeavor.
In
1978, John Mesick and his firm were retained to restore the architectural
integrity of the chamber and related public spaces. An Historic Structure
Report was compiled first which established all the details of Richardson's
original work, traced subsequent modifications, and surveyed heating and
air conditioning systems as well as lighting, electrical and acoustic
requirements.
The
restoration work was carried out over a period of several years, during
those months when the Senate was in recess. The work ranged from cleaning
and repairing surviving building fabric to researching, designing, and
reconstructing lost elements. The architects, in addition to preparing
construction documents, pre-qualified and supervised over two and a half
dozen contractors involved in the execution of the project.
Work commenced with removal of incompatible modern structural and decorative alterations, followed by stone and woodwork cleaning and improvement of existing mechanical and electrical systems. The architects developed designs for the lost decorative elements including Aixminster carpet, brass lighting fixtures, doors and door hardware, reporters' and visitors' chairs, public seating in the galleries, embossed leather wallhangings and leather upholstery, and encaustic tile paving. All these features have now been restored to the Senate Chamber, lieutenant governor's office and adjacent lobbies. Once again, the splendor of Richardson's original concept is now evident to all.