Ellicott Development has started work to restore the historic Graystone Hotel. It is one of four projects the prolific developer is beginning in coming weeks.
Opened in 1897, the former Berkeley Hotel at 24 S. Johnson Park was designed by Carlton Strong. Ellicott Development purchased the property in March 2002. The distinctive building is an early example of reinforced concrete construction. A hole in its roof resulting from a construction accident in 2003 left many wondering if the property was doomed.
"Crews are doing the environmental work right now," says Bill Paladino, Chief Executive Officer of Ellicott Development.
Paladino says work to shore up the building's interior and install a new roof is starting this week. Interior demolition to prepare for a full-scale renovation of the building will occur over the winter.
According to Paladino, full construction will begin in March on the nearly $5 million project. The building will be converted into forty apartments.
Ellicott Development is one of the area's busiest developers and has a number of projects underway or planned in both the city and suburbs. According to Paladino, work on three additional developments is also starting. Demolition work is underway at the former New Life Assembly of God church at 189 North Pearl Street. The ornate, circa-1899 church is at the corner of North Street, is being converted into thirteen apartments.
Over the next two weeks, work will start to prepare the Squier Mansion at 1313 Main Street for Kaleida Health's Family Planning Center. Also expected to be underway is interior demolition at the former Grace Manor Nursing Home on Symphony Circle. That project will be anchored by Gateway-Longview. The balance of the building will be residential and office space.
Photos by Mike Puma
Still wondering why about 1/3 of this 'concrete' building appears to be made of very deteriorated red brick. Does anyone here know? It's obvious that the brick wall could be taken down with little effort - chunks are falling constantly.
The concrete that you see for the other 2/3 of the building is an applied facade to a brick substrate. The concrete you can see from the picture has in many places released itself from the brick over the years as can be seen by the large discolored cracks. It was really concrete chunks that have been falling off for a long time. It appears as though they have stripped the concrete off of that one section completely because it wasn't like that the last time I saw the backside of the building. Just a corner of brick was exposed where concrete had fallen off.
The question I have is whether or not he is going to reapply a new layer of concrete or if the brick was original (for the back at least and he is just going to leave the brick. It is likely that the concrete stucco was the original final treatment because the whole front facade is decorated with it and the building itself is made of reinforced concrete.
It would be nice if the concrete facade was reapplied. If he is seeking historic credits, would it not have to be returned to the original condition?
In any case, it's great to hear and see that the renovation work is back on.
If he is seeking historic credits??? Don't they always? It is how they make money.
@green jeans: re: the brick wall:
it's confusing to me as well, for a different reason: I was told by knowledgeable sources (Rocco Termini among them) that this building was constructed in a fashion that, for its day, was revolutionary. Namely, I was told it was constructed essentially like concrete shoe boxes, one atop the other. This brick wall certainly makes that description confusing to me, as it looks far more conventional. I wonder what the reality is.
Perhaps the bump outs in the rear were built separately out of brick? Anyway I thought the same thing.
A 1925 Sanborn Map verifies what you and Bini said about the construction materials (slide 32a). It is made up of concrete and steel framing with concrete walls and floors. The "Hotel Touraine" next door is built in a similar manner but with brick walls.
Cool stuff as concrete was not as common as other materials back in those days. The sturdy construction could explain why these places have endured despite a hole in the roof and tenants who some here feel are beneath them and/or harbinger of ruin.