The recent conservation included intensive work on the structure’s upper cornice - cutting out failing mortar and repointing many of the joints between the stone blocks. (Photo by Daniel Avila / NYC Parks Dept.) The arch is made of several marbles from two no-longer-extant New York quarries (Tuckahoe for the structure and ornament, Dover for the two sculptures of Washington as Commander in Chief and President, added during World War I), and the stonework is susceptible to acid rain. (Photo by Jennifer Lantzas / NYC Parks Dept.) These spots were cleaned and then sealed to keep the arch waterproof, since water penetration can cause the stones to shift and destabilize the structure. Bird droppings had led to plants - including London plane saplings and phragmite reeds - sprouting in cracks and on ledges on the arch. This year, the effort was especially intensive, also including bird-proofing. To keep the monument looking good and standing strong, Parks now gives it an annual, “head to toe” inspection and cleaning. The arch was restored in 2003, and the recent preservation work is part of Parks’ ongoing stewardship of it. An international symbol of New York City and Greenwich Village, it’s a central gathering place for New Yorkers and tourists alike - and, since the advent of the smart phone, the backdrop of countless selfies. The work included surveying the arch to ensure the structural stability of all marble masonry, decorative ornamentation and sculptural stonework gently cleaning the entire monument of biological growth and pollutants conducting masonry repairs and mortar replacement at the parapet stabilizing the sculptures through chemical stone consolidation applying a graffiti barrier to the lower portion of the arch and working with an outside contractor, BirdMaster, to install an improved, roof-level bird-proofing system.īuilt in 1895, the majestic arch was designed by architect Stanford White. The work was done under the auspices of the department’s Citywide Monuments Conservation Program, a conservation and training program for young people seeking to enter the profession, who often have some prior college or graduate level conservation education and are seeking hands-on experience. “We try to take care of small problems before they become large, costly problems,” said Jonathan Kuhn, the Parks Department’s director of art & antiquities. The arch tenders were on site from July 11 to July 29. The painstaking work was done by a mix of budding, young trainees and experienced Parks Department staffers. The Washington Square Arch recently got its annual cleaning and conservation - including the zapping of pesky “ghost” graffiti. BY THE VILLAGE SUN | It’s a monumental job - but someone, thankfully, had to do it.
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