Palmolive Building

Award of Merit: Renovation/Restoration

The 37-story Palmolive Building opened in 1929 to house the Colgate-Palmolive-Peet Co. and was immediately recognized as a great symbol of Art Deco design.

advertisement

Appealing of High-End Tenants

A key issue was the nonexistent parking because the building site is landlocked and without alleys. For tenants of luxury high-rise, parking is crucial.

The solution involved the installation of a pair of two-sided, hydraulic vehicle lifts that shuttle cars down to three levels of below-ground parking.

One level was created by inserting a concrete slab between the walls of the original boiler room, making two levels out of one. This structural modification entailed the removal of two first-floor columns that supported the tower and the installation of massive transfer girders.

Existing building conditions also provided significant mechanical issues.

Planning was required for the removal of antiquated mechanical-electrical-plumbing systems, occurring while the remaining office tenants still inhabited the building.

Over the course of two heating seasons, temporary measures were used so that systems could be slowly disconnected and modified for residential use.

Other issues revealed themselves within the residential units and corridors. For instance, window heights on all floors were too high for a traditional residential space.

As a result, the design team raised the floors to shorten the space between the window and floor. This also created a hiding place for ductwork that would otherwise reside along the ceiling, creating lower ceilings and less refined appearance.

The original wood carvings in the elevators were refurbished. Stone carvings on the building exterior were saved and used to adorn the club walls.

Preservation extended to the tower beacon, which underwent a reinstallation.

Jury Comments: "It was incredibly impressive on how high-end finishes were incorporated but the historic nature of the building was respected. It's just amazing. They solved a complex parking issue by creating three vehicle floors in a vintage building."