New York Presbyterian – Helmsley Medical Tower

Built in 1987, this New York Presbyterian building, known as Helmsley Medical Tower, is a 36-story mixed-use structure composed of medical clinics, hotel rooms, and staff residences ranging in size from studios to three-bedroom apartments. With an exterior of limestone, aluminum and glass, Helmsley Tower’s façade is a stickbuilt system consisting of curtain wall frame verticals (or mullions) and glass panels that are installed and connected piece by piece.

HLZAE undertook a careful cleaning of the curtain wall, lasting more than two years and employing a system of netting constructed below the scaffold platform to capture blow-off from the cleaning procedure. Chemicals were tested to ensure they didn’t etch the original materials, nor harm the public in their use, and PH levels of effluent were continually monitored.

Our team performed chamber tests to determine where leaks were occurring and employed several probes to understand the existing system. We also created mockups to formalize the work and replaced gaskets in the curtain wall system.