Our Process
To provide needed health services in Greenwich Village, Northwell Health purchased the Historic O'Toole Building. It was originally designed by Albert Ledner as the National Maritime Union headquarters and subsequently was the St. Vincent Medical Center.
Perkins Eastman was chosen as the architectural firm to restore and repurpose the nearly 50-year-old building to provide the community with emergency room, imaging, and ambulatory services. Perkins Eastman is a design company "for the people and the environment." With 19 studios across the globe, they are an award-wining, full-service firm.
Turner Construction Company was chosen as the lead on construction services. Founded in New York in 1902, Turner oversees multiple projects internationally. Turner says they are "turn-key builders offering services across all market sectors to match the needs of their clients."
Navillus Contracting was chosen as the Masonry Contractor for the job. Navillus was founded in 1987 and has quickly become one of the largest union contractors of New York City.
GBA was brought into the project by Navillus to collaborate on the floor to ceiling glass block façade wrapping around the entirety of the building. This was a restoration of the original design, with a few modifications to ensure compliance with all manufacturer specifications and extend the life cycle and performance of the wall. Additional steel framing was created to comply with maximum panel dimensions. Stainless steel wire and other components were upgraded from the original installation.
As the largest single-source and installer of commercial glass block in the country, GBA was able to bring that knowledge to the job. The blocks used were 12" x 12" x 4" and 8" x 8" x 4" Clarity block with a fibrous insert in the glass to filter light and create the desired level of opacity. The light penetrating qualities of the glass block created an alluring, bright appearance. Through the generation of shop drawings, product approvals, dimensioning and detailing, and the collaboration of Navillus, Turner, and Perkins Eastman, GBA executed the installation in a timely and professional manner.
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