Cutting Cornice Costs Without Sacrificing Historic Character

When a 1927 Emery Roth building on the Upper West Side faced a crumbling cornice, the board could have spent a fortune on traditional terracotta and waited two years for installation. Instead, Oswald Bertolini and Eric Vonderhyde, partners at Bertolini Architectural Works, came up with an unconventional solution that cut both costs and timelines while satisfying Landmarks' strict requirements. This conversation reveals the collaboration between architects, manufacturers, and preservationists that made the project work, plus insider strategies for managing complex facade repairs across multiple seasons. The results transformed how historic buildings approach restoration while honoring their architectural legacy. Habitat’s Emily Myers conducts the interview.Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!