57th Street facility to be restored by IBEX to 'former glory'

Real Estate Weekly, June 5, 2002

The former American Society of Civil Engineer's Club, one of New York City's architectural treasures, is being restored to its original glory.

The 57th Street facility, which houses an expanded Lee's Art Studio, will also include space for Lee's Light Studio, a light and home furnishing store that is located around the corner, according. to Andy Frankl, president of IBEX Construction, the firm spearheading the renovations.

The entire project is scheduled to be completed by July 2002. Lee's Art Shop is currently housed in a turn-of-the-century French Gothic Revival style structure.

The building is undergoing and entire redevelopment including an exterior facelift, yet has remained open during construction.

A central aspect to the interior renovations includes three escalators and a grand staircase connecting all four floors of the store. Newly constructed skylights will also light vertical circulation elements.

On the main floor, the historic vaulted ceilings and ornamental plasterwork are being restored to their original beauty along with the oak-framed, stained glass panels at the rear of the building. In addition to these improvements, there are many other less visible changes underway including the installation of central air conditioning and new electrical, plumbing and heating ventilation systems.

"The completion of this project will open up a new chapter for Lee's Art Shop and this beautiful French Gothic Revival structure," said Frankl. "This will be the newest masterpiece to grace 57th Street, one of the most famous shopper's thoroughfares in the world," he added.

Lee's will occupy the first floor of the structure and part of the second. The balance of the second floor and the whole third floor will house Lee's studio. The fourth floor will be a flexible retail space for seasonal shopping, special sales and events. And the addition of a mezzanine, constructed at the rear of the second floor, will house Lee's business offices.

The architects for the renovation are Meyer & Gifford Architects of New York City, a firm with extensive experience in both adaptive re-use of historic buildings and retail design.'