LaGuardia Airport – Terminal B

Historic Exterior Lanterns Restoration

Project Info

Job Site Queens, NY
Architect HOK
General Contractor CDS Mestel Construction Corp.

Project Description

LaGuardia Airport, located in East Elmhurst, Queens, New York City, is the third busiest airport serving New York City and the twentieth busiest in the United States. Covering 680 acres (280 ha), the airport was dedicated on October 15, 1939, as the New York Municipal Airport, and opened in December of that year. The airport adopted its current name in 1953 for Fiorello La Guardia, the mayor of New York City when the airport was built. LGA is a hub for American Airlines and Delta Air Lines.

A reconstruction plan was commenced in 2016 to completely replace the existing airport, and is scheduled to be completed in 2022. Valued at $5.1 billion, the Terminal B Redevelopment is the largest public-private partnership in US aviation history.

Grand Light artisans restored multiple decorative brass exterior wall mounted lanterns located at the facade of the renovated LaGuardia Airport Terminal B. The restoration process involved partial disassembly, ultrasonically and hand cleaning to conserve the existing verdigris patina finish. The lanterns had missing decorative lens holders which were replaced with new hand fabricated components and finished to match the existing. All components received a custom patina repair where required to enhance the existing verdigris finish. Each lantern received multiple applications of a UV resistant protective coating of a museum grade lacquer.

Additionally, fourteen damaged glass diffusers were replaced with new custom cut frosted seedy glass diffusers. All electrical components were replaced and rewired with UL listed products and tested in accordance with UL 1598 standards.

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