Custom House Rehabilitation
Philadelphia, Pa.

We are performing an exterior rehabilitation of the Custom House, which occupies a whole city block in Philadelphia’s Historic District, for TranSystems|DPK&A Architects and the GSA. The project encompasses a masonry restoration, blast protection, and a rehabilitation of steel casement windows. The exterior of the building consists of a three-story limestone base, an eight-story brick and limestone cruciform tower and an octagonal lantern of white high-relief terra cotta with decorative side grilles at the approximately 300-foot-high apex. Completed in 1934 under the Works Progress Administration, it was the final major work of architects Ritter & Shay and today houses the National Park Service, OSHA and other government agencies. Construction is expected to be completed in 2011.