Public School 50 – Bronx, NY

Public School 50 is a historic New York City public school building in the Bronx featuring traditional masonry construction and ornamental terra cotta detailing typical of early 20th-century civic architecture. Over time, deterioration of exposed exterior elements required restoration and reconstruction to preserve the building’s historic character while maintaining long-term durability.

Working with Boston Valley Terra Cotta, the project’s manufacturer for replacement terra cotta elements, the work involved assisting in the reconstruction of the building’s historic balustrade. Responsibilities included preparing elevation setting drawings used to coordinate the layout and installation of the replacement units, as well as producing detailed shop drawings for many of the complex individual terra cotta components. These drawings guided the fabrication process and ensured the reconstructed elements accurately matched the historic design.

Additional responsibilities included direct coordination and correspondence with the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) to ensure the replacement terra cotta elements met preservation requirements and maintained the architectural integrity of the original building.