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New Masonry

Graciano’s New Masonry Construction Division was established in 1997 to address new construction needs, including new masonry services on masonry restoration and historic restoration projects, in addition to new construction assignments.

The New Masonry Division’s first assignment was building Graciano’s new corporate headquarters. Since that time, the division has gone on to carry out many new masonry projects, including schools, retail stores, commercial offices and industrial buildings. The division’s specialists also work hand-in-hand with Graciano’s restoration teams whenever a job calls for both restoration and new construction. The division has completed work on several projects, including construction of new structures at New York City’s Bowery Bay Wards Island water treatment Facility.

New Masonry Services Offered

Graciano offers an extensive array of new masonry construction services to accommodate numerous new construction needs. We are skilled at site preparation and foundation work, new construction, brick, block and stone installation, and mortar-set and dry stacked new masonry assignments. In addition, we also install rebar, imbeds and lintels, as well as expansion joints, and precast architectural elements.

Tuck Pointing Learn more Tuck pointing entails removing loose or cracked mortar from brickwork or stone installations and replacing its new mortar to ensure structural integrity and to seal out damaging water and moisture. Mortar for tuck pointing must be carefully selected to ensure that its color and texture of the new mortar closely matches the existing material that was not compromised and did not need to be removed.
Shotcrete Learn more Shotcrete is a material that combines concrete with compressed air. The mixture is pumped through a hose at high pressure, and is then applied to the desired surface. The force of the air pressure consolidates the material on the surface. Shotcrete can be formulated in one of two ways. The wet method premixes the concrete with water before it is pumped through the high–pressure hose. The dry method involves sucking the dry materials into the application system, combining them with water within the hose, and then apply them to the final surface.
Masonry Restoration Learn more Masonry restoration involves the repair of existing masonry materials or the complete replacement of damaged materials with new or reclaimed bricks or stones. Color and texture matching are key considerations in masonry restoration, as an accurate match can make areas of restored stone or brick blend in seamlessly with existing materials. To achieve an accurate color and texture match, it is frequently necessary to return to the original brick manufacturer for replacements, or to the original stone quarry where material for the existing stone components was cut.
Grouting Learn more Grouting is used to seal the spaces between masonry installations such as tile or terra cotta. Grout may be colored to blend with the masonry materials, or can be used to create contrast within the masonry design. Grout is typically applied by hand by filling the joints with material and then troweling it out over the adjoining tile or terra cotta. Once the grout has set, a craftsman returns to the area that was grouted and removes any excess material from the face of the installation. As grout is frequently porous, it must be sealed once it is completely dry to protect it from dirt infiltration.
Demolition Learn more Demolition entails the removal of damaged or undesired concrete. It is most frequently accomplished with a jackhammer or another piece of pneumatic equipment.
Caulking Learn more Caulking is used to seal gaps between masonry surfaces, such as brick or stone, and other architectural elements, including window and door frames, decorative hardware or lighting fixtures. Caulking is most often applied with a gun, and is available in butyl, latex or customized formulations. The color of caulk is selected to match the surfaces surrounding the application site. When applied, the caulking gun is inserted in the gap to be filled. Caulking material is then injected into the void to seal the opening.
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  • Tuck Pointing Tuck pointing entails removing loose or cracked mortar from brickwork or stone installations and replacing its new mortar to ensure structural integrity and to seal out damaging water and moisture. Mortar for tuck pointing must be carefully selected to ensure that its color and texture of the new mortar closely matches the existing material that was not compromised and did not need to be removed.
  • Shotcrete Shotcrete is a material that combines concrete with compressed air. The mixture is pumped through a hose at high pressure, and is then applied to the desired surface. The force of the air pressure consolidates the material on the surface. Shotcrete can be formulated in one of two ways. The wet method premixes the concrete with water before it is pumped through the high–pressure hose. The dry method involves sucking the dry materials into the application system, combining them with water within the hose, and then apply them to the final surface.
  • Masonry Restoration Masonry restoration involves the repair of existing masonry materials or the complete replacement of damaged materials with new or reclaimed bricks or stones. Color and texture matching are key considerations in masonry restoration, as an accurate match can make areas of restored stone or brick blend in seamlessly with existing materials. To achieve an accurate color and texture match, it is frequently necessary to return to the original brick manufacturer for replacements, or to the original stone quarry where material for the existing stone components was cut.
  • Grouting Grouting is used to seal the spaces between masonry installations such as tile or terra cotta. Grout may be colored to blend with the masonry materials, or can be used to create contrast within the masonry design. Grout is typically applied by hand by filling the joints with material and then troweling it out over the adjoining tile or terra cotta. Once the grout has set, a craftsman returns to the area that was grouted and removes any excess material from the face of the installation. As grout is frequently porous, it must be sealed once it is completely dry to protect it from dirt infiltration.
  • Demolition Demolition entails the removal of damaged or undesired concrete. It is most frequently accomplished with a jackhammer or another piece of pneumatic equipment.
  • Caulking Caulking is used to seal gaps between masonry surfaces, such as brick or stone, and other architectural elements, including window and door frames, decorative hardware or lighting fixtures. Caulking is most often applied with a gun, and is available in butyl, latex or customized formulations. The color of caulk is selected to match the surfaces surrounding the application site. When applied, the caulking gun is inserted in the gap to be filled. Caulking material is then injected into the void to seal the opening.

Featured Projects

Two Mellon Center

Two Mellon Center, is one of Pittsburgh’s most stunning landmarks. An imposing Flemish-Gothic style limestone structure, the building occupies a full city block and features a sixty-five-feet high mansard roof pitched at a 17° angle. Each elevation features 38 dormers of varying size that are positioned in three uniform tiers spreading across surfaces of the mansards. Graciano completed a full-scale restoration of the building including a comprehensive system to stop the water infiltration that had plagued the structure since its original construction in 1919. Learn more

Featured Projects

Staple Bend Tunnel

Completed 1833, the Staple Bend Tunnel was the first railroad tunnel, and the third tunnel of any kind, in the United States. Located about four miles east of Johnstown, PA, the tunnel is part of the Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site. Following strict Historic Landmark guidelines, Graciano restored the arched sandstone liners at each portal. Interior improvements included resetting of stone, as well as grout injection into mortar joints of the stone liner. Learn more

Featured Projects

Rockefeller Center

Graciano was selected to revitalize this well-known part of the New York City skyline. Built during the Depression (1929), Rockefeller Center is actually a complex of a dozen buildings. Rockefeller Center, constructed in Indiana limestone, a beautiful building material noted for its durability and fire resistance. Graciano performed historic restoration and exterior cleaning, of over 2,500,000 sq. ft. of building facade. Much of the work was done at night to avoid interrupting commerce at the busy site. Learn more

Featured Projects

Oyster Bar

The oldest business in Manhattan’s Grand Central Terminal has welcomed New Yorkers, tourists and travelers since 1913. The Oyster Bar’s iconic Guastavino tile arches and vaults were restored by Graciano, specialists in Guastavino tile restoration. 1,300 square feet of terra cotta tile were removed and reset or replaced with newly fabricated, architecturally correct tile above dining rooms, lunch counter and bar. Learn more

Featured Projects

Mainstreet Station

Built as the Main Street Passenger Railroad Station in 1901, Richmond Virginia’s Main Street Station has stood as a fine example of Beaux Arts architecture for more than a century. Graciano was responsible for reversing years of decay and damage to the structure’s masonry and terra cotta surfaces. The brickwork required extensive repointing, cracked terra cotta had to be removed and replaced, balustrades required reconstruction and deteriorated stonework had to be replaced. It was imperative that original finishes be replicated and matched as accurately as possible. Learn more

Featured Projects

Eaton’s Neck Lighthouse

Eaton’s Neck Lighthouse is a brownstone lighthouse that’s been standing in a harsh and exposed environment for almost two and a quarter centuries on Huntington Bay and Long Island Sound, New York. The lighthouse was built in 1799, electrified in 1921. It is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, and its site is a U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) station. Learn more

Featured Projects

Cleveland Museum of Art

The Cleveland Museum of Art, opened to the public in 1916. The original building, made of white Georgia marble, still stands as an excellent example of neoclassic design. Graciano cleaned the entire building, pointed, replaced marble, patched, installed dutchman, restored bronze work, installed storm windows and bird netting, and installed lead caps on all architectural features that protrude skyward, such as water tables, cornices and drip edges. Learn more

Featured Projects

Brooklyn Academy of Music Opera House

The oldest performing arts center in America, the 100-year-old structure features a façade that incorporates extraordinary decorative detail in brick, polychrome terra cotta, granite and marble. Graciano performed significant rehabilitation of the masonry, terra cotta, stone and metal trim features on the building’s facades was also necessary to stabilize compromised brickwork, as well as replicate and reinstall missing stone elements that had been removed over the years. Learn more

Featured Projects

Belvedere Castle Central Park

Central Park Conservancy asked Graciano Corporation to restore Belvedere Castle from bedrock to rooftops — updating mechanicals and utilities and adding a state-of-the-art geothermal system, while preserving the castle’s historic charm. In this turnkey restoration project, the Graciano project management team oversaw the entire scope of work — not just the usual artistic historic restoration, but mechanical, utilities and interior construction as well. Learn more

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To learn more about Graciano Corporation and our complete line of restoration, preservation and residential services, please contact us today for an estimate on your next project.

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