Master masons restoring Chelsea's historic façades, stoops, and ironwork since 1995. LPC-approved for Manhattan historic districts.
Chelsea contains one of Manhattan's earliest middle-class residential districts — the original Cushman Row on West 20th Street (1840) is among the finest surviving Greek Revival row house ensembles in NYC. The Chelsea Historic District was designated in 1970 and covers blocks of Greek Revival and Italianate row houses developed primarily between 1830 and 1880.
Chelsea was originally the farm of Clement Clarke Moore (author of 'A Visit from St. Nicholas'), who subdivided it for residential development in the 1820s. The neighborhood developed primarily with Greek Revival row houses in the 1830s and '40s, followed by Italianate construction in the 1850s and '60s. The original ground-floor commercial conversions on Eighth and Ninth Avenues date from the late 19th century and are also part of the historic fabric.
Notable streets: West 20th Street, West 21st Street, West 22nd Street, Tenth Avenue, Cushman Row.
Chelsea's Greek Revival row houses (1830s-1840s) feature elaborate wooden entry assemblies — pilastered doorways with deep entablatures, sidelights, and transoms — that are now original 180-year-old wood. Restoration of these entry assemblies is specialized carpentry work; the wood itself is often too brittle for full restoration and requires careful replication. Brick on these buildings is also very soft Federal/early-Victorian period brick that needs NHL 2 lime mortar.
Greek Revival wooden entry restoration and replication; soft brick repointing with NHL 2 lime mortar; Italianate cornice work; ironwork restoration on the original cast iron handrails and area gates; LPC compliance for the Chelsea Historic District.
Free on-site assessment. Written estimate within five business days. We know your block.
