part of the essential architecture network

Alexander Hamilton Custom House (National Museum of the American Indian and Federal Bankruptcy Court)/originally U.S. Custom House, 1 Bowling Green, bet. State and Whitehall Sts. to Bridge St. 1899 - 1907.  Cass Gilbert. Sculptures, "Four Continents": E to W: Asia, America, Europe, Africa, Daniel Chester French: Adolph A. Weinman, associate.  Cartouche at 7th-story attic, Karl Bitter.  Rotunda ceiling paintings, 1936-1937, Reginald Marsh.  Partial interior.  Alterations for the National Museum of the American Indian, 1994.  Ehrenkrantz & Ekstut.  Museum open 10-5 daily. 212-283-2420.

One of the city's most splendid Beaux Arts buildings.  The monumental sculptures by French are very much part of the architecture of the façade, their whiteness-and that of those at the attic by other sculptors are a rich counterpoint to the structure's gray granite.

No less grand is the interior, whose giant oval rotunda, embellished by Reginald Marsh's WPA-commissioned murals is the crowning architectural space.  It has remained vacant except for temporary activities since the Customs Service vacated the Custom House in favor of the World Trade Center in 1973.  The Museum of the American Indian has infilled much of these spaces since its installation.

Source: A.I.A Guide To New York City, 4th ed

A superb example of Beaux Arts architecture - the Alexander Hamilton US Custom House at the southern tip of Manhattan - has had exterior and ceremonial interior spaces restored and/or conserved while old office space was renovated for modern use.

Restoration and conservation included cleaning the building's Bowling Green facade and cleaning and/or conserving interior murals, decorative paintings, woodwork, metalwork, and marble. Renovations adapted space for Federal courtrooms and ancillary offices, for offices for future tenants, for meeting rooms, and for a 350 seat auditorium with state of-the art projection facilities. Upgrades of fire-safety, security, telecommunications, and heating, air conditioning, and ventilating systems accompanied alterations.

Preservation of the Custom House has attracted much public attention. The building is on the National Register of Historic Places, and it was one of the earliest designations of the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission for both exterior and public interior spaces.

The Custom House was designed by the prominent architect Cass Gilbert and constructed between 1902 and 1907. It incorporates Beaux Arts and City Beautiful Movement planning principles and combinations of architecture, engineering, and fine arts. Lavish sculptures, paintings, and decorations by well-known artists of the time, such as Daniel Chester French, embellish the facade, the two-story entry portico, the main hall parallel to the facade, the Rotunda, and the Collector's Reception Room.

The preservation of this fine art was accomplished by an unusual series of subcontracts. Preliminary investigations revealed that much artwork had been executed in unique materials and complex applications, some of which had deteriorated over time. Thus, careful research was necessary before restoration could even begin. (For example, murals painted by Regional Marsh in the Rotunda were on a special sand-rich plaster too delicate to be cleaned and requiring conservation treatments.) Selected fine arts conservators bid on restoring particular works. Each conservator surveyed his task, recommended materials and methods, tested the approach, and completed the job under the eye of recognized experts. Each step of restoration was documented, and copies of the compiled research were given to the U.S. General Services Administration and to the National Archives.