St. Ann & the Holy Trinity Church

Brooklyn, New York (1847)

The Building: 
A historic Episcopal church in Brooklyn Heights designed by prominent 19th century architect Minard Lafever. The stained glass windows, designed by William Jay Bolton and John Bolton, are the first complete canon, or set, of figural stained glass windows made in North America. The Bolton windows consist of six distinct sets totaling 55 glass installations, of which 54 remain. The church opened in 1847 and closed for 12 years in 1957.

Project Synopsis: 
Lisa Easton of Easton Architects called in HPCS USA to conduct an assessment of the plaster on wood lath ceiling from attic side. The assessment revealed that the plaster keys & lugs were completely friable and turned to dust upon touch. The plaster was in such bad shape that it was difficult to tell what was actually holding the ceiling in place. Robert Sillman Associates, a structural engineering firm, conducted a peer review of the HPCS findings and agreed that the plaster needed imminent treatment. At total of 30,000 square feet of plaster and wood lath was successfully stabilized using the HPCS three-step plaster consolidation treatment system and products.

St. Ann & the Holy Trinity Church ceiling
St. Ann & the Holy Trinity Church plaster on wood lath ceiling.
St. Ann & the Holy Trinity Church plaster on wood lath ceiling
St. Ann & the Holy Trinity Church interior.

Historic Plaster Conservation Services