Temple Preservation Ensures Strong Local Presence for Years to Come

Project Background

• Constructed in 1959, the temple was the vision of local architect Samuel Z. Moskowitz, often considered the first modernist architect in Northeastern Pennsylvania
• Limited masonry preservation and repair efforts were completed over the building’s lifetime, but no substantial masonry restoration had taken place prior to MPS’s efforts
• MPS was commissioned to complete anchorage, flashing, and preservation-level repairs at the front elevation travertine wall assembly as part of a multi-phase preservation effort

Project Challenges

• Substantial scaffolding was required for safe work access, including provisions to lift, handle, store, and reinstall large travertine wall panels
• 108 unique travertine panels required logging and storage onsite to ensure proper reinstallation at their original locations
• The backup substrate and travertine wall panels were assembled in a manner to create a convex curving wall assembly that required precise panel anchorage tolerances
• The deteriorated backup brick and terra cotta wall substrate required select rebuilding and strengthening to ensure a homogeneous wall structure meeting structural anchorage requirements
• The travertine panels required additional thickness at anchorage locations per best practice; additional thickness was met using salvaged travertine from another local Moskowitz project

Project Approach

• MPS designed, erected, and maintained system scaffolding to disassemble, repair/preserve, and reassemble the travertine wall while also accommodating coping work
• Travertine panels were removed and stored onsite for retrofit and reinstallation following substrate remediation and installation of proper through-wall flashing
• Chipped, cracked, and broken travertine was repaired using filler materials, crack repairs, and dutchmen repairs at select locations
• Decorative brass elements were cleaned and preserved in their current state
• Panels were re-anchored using custom stainless steel anchors
• The original coping assembly was replaced with a decorative anodized aluminum coping to match the geometry on other building elevations