April 9, 2025
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Via Zoom
Join Alexei Tajzler from HLZAE as he describes the meticulous façade restoration of the Flatiron Building. The project involved the installation of full-height pipe scaffolding and suspended scaffolding on all facades. This enabled HLZAE’s team of 15 experts—spanning architectural, structural, and special inspection divisions—to conduct comprehensive, up-close inspections of the entire façade.
Participants will learn about how HLZAE overcame the challenge to restore such an iconic building and maintain the historical integrity of the building, particularly its terracotta ornamentation. The project called for the replacement of nearly 3,200 terracotta units, repointing 25,000 linear feet of masonry joints, and 2,000 linear feet of crack repair. This process required the hand-pressing, glazing, and kiln firing of terracotta units, a complex and time-consuming task. Additionally, HLZAE conducted a thorough inspection of the building’s 6-foot-tall, 467-foot-wide cornice, consisting of over 2,500 terracotta stones.
General Admission $5 / AIA Credit $25
Alexei Tajzler, RA has been with HLZAE since 2008, he leads a team of Project Managers and Associates from project inception to close-out, reviewing construction documentation, and suggesting alternative solutions when hidden conditions are discovered. Alexei was responsible for 6 Harrison Street, an award-winning landmarked building completed in 1884, which required a full façade restoration and replacement of the slate roof tiles and copper elements. For 140 West 69th Street, a 12-story residential building, he restored terra cotta watertables, limestone plinth course, copper bay windows, sheet metal cornice, and additional architectural details throughout the building. Alexei also coordinated the full exterior inspection and report of 111 West 57th Street, one of the tallest buildings in the Western Hemisphere.
Alexei earned a Bachelor of Science in Architecture degree from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, is a Registered Architect in the State of New York, and Qualified Exterior Wall Inspector (QEWI) in New York City. He is also a Commissioner on the Historic Preservation Commission for the city of Hoboken, New Jersey.