Design team outlines spandrel panel replacement plan for Niagara Mohawk (National Grid) building; board and consultants discuss approach

Nelson Associates presented preliminary plans and technical details on Aug. 28 for a spandrel panel replacement project at the Niagara Mohawk Building (National Grid building) in downtown Syracuse. The presentation described the project as driven by safety concerns after existing panels have decomposed and, in some cases, fallen off the façade.

Peter Nelson introduced the design team and said National Grid is prioritizing safety while seeking a restoration approach that preserves the building’s appearance. Project architect Andy Morgan and project designer Justine Kamer walked the board through drone photographs, close‑up images of failing panels and measurements used to document the varied panel profiles across the four primary elevations. Morgan said the team conducted photographic and drone surveys to capture exact reliefs and profiles and identified roughly three panel profiles in several sizes, with approximately 100 panels in total to be replaced.

The team explained they plan to manufacture replacement panels in a masonry‑in‑kind approach using fiberglass‑reinforced cast material to match textures and reliefs while avoiding the moisture‑trapping issues associated with earlier historic sealants. They described a strategy to remove existing panels from the outside, install structural supports and new panels sized to site openings, rebrick/patch surrounding masonry where required, and apply breathable finishes from the factory and a final coat in the field. The presenters said the full scope could require phased scaffolding, cranes and specialized rigging and estimated about two and a half years for the full façade work, performed by façade and restoration masons with mock‑ups and test installations recommended.

Board members asked detailed questions about profiles, lintels, sills, waterproofing of the backside of panels, preservation of existing stainless steel decorative elements, and documentation. The project team said they will provide samples and a lobby display board with a 6×6 sample panel; they plan a field mock‑up (possibly in wood) to prove installation methods and to engage masonry contractors before full‑scale work. The presenters said they will attempt to salvage and retain examples of original panels where possible, though many panels are failing and may come out in pieces.

This meeting was a discussion and information session; no formal certificate of appropriateness or vote on construction method or materials was taken. The board expressed general support for the approach and requested that the project provide material samples, mock‑ups and additional installation details at future meetings for further review and formal approvals as needed.