Design and Construction Report staff writer
A $67 million building rehabilitation in the City of Utica has transformed a historic building near the city’s center into 153 energy efficient, safe and affordable homes. The 126-year-old building was in severe disrepair and underwent a gut rehabilitation after the city of Utica shut it down in 2021 over safety concerns.
The Charles A Gaetano Construction Corp. was hired by Liberty Affordable Housing for the renovation of the historic Olbiston Apartments building, built at the turn of the 20th century.
The renovation project included reconstructing 153 units inside this 158,600 sq. ft., 7-story building. Historic marble floors, marble wainscoting, marble base and wood floors were restored, doors and trims replicated and curved glass windows were restored.
Other aspects of this project include replacing both existing elevators and digging and constructing a new elevator pit inside of the existing building.
After the existing structures currently connected to the building were removed a new five-story trash room was added, and a vestibule addition was constructed.
Also, the stone and brick façade of the building was cleaned and rebuilt as needed, and the historic cone structures on the round turrets of the building were replicated and set into place.
“Gaetano Construction is excited to be a part of this project to restore this historic structure,” the company said in a statement. “This is the largest contract in Gaetano’s company history.”
The building’s redesign achieves Energy Star Multifamily New Construction Program and Enterprise Green Communities 2020 certifications by utilizing several energy-efficiency measures, including a new roof membrane with increased insulation, cold climate heat pumps with high energy efficiency ratings for heating and cooling for all apartments, a centralized hot-water system provided by 98 percent efficiency boilers, building-wide LED lighting, and Energy Star rated or equivalent appliances.
The Romanesque Revival style brick and stone apartment building originally opened in 1898 and was later subdivided multiple times during the 20th century. By the 1970s, the building had begun to deteriorate and was left to further decay. In 2021, residents were evacuated after an inspection revealed unsafe conditions in the building.
“For decades the historical Olbiston Apartments housed within this very building languished, culminating in the emergency evacuation of 60 residents in 2021,” said Utica Mayor Michael P. Galime. “In 2022 Liberty Affordable, HCR, and the City of Utica committed to the historical renovation of the entire structure you see today from the bones up, resulting in over 150 apartments outfitted with prime materials and energy efficient ready for residents to enjoy for years to come.”
