Final Stage of Exterior 770 Renovation Begins
The “Vaad Bedek Habayis” began the final stage of the major exterior renovation of 770 Eastern Parkway this week having already finished work on the yard, sidewalk, and library of Agudas Chasidei Chabad completed throughout the summer months.
The renovations were done as part of an extensive project focused on the fundamental repairs needed for the winter. Work that had been required for a long time was finally completed, including removal of obstacles on the sidewalk, fixing the entranceway to 770, as well as yard and wall repair. All this completed in just two months of work.
The renovations were done in stages. The first stage was the repair of the outer balcony of the original entrance to the library building. The balcony had previously been broken and completely dismantled, leaving gaps that allowed water to leak through.
Another step was repairing the library structure itself, such as repairing the walls where leaks were plentiful and walls which were peeling from the inside. The new construction included waterproofing and coating with a material that prevents water from entering, cleaning the stones well, and filling the brickwork with concrete where bricks were missing.
Another step in the process was an extensive repair of the portion of the sidewalk in the yard of 770, where loose stones shifted with the weight of those who walked on them. Another major fix was to the drainage system in the yard, which was a significant issue and required a complete rebuild with new materials.
Another major fix was the main entrance door of 770, which after many years required rehabbing to bring back its original luster.
The rebuilding of the sidewalk in front and parallel to the 770 and the library buildings came next. The area repaired and upgraded spanned from the Rebbe’s parking lot to the end of the new library building, which after renovations now includes a special electric system built under the sidewalk for thawing and melting the snow.
Finally, the repairs have reached their final stage with the repair of the walkway entrance to the main door of 770. The walkway stones themselves, made of iconic red brick, had become severely damaged by the use of salt during the winter months, leaving them and the surrounding concrete practically destroyed. As the years had passed, the damage had grown progressively worse, to the point where continuous repairs were being done as the stones simply dislodged and fell out.
After multiple injuries from people tripping or slipping, the need for a reliable thawing system became apparent, and thankfully now is being installed.
With the intent of reusing as much of the existing stonework as possible in the renovation, the bricks, originally placed in 1977, are being removed, cleaned, and replaced in new concrete and mortar.
The work is done by the “Vaad Bedek Habayis” under the direction of Rabbi Chaim Baruch Halberstam and under the eye of Rabbi Yossi Rabkin. Assisting in the renovations is Rabbi Rabkin’s son-in-law Rabbi Nosson Losh. All the work is being done with the approval and coordination with Agudas Chasidei Chabad.
yaakov
Renovations ? : Please post the cost of this project and who pays for it .Transparency is a must when dealing with a charity. When will it be posted ?