RENOVATION PHOTOGRAPHY: MAX TOUHEY PHOTOGRAPHY Historic New York Public Library Rose Reading Room Ceiling Renovation Complete The New York Public Library reopened its historic Rose Reading Room this October following a two-year renovation focusing on the ceiling and chandeliers. Encompassing a nearly 300-foot, column-free expanse within the iconic Stephen A. Schwarzman Building on Fifth Avenue at 42nd Street in Midtown Manhattan, the Rose Reading Room-a 105-year-old Beaux Arts landmark designed by Carrère & Hastings-was decommissioned after one of the ornamental plaster rosettes adorning its gilded ceiling fell 52 feet to the ground in May 2014. The adjacent Bill Blass Public Catalog Room was also renovated as part of the project. The $12 million renovation, led by WJE Engineers & Architects and Tishman Construction Corporation, included the recreation and replacement of the rosette that had fallen. All existing classical plasterwork-framing a collection of celestial murals-was inspected and restored, and safely set into place using reinforced stainless-steel aircraft cables. The renovation included the installation of a new, modern conveyor system designed to transport materials from underground storage via two dozen individual cars, each enabled with the capacity to carry up to 30 pounds of materials along a 360-foot-long track. Aurora Lighting refurbished the Rose Reading Room's decorative chandeliers to accommodate LED lights. -HAYLEY ARSENAULT 112 contractdesign.com NOVEMBER 2016http://www.contractdesign.com