Retrofit projects present a distinct set of challenges, including working around active tenants and maintaining building operations, as well as navigating complex structural conditions and strict regulatory requirements. Nowhere are these considerations more demanding than in New York City, where Local Laws drive the need for performance upgrades, safety compliance, and sustainable solutions within dense urban environments. Enclos brings unmatched expertise to this market, combining decades of facade engineering experience with a proven track record of delivering occupied building retrofits under tight logistical constraints. Our holistic, design-assist approach, backed by advanced modeling, innovative construction methods, and deep knowledge of local codes, positions us as a dependable partner for owners and developers seeking to transform outdated facades into high-performing, modern building envelopes with minimal disruption.
15
+ years of retrofit experience
50
+ years of experience in the NYC market
1.7
million+ square feet
of facade area
Retrofits require more than technical know-how. They demand a careful balance of design, safety, logistics, and tenant experience. Our team has delivered some of the most complex occupied-building retrofits in New York City, and we know how to turn these challenges into opportunities for owners to unlock new value in their buildings.
Chris Merkel, Vice President – NYC Operations
Chris Merkel, Vice President – NYC Operations
Chris Merkel, Vice President – NYC Operations
With 41 years in the curtainwall industry, including 28 with Enclos, Chris brings decades of experience leading complex facade projects. His retrofit experience spans more than 15 years, including the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center recladding, and encompasses the unique challenges of existing conditions, logistics, sequencing, and installation.
Featured Retrofit Projects
1585 Broadway
Originally completed in 1990, this Times Square tower is a 42-story, 685-foot office building in the heart of New York City. As part of a comprehensive renovation designed by Gensler, Enclos modernized portions of the building’s original facade at the podium and upper executive floors, improving thermal performance, structural performance, and daylight while the building
42 Trinity Place
42 Trinity Place, also known as 77 Greenwich, is a 42-story mixed-use tower overlooking the New York Harbor and Hudson River in the city’s Financial District. The tower was originally designed with a floor-to-ceiling glass enclosure in sawtooth patterns to provide residents with views of the surrounding waterways, and stone cladding on the east elevation.
LaGuardia Community College – Center 3 Facade Replacement
As part of CUNY’s system-wide maintenance overhaul, upgrading the performance of the 100-year-old structure that is LaGuardia Community College’s Center III aims to introduce significantly improved building envelope energy performance while modernizing the facility. Originally built in 1914, the former Nabisco factory now houses educational spaces including laboratories, lecture halls and administrative offices. The facade
680 Folsom Street
The aging precast concrete shell at 680 Folsom Street in San Francisco’s South of Market district went through an intense makeover. The renovation evolved around a recladding program that replaced the original 1960’s concrete building shell with 190,000 square feet of facade. The revitalization effort was designed by architect Skidmore, Owings & Merrill to be highly
Jacob K. Javits Convention Center
In 2006 a major renovation and expansion was undertaken to meet the demand for additional exhibit space and performance upgrades. With the original 1982 facade showing signs of aging, a reclad program began in July 2010 to replace the entire curtainwall system. Enclos is responsible for this retrofit program, which includes the removal of the existing facade and the engineering, fabrication and installation of new curtainwall and skylight systems.
Constitution Center
This former home of the US Department of Transportation in downtown Washington, D.C. has been renovated and modernized, gutting the existing concrete shell originally completed in 1969. The new facility, Constitution Center, is the largest privately owned office building in the District of Columbia, with 1.4 million square feet of office space above ground and