Interior Restoration Work to Begin at METC

The Museum of Early Trades & Crafts (METC) will begin interior restoration work on the James Library Building on Friday, January 8. METC will be closed to the public from Friday, January 8 through Wednesday, January 13 due to construction. For updates, please visit www.metc.org.

This project is part of METC’s long-term Preservation Plan created by the museum in 2012 to ensure that the building, which is owned by the Borough of Madison, would continue to be preserved for future generations. Over the last eight years, the museum staff has managed four phases of this project supported by funding from the Morris County Historic Preservation Trust as well as the Madison Open Space Recreation and Historic Preservation Fund. This work included installing proper below grade drainage, copper gutters and downspouts, raking and re-pointing masonry, new tower and conservatory roofs, new terracotta finials, and a new slate roof. This final phase will focus on the interior of the building, conserving the finishes and decorative paint that dates to when the building was constructed in 1899.

METC is partnering with Historic Building Architects of Trenton, NJ and EverGreene Architectural Arts of Brooklyn, NY on this project. Interior work to be done will include cleaning, desalination, repairs, and restoration of the finishes and paint. Over the years, moisture ingress from the roof seeped into the walls of the north face of the structure, causing damage to the finishes. This moisture issue was addressed during a prior phase of the project, allowing this restoration to proceed.

There will be opportunities to see the conservation work in progress via live streaming and METC will be presenting an on line discussion about the process of paint and decorative finishes conservation in the spring.