Owner: Government of Sweden Architect: Gertler Wente Kerbeykian Architects Value: $1.7 million
Hudson Meridian Construction Group assisted with the renovation of the Ambassador’s Residence of the Consulate General of Sweden. The Upper East Side five-story brownstone was originally built in 1876-1877 by developer/architect John McCool with the current façade dating from 1907 by architect Theodore Visscher that includes a cast iron fence and grille work. HMCG provided pre-construction services for this $1.7 million comprehensive rehabilitation of the Swedish-owned and occupied building. Acquired in 1978, renovations took place in 1997-98, including facade and roof work.
The Swedish Ambassador to the United Nations and his family currently reside in this building. The Ambassador regularly entertains on the premises related to UN business. The space, therefore, serves both private and public functions and requires some commercial components. The building was reconfigured to allow the first, second and third floors to be used for gathering, entertainment and dining, while the fourth and fifth floors are solely the private residence of the Ambassador. The cellar will remain as staff areas and mechanical spaces.
A new commercial kitchen was created on the first floor and an ADA accessible elevator was installed. The project called for the installation of a new wet-pipe sprinkler system in residential portions of the building and in the commercial kitchen, as required by code. Finally, the project included a new inter-floor communications system for use by household staff and a new 20-year NDL roofing system.
