One of SoHo’s classic 6-story cast iron buildings, 20 Greene Street was constructed around 1880 for light industrial use. Now it houses expansive lofts converted from artists’ studios famously active during the 1960s and 70s. ACHA was engaged by the building’s board to design repairs to the vault.  

Intense corrosion to the vault’s street level cast iron stoop caused water to infiltrate the cellar, resulting in further damages to the building’s steel structure and mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems. The vault is that portion of the building’s cellar that extends beneath the sidewalk. Typical to SoHo it is enclosed with cast iron plates, which are inset with glass lenses. The glass allows daylight to enter the cellar. Light fixtures concealed beneath the cast iron illuminate the façade at night. ACHA meticulously followed the Landmarks Preservation Commission’s guidelines in restoring the vault. Some of the cast iron was cleaned of rust and refinished, while other more deteriorated sections were recast using the same sand-casting techniques of the original structure.