At 1 Federal Plaza, Northspan was brought in to restore a mirrored architectural feature surrounding the elevator lobby, and in the hallway preserving the original design intent while improving the quality and reliability of the installation. What appeared to be a straightforward replacement revealed an opportunity to rebuild the assembly properly from the substrate out.

The existing mirrored wall panels had been adhered directly to wood with an incompatible adhesive, compromising the mirror finish and leaving portions of the installation inadequately secured.

We removed the existing assemblies and rebuilt the backing with rigid honeycomb panels, providing a stronger, more stable substrate for the new mirrored glass. The panels were installed with proper mirror mastic, while existing polished stainless trim was selectively reused and new pieces fabricated where needed. Particular attention was given to miters, corners, and transitions, tightening the tolerances and delivering a noticeably cleaner finished installation.

Field conditions also required coordination beyond the original scope. Rather than allowing existing alignment issues to stall progress, we worked through them in the field to keep the installation moving.

All work was performed after hours and on weekends to minimize disruption within the occupied federal building. At the end of each shift, work areas were cleaned and unfinished openings were temporarily covered to maintain the appearance of the space throughout construction.