Location
101 Spring Street
Completion
2013
Client
Judd Foundation
Square Footage
14,000 SF
Architect
Architecture Research Office (ARO)
Exterior Restoration Architect
Walter B. Melvin Architects, LLC
Donald Judd Home & Studio
Sciame was the Construction Manager responsible for the comprehensive and thorough restoration of 101 Spring Street, a 19th Century cast-iron building that is the residence of the late artist Donald Judd. The project is significant for the space it occupies in both the art and architecture worlds. It was here that Judd first developed his conceptions of permanently installed art. Similarly, as the only remaining single use building in SoHo, the 1871 building has often been referred to as the “crown-jewel” of New York’s cast iron architecture.
The restoration consisted of a meticulous removal of each of the 1,300 pieces of cast iron for off-site refurbishment at one of the few remaining cast iron specialists in North America. The entire structure was sequentially and temporarily braced while critical waterproofing elements were installed. Subsequently the refurbished cast iron pieces, along with new historically accurate windows, were installed then sealed and painted to match the iconic battleship grey color.
The interior preservation and renovation included new foundation walls and steel structure in the cellar to create the offices for the Judd Foundation. New structure was added throughout the project to stabilize existing conditions. Sciame worked collaboratively with the curators and conservators throughout the course of construction as new MEP/FP systems were carefully threaded through the historic interior. A chiller, generator, and emergency exhaust fans were added to the newly reinforced roof. The project was substantially completed in December 2012 and the original artifacts and artwork were reinstalled in the Spring of 2013.
Project Awards
Architizer A+Awards
Architecture +Art
American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) New York
Engineering Excellence Gold Award – Building/Technology Systems
Chicago Athenaeum
American Architecture Award
The Preservation League of New York State
Excellence in Historic Preservation Award
AIANY Design Awards for Architecture
Honor Award
Municipal Art Society of New York
MASterworks Best Historical Restoration Award
ENR New York – Best of 2013
Specialty Contracting
New York Landmarks Conservancy
Lucy G. Moses Preservation Award
What a night! A huge thank you to everyone who came out on Wednesday to represent Team Sciame at the 2025 J.P. Morgan Corporate Challenge in Central Park!
Despite the weather, the Sciame team showed up strong, lacing up and powering through the 3½-mile course!
We’re proud of the determination, camaraderie, and good humor everyone brought to a soggy evening in the park.
#jpmcc
New York Construction’s Contractor of the Year – Looking back, 2006 was a standout year for Sciame Construction. We were honored as Contractor of the Year, a testament to our growing reputation for delivering some of New York City’s most architecturally daring and culturally significant projects.
In April 2006, Sciame Construction completed the Morgan Library and Museum Expansion, designed by Renzo Piano Building Workshop and BBB Architects. The project was led by then EVP/Division Head Joseph Mizzi, who began his career at Sciame 11 years earlier in 1995.
The following month, our founder, Frank Sciame, passed the torch of day-to-day leadership by promoting Joseph Mizzi to President of Sciame Construction, while continuing to serve as Chairman and CEO.
This leadership transition helped shape the next chapter of our story, and was memorialized in the cover photo of New York Construction, and the firm’s Contractor of the Year honor.
Thanks a Half-Billion! – At Sciame Construction, we proudly led the effort to reimagine the WTC Memorial and Museum, a project of national significance. Frank Sciame, our founder, was tasked with creating a design that honored the original vision while staying within a $500 million budget. Working closely with Mayor Bloomberg, Governor Pataki, and a team of 13 advisers, including notable figures like Jack Rudin and Robert Douglass, we developed cost-effective design options, ultimately reducing the budget from nearly $1 billion to $510 million. Our approach preserved key elements like the voids, waterfalls, and pools while optimizing infrastructure and resizing the museum. Sciame’s commitment to excellence ensured a memorial that balances beauty, dignity, and sustainability.
Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center – Though relatively small in size, the Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center was a technically complex project successfully constructed and delivered by Sciame Construction. This groundbreaking laboratory made an outsized impact on global health. It was here that Dr. David Ho pioneered the development of the revolutionary “AIDS cocktail,” a combination therapy that transformed HIV from a fatal diagnosis into a manageable condition. His groundbreaking work earned him the title of TIME magazine’s Man of the Year, underscoring the center’s profound contribution to the fight against the AIDS epidemic.
