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WITHIN THE FAMILY

Everything Old Is New Again

BY ALEX SACHARE '71

Two restored, 100-year-old Tiffany stained glass windows, one of which graced Columbia's midtown campus in the 19th century, will soon take their places at opposite ends of Hamilton Hall's renovated lobby. When students return for classes in the fall, the eyes of Sophocles and Virgil will gaze down upon them as they head to their CC and Lit Hum classes.

One of two Tiffany stained glass windows, in the process of being restored at the Rambusch Decorating Co. in Jersey City, N.J. PHOTO: ALEX SACHARE ’71

It has been said that for many years, renovation at Columbia meant a man with a paint brush and a bucket that may not have held enough paint to cover all the cracks. Thankfully, that has not been the case of late.

Butler Library is a wonderful example. This magnificent renovation was planned and carried out by people of taste who respect and appreciate the past yet recognize the need for the best of the modern. Attention was paid to the smallest details while the grand scheme was being executed. It stands as an example of how, given the proper resources, something old and beautiful can be lovingly and painstakingly restored, equipped with the latest technology, and serve as well or better than something built from scratch.

The same type of renovation is going on in Hamilton Hall, the College's signature building which was built in 1907, thanks in no small measure to the hands-on approach of people like Dean Austin Quigley and Associate Dean for Administration Susan Mescher. Most of the classrooms have been completely renovated and now are outfitted with new desks and flooring, improved lighting fixtures and soundproofing, and connections for modern electronic equipment. The main floor of Hamilton is nearing completion and will house a renovated dean's suite flanked by new offices for admissions and the Core Curriculum. The lobby also is nearing completion, with marble flooring, rebuilt and repainted walls and beautiful sconces. The crown jewels will be the Tiffany windows that will be mounted at either side and back-lit for all to enjoy.

“Sophocles dates back to about 1890 or 1892 and was part of the midtown campus," says Martin Rambusch, chairman of the Rambusch Decorating Co., which is renovating the windows at its workshop in Jersey City, N.J. "In the early 1900s, after Columbia moved to Morningside Heights, a decorative border was added to Sophocles to make a larger window, and a second window of Virgil was created." Rambusch received his master's in historic preservation from the School of Architecture in 1993 and, with his brother, is the fourth generation to head the family company.

"These windows have almost all their original glass and almost all their original leadwork. Our job is to clean away the dirt and replace only what needs replacing. There is value in retaining as much of the original as possible," Rambusch noted.

The windows were stored away in Columbia's art properties archives for many years until they were discovered by Dean Quigley when he went searching for artifacts that might be used in the renovation of Hamilton Hall. "Somebody said they had these windows in crates, so I said 'Let's take a look.' When I saw them, I knew we had something special."

And in good condition, thanks to having been in storage for more than half a century. "At least, when the windows went out of favor, they were put in a box and taken care of," observed Rambusch. "In its own way, neglect can be a great thing."

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