Irish Hunger Memorial

Our team took on the significant task of restoring Vessey Green at Battery Park City, with a primary focus on the restoration of the Irish Hunger Memorial—an artistic and poignant monument that commemorates the Great Irish Famine. The memorial features a sloping concrete platform, fieldstone walls, and the remains of a Famine Era cottage from Ireland. The base of the memorial is made of Carlow limestone from Kilkenny, Ireland, accentuated by bands of etched glass inscribed with narratives about the historic famine.

A primary challenge confronted during this restoration was persistent through-slab leakage. To address this issue, we fully waterproofed the slab, excavated the raised portion of the memorial, and repaired the exposed concrete slab and core walls. Once the necessary repairs were made, we reinstalled the soil and reconstructed the fieldstone walls and cottage base. We also restored original plantings when possible and introduced new plantings to enhance the overall landscape design.

Our collaboration with the memorial's artist was pivotal to the project's success. This ensured that our restoration work remained faithful to their creative intent while preserving the memorial's intrinsic character. The result was a successful restoration project that brought the Irish Hunger Memorial back to its original beauty and ensured its longevity for generations to come.