The New York Public Library, a landmarked structure designed by the famed Carrère and Hastings architectural firm and completed in 1911, has undergone numerous restoration, adaptive reuse and expansion projects. For many years, Collado Engineering founder, Al Collado, served as the engineer in charge, overseeing restoration of the Rose Main Reading Room and the Celeste Bartos Forum.

Equipped with a thorough understanding of the historic building and the original designer’s intentions, Collado was called on to design a mechanical and electrical upgrade for the Maps Division, which holds a collection of 431,000 sheet maps and 16,000 atlases The nature of the building construction and its ornate Beaux Arts finishes provided special challenges to updating the mechanical and electrical infrastructure while respecting the landmarked interiors.

In addition, Collado Engineering went on to the design the NYPL’s main Data Center and IT migration from the Donnell building, a condenser water consolidation and expansion, a complete domestic water system upgrade, and many other infrastructure upgrades throughout the building.