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Fifty Three Restorations, inc.

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New York, NY
Fifty Three Restorations, inc.

Fifty Three Restorations restores, reconstructs, and rehabilitates historic and traditional architectural woodwork.

Our work can focus on an entire building or a single element such as a doorway, a staircase or a window. We love the challenge of an elliptical staircase and enjoy the simple beauty of a clapboard facade. Successful historic restoration demands attention to details. Each project offers a unique experience which requires versatile approaches and a daily commitment to learning. We excel and love the ever-changing nature of restoration work. Historic interiors are reconstructed; moldings are matched; handrails carved; facades & cornices are restored; hardware is reconditioned & repaired; and wood windows are carefully disassembled and restored to their original conditions. Fifty Three Restorations offers a wide range of services associated with our trade. We fabricate and install new & historic architectural woodwork. This work includes but is not limited to wood framing, panel & case work, stair buildings, carvings, finishing and custom millwork fabrication and installation. For more than 30 years, Fifty Three Restorations has been providing thoughtfully executed craftsmanship and top tier service. We have worked at many iconic landmark buildings in New York City and throughout the northeast. Notable projects include work at The Cloisters, Gracie Mansion, The Woolworth Chapel at Woodlawn Cemetery, The Frick Collection, The Wagner Free Institute of Philadelphia, The Sandy Hook Coast Guard Station, Belvedere Castle & The Dairy in Central Park and many more. In addition to our public & commercial work, we bring the same high level of craftsmanship & service to residential projects. Inquiries and consultation requests can be sent to [email protected] or please call (212) 566-1053. We look forward to collaborating with you on your next restoration project.

09/28/2026

Good work starts with the right connections.

One of the cornerstones of good restoration work is collaboration. No matter how much care goes into the work in the shop or on site, a successful project depends on having good people around you—people who communicate, trust one another, and understand that the finished product is a reflection of everyone involved.

We’ve been fortunate to build that kind of relationship with Campbell & Strasser.

At this Upper East Side residence, the work included restoring original casement windows, fabricating new mahogany windows and doors, and building a custom poplar-framed glass wall system. From field measurements and shop drawings to fabrication, restoration, finishing, and installation, there are a lot of moving pieces that have to come together.

We appreciate the trust Campbell & Strasser have placed in us over the years, and we’re grateful for the opportunity to keep building on that relationship. Good craftsmanship is important—but good relationships are what make good work possible.

Here’s to many more projects together.

08/07/2026

Things are heating up, so we’re keeping things shuttered.

Summer is in full swing, and we thought it was a good time to highlight a little of what happens behind the scenes when we build custom shutters.

From layout and milling to joinery, assembly, sanding, and finishing, each shutter goes through a carefully organized process before it ever makes it to the jobsite. Custom shutters require more than a good eye for detail — they require consistency, patience, and a craftsman who knows how all the pieces need to come together.

These shutters were custom built for a client, with each stage of the process carefully executed in our shop.

Whether your shutters are showing their age, need some attention, or you're looking to bring new life to the interior or exterior of your home, Fifty Three Restorations can help.

Sometimes rejuvenating a space starts with simply looking at what’s already there.

06/29/2026

Historic buildings don't fail overnight—and they shouldn't be maintained that way either.

We're excited to introduce our new Preservation and Maintenance Service (PAMS).

Historic buildings require more than repairs—they require planning. PAMS is a proactive program designed to help owners and property managers stay ahead of deterioration, deferred maintenance, and costly surprises.

Every PAMS engagement begins with a comprehensive building inspection and existing conditions report. From there, we develop a custom maintenance manual tailored to your property, outlining routine care, long-term lifecycle items, and preservation priorities. For clients seeking ongoing support, our Premier Client program builds on this foundation with scheduled inspections and targeted maintenance planning to ensure that issues are identified before they become major repairs.

Our craftsmen are trained in historic preservation and guided by the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties. Every recommendation is rooted in historically appropriate materials, methods, and decades of hands-on restoration experience.

Preservation is about staying ahead of problems and protecting the character of your building for years to come.

If you own or manage a historic property and would like to learn more about PAMS, we'd be happy to start the conversation.

06/22/2026

From rough lumber to front-row seats.

A few weeks ago, we shared the beginning of our work on the benches surrounding the Naumburg Bandshell. Today, we're taking a look at the next step in the process.

These photos show the transformation from raw material to finished bench components. Accoya lumber is milled, shaped, sanded, and prepared to become new bench seats and backs. Each piece passes through the shop several times before it is ready for installation, gradually taking on the profiles and details that will define the finished benches.

Accoya was selected for its exceptional durability and stability. Produced from sustainably sourced wood that is modified through a proprietary acetylation process, it offers the performance needed for a demanding outdoor environment.

While we're focused on milling, sanding, and staining, our friends at Sven are helping bring the bench backs to life through CNC fabrication. Once they return to our shop, each back will be carefully sanded and stained before moving on to the next stage of the project.

We're not quite ready to reveal everything yet, but mockups are on the horizon and we're excited to share more as these benches continue to take shape.

And finally, one of the photos in this collection shows a sketch left behind by a passing New Yorker. We don't know who created it, but we appreciate the encouragement. It's always nice to be reminded that people are paying attention to the work and care about the places we all share.

06/15/2026

These benches have witnessed generations of New Yorkers and Visitors — now it’s their turn for a new chapter.

We’re proud to begin work on the restoration of the benches surrounding the Naumburg Bandshell, having been entrusted with the project by the Central Park Conservancy.

Originally restored more than 3 decades ago, many of the benches had fallen into disrepair. The white oak backs had suffered significant loss, decorative floral carvings had begun to disappear, and many of the seat slats were damaged, missing, or no longer safe for use.

These early photos highlight the beginning stages of the project — careful disassembly, evaluation, and milling — as we begin the process of bringing these historic benches back to life.

At this stage, we’re keeping the details close to the chest, but we’re honored to be trusted with such an important piece of the park’s history. We look forward to sharing more about the materials, methods, and incredible collaborators involved as the project progresses.

06/01/2026

Good restoration has a way of supporting you without drawing attention to itself.

(Be sure to check out the last video to see our final product)

Recently, we completed stabilization work on an original stair railing in a 100-year-old home in Tarrytown.

Over time, movement and wear had compromised the connection between the balusters and the railing, particularly around the volute where generations of hands had naturally placed the most stress on the assembly.

To strengthen the railing while preserving its historic fabric, each baluster was carefully removed and reinforced with a 1/2-inch dowel extending approximately 1 1/2 inches into the wood. Additional blocking was installed beneath the stair landing, and new dowels were added at the base of each baluster to tie the assembly securely into the new structure below.

The completed repair is largely hidden from view, which is exactly the point. Thoughtful restoration isn't always about what you can see — sometimes it's about ensuring another generation can safely enjoy what is already there.

05/07/2026

Some techniques stay alive because someone took the time to teach them.

This week in the shop, we’re working on a veneered ceiling panel for the Tack Room at the Carriage House of the Jay Heritage Center. The panel will replace a damaged section within the room’s coffered ceiling, helping return another piece of the space back to its original rhythm and character.

For this work, we’re using a vacuum press. While the tool itself may not seem particularly remarkable, it’s a process and piece of equipment that was taught to us by Rob Feldner.

Rob was one of the most talented men to ever walk through our shop doors. His knowledge ranged from fine woodworking and machinery to joinery, drafting, and construction as a whole. He had an incredible ability to understand not just how something went together, but why it was built that way in the first place.

Much of restoration work is built on knowledge passed from one generation of craftsmen to the next. Techniques survive because someone is willing to share them, teach them, and trust others to carry them forward. This is the first time this press has been used since Rob’s passing, and it serves as a reminder that craftsmanship is more than the finished work — it’s also the people who leave their knowledge behind in the hands of others.

This panel is just one small part of a much larger restoration, but it carries with it the memory of someone who helped shape the way we work.

04/21/2026

Residential Building, Manhattan, NYC 2026

Built to match the past — and last into the future.

We started with careful field measurements of the existing doors — believed to be original — working alongside to replicate and replace them with precision.

The leaded glass panels were removed, restored, and reinstalled into the new doors, preserving a key part of the original character while strengthening the overall assembly.

Extensive corrosion at the metal jamb was addressed by , while additional restoration work by our team included new peripheral weatherstripping and a threshold in architectural bronze.

The installation was completed with a new hardware package, thoughtfully designed around the original Norwalk rabbeted lock body.

Projects like this rely on strong collaboration and shared attention to detail — and we’re proud to have worked alongside a great team to bring it all together.

(doors)
(metal jamb repairs)
(leaded glass restoration)
Simons Hardware (hardware consultants)

04/15/2026

We’re bending the rules — this one couldn’t wait until Thursday.

Looking back at a project we completed in early 2020 at Belvedere Castle.

Perched high above the landscape, this iconic structure has served as both a scenic lookout and a working weather station since the 19th century. Designed to capture some of the most striking views in Central Park, it blends function and ornament — a reminder that even utilitarian spaces can be built with intention and beauty.

This project remains one of our favorites. Every angle of the structure offers something different, and being part of its ongoing preservation was an experience we’re proud to be part of.

Sometimes it’s worth revisiting the work — not just to see where we’ve been, but to appreciate the places that continue to stand the test of time.

Address

3816 Skillman Avenue
New York, NY
11101

Opening Hours

Monday	7am - 3pm
Tuesday	7am - 3pm
Wednesday	7am - 3pm
Thursday	7am - 3pm
Friday	7am - 3pm

Telephone

+17187864371

Website

http://fiftythreerestorations.com/

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