Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) “I am very confident in this project,” said James Morrell, Vice Chair of the Central Terminal Restoration Corporation as the next phase of a massive restoration begins on the nearly 100 year old east side landmark.
Morrell, who joined WBEN Friday, explained some of the work included in phase two of the project, supported by 33 million dollars in state funding.
“This will allow access into the passenger concourse which will be able to hold events for about a thousand people. This is significant,” he added, “a generational investment.”
One focus of the project will be on the Guastavino wall and ceiling tiles throughout the concourse.
“We want to make sure that they’re stable and don’t fall on anyone’s head. We painstakingly went through and tapped and tested every tile to check their stability. They will be removed, fixed and reattached, where needed.”
Morrell said there are hundreds of thousands of tiles on the walls and ceiling of the structure. He believes it’s one of the most tiled buildings in North America.