REMCO Maintenance LLC

REMCO Maintenance LLC (REMCO) is in the business of restoring the past and present, as well as preserving and protecting the future of the Tri-State area’s most prestigious landmarks. For more than 80 years, the New York City-based architectural restoration and maintenance company has been the No. 1 caretaker of some of the city’s most iconic structures, including St. Patrick’s Cathedral and Grand Central Station Terminal.

“We’re the industry leader,” shares Michael Bradley, chief operating officer of REMCO. “We are the largest architectural restoration and maintenance company in New York City. With more than 200 skilled craftsmen in the field, REMCO is the most experienced among our competitors. Our craftsmanship is bespoke, requiring little equipment so it takes years of professional experience to deliver the product New York’s most discerning clients demand.”

Pride in Preservation

The company’s signature red trucks have become synonymous with restoration, preservation and maintenance throughout the city and beyond. REMCO has ensured the longevity of New York City’s landmarks, maintaining the splendor of the interior and exterior surfaces. From the New York Stock Exchange to the Freedom Tower, REMCO has left an indelible imprint on the Big Apple.

The company serves a wide range of industries, including commercial buildings, construction, government, hospitality, religious institutions, residential buildings and the retail and restaurant sector. REMCO focuses on progressive restoration and maintenance of glass, grout, metal, stone, concrete, masonry and wood, backed by unparalleled skill and expertise.

“We self-perform 99 percent of what we do,” shares Ken Martin, new president and CEO of REMCO. “The average tenure for our employees is in excess of 15 years. Some of our senior operational managers have been here for their entire career more than 30 years. There’s a lot of personal pride in this company.”

REMCO’s sense of pride is grounded in its history of family ownership, as the company was established in 1932 by the Marlowe family.

After eight decades serving New York City, REMCO remains headquartered in Long Island City, N.Y. “We branch into the outer boroughs of the city and into southern Connecticut and northern New Jersey,” reveals Martin. “We have even expanded into Philadelphia to complete work for our client base.”

Completely Covered from the Interior to the Exterior

As a specialty contracting company, REMCO’s services cover a broad range of restoration and maintenance of all architectural finishes. “We serve the needs of basic commercial buildings from marble floors and elevator cabs to the curtain wall painting of the exterior façade,” explains Bradley.

REMCO performs historic building restorations, including exterior and interior stone, marble, masonry, metal restoration and repairs of architectural features. The company offers glass cleaning, polishing, scratch removal and specialty film application, as well as remedial grout and metal maintenance.

“New York City has a Local 11 Law that requires buildings to be inspected by an engineer every five years,” adds Bradley. “We support these assessments with brick and masonry repair and replacement, terracotta work, pointing and waterproofing, pressure washing and mircoabrasive cleaning.”

A National Landmark

REMCO’s time-tested service has landed the company significant projects throughout the region. “Several years ago we removed, salvaged and reinstalled a total of 44,000 square feet of marble for the $60 million Essex County Courthouse restoration in Newark, N.J.,” reveals Bradley. “Our portion of the project was around $2.5 million and the result was truly amazing. We remediated bronze railings, metal surfaces, and doors and restored all pieces of marble while fabricating and installing four marble convector covers. The transformation from what it was when we walked in the door, to what it was when we left, was nothing short of a miracle.”

Also in Newark, REMCO performed heavy duty stone cleaning for City Hall. “We utilized an Armex machine to perform environmentally friendly façade cleaning,” shares Bradley. “This project was awarded the Exterior Historic Restoration project of the year in 2007.”

Some of REMCO’s most notable recent work is on the monumental Freedom Tower development. “We’ve had our crews down there since June and we’ve been restoring damaged metal and marble from Hurricane Sandy,” reveals Ken Martin, CEO of REMCO. “Our hope is to be involved with the maintenance at the 9/11 museum, as well. It holds special meaning to us as New Yorkers to have our name affiliated with this historic project.”

Going Green

REMCO continues to secure some of the most significant projects in its market due to its culture of innovation. “In the last recession hit, the hotel business, which represents a large segment of our business, was particularly hard hit,” explains Bradley. “We had to innovate new services so we instituted metal curtain wall painting as a new area of customer need and focus.”

“We’re evolving,” adds Martin. “Simply polishing bronze and metals, something we have done successfully for the last eighty years is just the beginning of our offerings. Today, we are transitioning into numerous new finishes and services. Every day is an adventure here with the standard wear and tear of the city, but we stand ready to meet the changing needs of our clients all the while continuing our tradition of hand crafted restoration and maintenance.”

Both Martin and Bradley agree that a significant part of REMCO’s future is in the green initiative. “We’re exploring LEED certification and looking for greener chemicals in nature,” adds Martin. “We’re changing as building techniques and the issues relative to green initiatives continue to evolve. It’s a strong selling point for us that we have embraced is movement.”

“As part of our marketing campaign, we just revitalized and re-launched our website showcasing our services and clients served,” Martin explains. “If someone is interested in hearing how REMCO can help make their impression one of excellence please call 212-695-4000.”

After 83 years, REMCO Maintenance LLC continues to transition into the new requirements of an industry that’s grounded in preserving the past and protecting the future of beloved landmarks.