USMA Thayer Hall
West Point, New York

Orginal architect
Ralph Adams Cram (completed in 1911)

Building owner
United States Military Academy

In collaboration with
QPK Design, Stopen Engineering

Building description
Thayer Hall at the United States Military Academy was originally designed and constructed as the Riding Hall, utilizing the vocabulary of the Gothic Revival style that they had incorporated into other buildings at West Point during the same period. The structure orignially contained one large free-span space in the main portion of the building, with horse stables and a hay loft located in an adjoining structure at the south end of the west elevation. Between 1955 and 1959, the Riding Hall was convertd into an academic building and renamed Thayer Hall. Four floors were inserted into the interior of the structure and the space was divided into classrooms and offices. At that time a parking deck was constructed on top of a new roof structure and alterations made to the west facade to accomodate the new use of the building. The exterior consists of gneiss masonry in random ashlar coursing, with limestone parapets, window and door surrounds and belt courses. Granite was used in some of the buliding alterations, especially at the bridges leading to the building on its west side.

Scope of work

• Surveyed existing condition of the exterior masonry at all areas of Thayer Hall including vehicle and pedestrian bridges on the west side of the building.
• Performed investigation of setback roof drains and pipes using a fiber-optic diagnosic tool (the See Snake).