Somehow I got the hang of creating beautifully ornamented masonry with engraved acrylic sheet when working on the IRT Powerhouse model. New York City is full of mostly historic buildings with more than just plain, ordinary brick walls. Having one or two models of this type of structures would add a lot of excitement to my layout. Back in 2019, I scratch-built a greatly simplified model of the Van Cortlandt Building in the Upper East Side. That was for my Park Avenue and Beyond diorama. At the time I built the model I was quite happy with the result. However, having developed more capabilities with my laser cutter, I decided to give it one more try.
The Vancortlandt is a pre-war 7-story building in the Manhattan Upper East Side built in 1905. Its remarkable facade includes beautifully accentuated brick work and beautiful terracotta lintels. I modeled the structure with only six stories. The penthouse level above the roof is not visible from the street and Google Street View did not provide enough details. In addition, I also slightly compressed the building from 100×100 feet or about 7.5×7.5″ in N scale to about 6×5″. I retained the facade elements in their proportions and just removed some columns of windows. To fit to my layout, I also mirrored it and removed the building’s atrium. Again, making a small section of the facade with all the layers proved that my design produced a great looking result.
Facade Design
My model features detailed facades on the front and left sides. The back is fully modeled with segmental arch windows and brick lintels, using the prototype as a reference. However, it isn’t entirely prototypical, as I had to integrate the facade with the bracing and internal structure. For the fourth side that represents the mirrored west side of the building, I chose a plain brick wall. This wall will adjoin another structure and therefore has no windows.
To simplify the facade, I alternated between two types of lintels: Curved pediments above the lintels on the second and fourth floors, and triangular pediments on the third and fifth floors. For the top, sixth floor, I opted for a straight lintel. I also chose to omit the ornate terracotta decorations around the bathroom windows to streamline the design.
The facade elements are constructed using three layers. The base layer is a 1/16″ clear acrylic sheet, which includes engraved curtains and notches for the lintels and vertical walls. The second layer is a .015″ thick laser board with cutouts for the window panes, lintels, and structure tabs. The top layer is either a 1/16″ acrylic sheet with engraved ashlar walling around some windows and on the ground floor or consists of complementary brick filling between the ashlar walling.
The brick fillings are made of .023″ thick laser board with engraved mortar lines. I cut the ashlar walling as a single piece for each detailed facade while adding the acrylic sheet lintels separately on top of the third layer. For windows without ornate pediments, I integrated the lintels and keystones into the floor structure and inserted them from the back through notches in all three facade layers. I used 1/16″ acrylic sheet for these components, ensuring structural bracing and an accurate fit between the layers. Similarly, I inserted the window sills, made from .020″ laser board, into the provided notches in the walls from the exterior. I painted and lightly weathered all layers before assembling them into a complete facade.
Internal Structure
The internal structure comprises floors with integrated lights and vertical walls, which serve as separators. These components interlock with the walls, providing robust internal bracing while also acting as view blockers and room dividers. To simplify construction, I only fully modeled the third and fifth floors; these floors also support the lighting for the floors below.
For lighting, I used warm white 0805 SMD LEDs connected to a resistor-free 12V-to-3.3V step-down converter. The LEDs are secured with a blob of hot glue in small holes drilled into the acrylic sheet floors, which effectively diffuses the light throughout the building. To emulate varying lighting conditions, some windows are fitted with white or black paper screens, simulating rooms that are either unlit or have curtains that dim the light.
Details
The model has a number of details that deserve a separate discussion.
- Brick masonry: Apart from the ashlar walling around the windows, the building features distinct brick masonry with beautiful red bricks and very clean light gray mortar lines. I took great care to properly configure the laser cutter when engraving the brick textures so that the lines were strong enough. To paint them, I needed several passes of dry brushing the red paint mixed with Raw and Burnt Siena and washing the mortar lines with Roberts Brick Mortar Formula.
- Window Pediments: The window pediments are laser-engraved and cut from acrylic sheets, positioned above the lintels. I replicated the building’s original motifs to create a simplified engraving mask. I painted the pediments in the same beige color as the ashlars. To enhance contrast and depth, I applied an India ink wash after painting.
- Entrance Porch: The prototype’s covered porch, in Greek Revival style, features columns supporting a balcony with a cast stone balustrade. The porch, balcony, and balustrade are all cut and engraved from 1/16″ acrylic sheets, then painted and weathered. For the columns I used 1/16″ acrylic rods. I also engraved a small strip of acrylic sheet to replicate the frieze above the entrance, complete with the lettering “THE VANCORTLANDT.”
- Cornice: I recreated the classic cornice with three layers, all constructed from acrylic sheets. The first layer, situated above the sixth-floor windows, serves as an ornamental frieze. The next layer includes dentils, and the top cornice layer, featuring faux joists, supports the flat roof.
- Roof Details Including Water Tower: On the rooftop I modeled a simplified structure replacing the seventh-floor penthouse, providing roof access and housing some of the building’s infrastructure, including a smokestack. Additionally, I added a water tower on a metal base. Except for the round bottom of the tank which I cut from 1/16″ MDF, I made all parts from .011″ or .015″ laser board and engraved the joints on the staves. Additional roof details are commercial parts from a Walthers Cornerstone kit.
- Fire Escapes: The real building features fire escapes on the front and eastern sides. I modeled the front fire escapes, spanning the second to sixth floors, by cutting the pieces from .015″ laser board. After assembly, I painted them with black spray paint. While the .015″ thick rods of the railings translate to a slightly oversized 2.5″ thickness for the pickets, the fire escapes still add an authentic element to this early 20th-century New York structure.
I’m pleased with the finished building. Despite having to alter its configuration and slightly compress the structure, I believe the model successfully captures the essence of the prototype. It reflects the distinct classical architectural style and signature features, including the windows, pediments, entrance porch, and even the fire escapes.
