Cavaglieri, Giorgio, 1911-2007

The Jefferson Market Courthouse in Greenwich Village, New York City, was designed by Vaux and Withers in 1877. Cavaglieri renovated the building to become a branch of the New York Public Library; the renovation was completed in 1967.

Born in Venice, Italy, Giorgio Cavaglieri studied engineering and architecture at Milan Politecnico and worked for the Italian government, designing airfields, among other projects. However, as the Facist regime in Italy began restricting the work and life of Jews, Cavaglieri chose to emigrate to New York City in 1939. Cavaglieri eventually established himself as a leader in architectural preservation, developing an active specialty in restoration and adaptive reuse of historic structures. He is perhaps best known for his sensitive adaptation of the Jefferson Market Courthouse in Greenwich Village into a branch of the New York Public Library (1961-1971). Cavaglieri was also involved in the conversion of Welfare Island into Roosevelt Island, leading the renovation of the Chapel of the Good Shepherd and Blackwell House and serving on the Welfare Island Planning and Development Committee (1969-1975). Among his other major projects were the renovation of the Fine Arts Department and the Grey Art Gallery & Study Center at New York University (1974-1976); the renovation of the Delacorte Theater in Central Park (1976-1980); the renovation of the Periodical Room, Corridors, and Gottesman Exhibition Hall at the New York Public Library's research branch at Fifth Avenue and 42nd St. (1980-1985); and the renovation of the U.S. Pension Building in Washington, D.C. (1983-1986). Cavaglieri also served as the president of the Municipal Art Society and the New York chapter of the American Institute of Architects. The New York Landmarks Conservancy awarded Cavaglieri the Lucy G. Moses Preservation Leadership Award in 2002.