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most recent updates at the chicago athletic association building

i didn't have much time to photodocument the chicago athletic association building this afternoon after spending a great deal of time "excavating" the russell house site in the morning, and having to hastily find my way to wicker park to document the recently exposed wood frame building (only a few of these structures remain along milwaukee avenue), where capturing the framing methodology was of great interest to me.

the work being done at the chicago athletic association building is moving along now that the majority of interior demolition has drawn to a close. the architectural ornament is now being reinstalled after restoration work was completed - the second floor reading room is coming together nicely.

the pool area and adjoining lobby haven't changed much. i really do hope the massive cast plaster chandelier and matching sconces (fabricated by decorators' supply company) are being restored for reincorporation into the lobby containing the monolithic marble staircase.

the most notable changes since my last visit involved the great dining hall, located on the original build's 8th floor. each and every stained glass hinged casement window has been removed in preparation for badly needed repairs. the few remaining windows on site were rather bowed, with loose caming and hairline cracks evident. the sash frames however, are structurally sound. i suspect the windows will be repaired and reinstalled within the next month or so.

 

the windowless room was much brighter now, with the exterior gothic style stone tracery becoming the predominant feature to admire, whereas before, they were just shadows behind a wall of vibrantly colored panels executed by heally & milet.

perhaps the most exciting discovery was found on the 6th floor, where it appears the subcontractors charged with replicating the plaster work from original molds taken from the dinning room ceiling set up a "makeshift" staging area to fabricate (on site?) the "drooping tip" panels that will fill the void left when the original (albeit damaged) vibrantly colored panels were removed months ago.

i inserted myself into the picture to give one a sense of scale of a single panel (much bigger than the originals). the original design is essentially there, but configured on a larger scale. i'm curious as to what finish will be applied once installed. i somehow doubt they will revisit that remarkable polychromatic painted finish. we shall see.

 



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