GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC ROOMS


Project Information:
Project Location: Chicago, Illinois
Work Completed: Interior Restoration
Year Completed: 2022
Client: City of Chicago, Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events
Contractor: Berglund Construction
Final Photos: Tom Rossiter
The Restoration of a Monumental Public Space in the Chicago Loop
Historic photo of Memorial Hall. Source: Shepley Bulfinch
The Chicago Cultural Center is a public building in Chicago that was originally constructed in 1897 to house the Chicago Public Library and the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) meeting hall and memorial. The building was designed by the Boston architectural firm Shepley, Rutan, and Coolidge. It is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and is a City of Chicago Landmark.
In 2019, Harboe Architects was hired to restore the former GAR spaces, which included the Rotunda, Exhibit Room, and Assembly Room. In addition, the work included the complete restoration of the of the 36-foot-diameter inner art glass dome in the Rotunda, accompanied by a new protective outer skylight and flat roof in the area around the outer dome.
The design work was completed in the Fall of 2020 and construction began in the winter of 2020. The work includes select plaster repairs to correct for previous roof leaks, extensive paint finish restoration, window restoration, marble cleaning, and woodwork restoration. The 146 inner dome art glass panels, consisting of over 46,000 pieces of glass, were all removed for restoration and have been carefully cleaned and repaired. The project was honored with a Palladio Award in 2023.