How do you move a priceless antique chandelier? Very carefully.
The developers restoring an historic 1920′s-era Chicago building were faced with that challenge last week.
The sterling silver chandelier, 10 feet from top to bottom and 5 feet across, graced the ballroom of what used to be the Lake Shore Athletic Club at 850 North Lake Shore Drive. The building was designed by renowned architect Jarvis Hunt in 1924.
Now, developer IDG is turning the Gold Coast building into high-end senior residences. President Matt Phillips says they’re preserving two rooms – one where the chandelier hung and an oak-paneled living room.
So how do you take down a priceless chandelier? “What they had to do is put scaffolding around it and then set up a pulley system that hooks to the top of the chandelier and basically, they raise it up and then release the safety hooks on the chain and then lower it…very slowly.”
The chandelier is original to the Athletic Club and in keeping with the building’s Beaux Arts style. Adorned with three rows of filigree, 16 classic French figurines and an oversized Dutch-inspired orb.
The building’s terra cotta façade was kept as well.
Phillips says the building is historic but, not a landmark. Still he chose to retain its most special features as he guts the rest of it.
Regine Schlesinger reporting
Read the original article from WBBM News Radio.