Auditorium Building: Façade Access Enhancements

When completed in 1889, the Auditorium Building was the largest, tallest, priciest and heaviest building of its time. It was not only an enormous civic achievement but also a symbol of the city of Chicago’s success and emergence as a cultural center.

To enable the upkeep of the building’s facade, Bulley & Andrews Masonry Restoration was selected to install facade access and fall protection equipment on top of the roof. The scope of work included the following installations:

• New steel frames with dedicated anchorage points anchored to masonry pilasters
• New dedicated anchorage points anchored to masonry walls and steel framing
• New OSHA compliant stairs with guardrails and limestone coping replacement

Full lane closure permits were needed to work directly above Ida B Wells Drive and access through the building was challenging. To overcome the challenges, the team procured independent hoist bays to hoist equipment and material to the work locations. BAMR had to coordinate the  with City of Chicago Department of Planning and Development  Historic Preservation Division Landmarks Commission to minimize the appearance of the necessary safety equipment. The building is a National Historic Landmark.