Global architecture firm Goettsch Partners (GP) has announced the culmination of a major renovation campaign for historic Chicago Union Station, with the recent completion of the Great Hall Restoration. This $22 million project for Amtrak, which took more than three years to complete, is the latest in a series of major redesign and restoration projects by Goettsch Partners that started in 2010. Originally designed by renowned architecture firm Graham, Anderson, Probst & White, the 1925 Great Hall suffered water leakage and deterioration due to flaws in its original design, and was in need of substantial repairs undertaken in this significant project.
To address the needed work, the design team renovated the station’s iconic, 219-foot-long skylight, which experienced extensive moisture damage over the past several decades. To restore the cast-iron skylight assembly while maintaining its historic appearance, the Goettsch Partners team, led by Leonard Koroski, FAIA, LEED AP, designed an energy-efficient, modern skylight above the original structure. Supported 5 feet above the restored cast-iron skylight, the new high-performance skylight of steel and 858 panes of clear, high-efficiency glass protects the landmark building while brightening the Great Hall interiors with 50 percent more natural daylight than before.