SOUTH LOOP — Ganz Hall in the Auditorium Building looks great for 125 — and that's no accident.
Just as aging humans might step up their maintenance routines as their youth begins to fade, the 4,000-square-foot recital hall built in 1890 had a face-lift of its own.
That renovation is the subject of a free 45-minute lecture starting at 12:15 p.m. Thursday, led by architect Laurence Booth of Chicago-based firm Booth Hansen and sponsored by Landmarks Illinois as part of its "Preservation Snapshots" series.
Booth Hansen oversaw the restoration of the auditorium, molding new chandeliers based on archival photos of the space and replicating the original "electroliers" right down to the Edison-era carbon filament light bulbs.
The restoration also included reconstructing the stage, repairing woodwork, replacing seating and carpeting and adding a new mechanical system.
The lecture runs from 12:15-1 p.m. Thursday at Ganz Hall in the Auditorium Building, 430 S. Michigan Ave.
For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here:
