This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Work crews have completed the first phase of stone repair work on the upper tower of Salt Lake City Hall, and Monday they began removing scaffolding — a job expected to take two weeks.
Stone scarping will continue during the winter using mobile lifts and, off-site, stonemasons will begin shaping and carving replacement pieces, the city said in a news release. Also, seismic improvement to the foundation system will be completed during the cold months.
Expect scaffolding to reappear in mid-February, this time on the lower south and west faces of City Hall, for the next phase of the three-year project to restore the stone facade, repair windows and perform a seismic upgrade.
Work completed this summer involved removal of two tons of stone and debris, along with crack repair, and mortar patching. Approximately 350 stones on the upper tower balconies were replaced. New metal flashing was installed and window frames, sills and the tower-clock faces were repainted.
"It is clear the team working on the restoration is doing so with a level of care which should be afforded to such an iconic building," Mayor Jackie Biskupski said in a prepared statement. "Everyone at City Hall is pleased to see the project moving forward on schedule and we are looking forward to a rejuvenated tower once again anchoring the city skyline."