The historic Union Station in downtown Chicago’s West Loop houses a train station and office space. We performed a review of 100 percent of the Union Station Headhouse’s exterior walls from suspended scaffolding and boom lifts, to identify restoration needs and to file the critical examination report required by the City of Chicago. We observed limestone, brick, terra cotta, mortar, and sealant deterioration, as well as broken and deteriorated glazing and window units.

We developed a multi-year restoration program for the exterior facades. Five phases of façade restoration work were completed between 2008 and 2016, which initially began with the removal of loose concrete and masonry, temporary stabilization of imminent hazards, and reconstruction of the limestone cladding on two of the four corner ziggurat structures.

Phases II through V included:

• Brick masonry repair
• Partial reconstruction of the light court walls
• Replacement of steel lintels that support the brick veneer over the windows
• Limestone patching, dutchman repairs, and replacements; and reinforcement pinning of masonry