What does it take to reach 100? As part of our 100th anniversary celebration, we’re posting a piece of Berglund’s history on our blog each day for 100 days. Check in each day to learn new tidbits about our company, win prizes based on your Berglund knowledge, and, most of all, to help us celebrate.

Spotlight on Berglund’s Work: Restoration

Wacker Drive/Chicago Riverwalk rehabilitation

There’s nothing like dining al fresco at one of the restaurants along the Chicago Riverwalk on a warm evening with the water just a few feet away. The riverwalk has blossomed in recent years — and Berglund completed the restoration project that jump-started its development.

Chicago officials selected Berglund to perform a massive overhaul of the stone pedestrian walkway for a portion of the Chicago River that runs alongside Wacker Drive. The rehabilitation is the largest stone restoration and installation project ever undertaken in Chicago, and the city set high standards for the project. The ultimate goal was to create a restored walkway that would draw people to the area and also remain true to historic Chicago architect Daniel Burnham’s original vision for Wacker Drive.

Berglund spent two years on the rehabilitation, starting work in 2001 and completing the project in 2003. The company removed 5,000 stones from the limestone and granite walkway and created a database to identify each piece during the rehabilitation process. Berglund salvaged as much of the original stone as possible, returning the restored pieces to their original locations. Berglund rebuilt the remaining portions with new stones that reflected the walkway’s history, yet left it equipped to handle the popular riverwalk’s foot traffic for years to come.

Tags: 100 years, Restoration

This entry was posted on Monday, May 23rd, 2011 at 10:00 am and is filed under 100 Years, Restoration and preservation. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.