Chicago's Overhaul of Buckingham Fountain
Chicago's Most Famous Fountain and its $25 Million Renovation
Mar 18, 2009
But this year, when the fountain is turned on the concrete will be cleaner, the marble will be smoother, the bronze seahorses will shine brighter, and the water will maybe, just maybe, shoot higher. All because during the winter, the centerpiece of Chicago’s lakefront underwent a $25 million renovation.
According to a statement by Timothy J. Mitchell, Chicago Parks District superintendent and CEO, “The renovation and restoration of this fountain will be financed more than half by private funders.”
Funding to Restore Chicago's Buckingham Fountain
The renovation is being funded by the Chicago Park District, the Buckingham Fountain Endowment Fund, Lollapalooza, private donations, and the city of Chicago.
Restorethefountain.com has created a page where citizens can donate by throwing a virtual coin into an online wishing well.
Jennifer Lynn wishes “my bff Tina the best in her career change. I hope she rocks India like she rocks Chicago, xo.”
Ben just wishes for a pony.
The Fountain Renovation Process
Buckingham Fountain itself is composed of Georgian pink marble, 134 jets, 820 colored lights, three pumps, four bronze seahorses, lots of piping, and 1.5 million gallons of water.
After 81 years of corrosion, erosion and harsh Chicago winters, the fountain needed more than a facelift. It needed a $25 million overhaul. The walls were leaking, the concrete was crumbling, the marble was chipping, and the seahorses were fading.
So the Chicago Park District and the Art Institute of Chicago hired architectural and engineering firm Thompson Dyke & Associates to lead the restoration project.
TD&A then hired the fountain designer Wet Fountain Design from California and restoration expert Mckay Lodge Conservation Laboratory from Ohio. Klein & Hoffman Structural Engineers, Delta Engineering, UrbanWorks Architects, and Charter Sills Lighting Design also collaborated on the project.
The lighting, paving, copper and iron fencing, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, bronze statues, and Georgian marble were are all either replaced, repaired, modernized, or upgraded as part of the renovation.
Concrete Paver Walkways
The walkways surrounding the fountain were rebuilt with new concrete pavers.
To give the walkways the same color as the pinkish gravel used when the fountain was originally built, TD&A hired Unilock Chicago. Unilock manufactures granite aggregate and black-speckled pavers which are quite similar to the look of the original fountain‘s gravel walkways.
A majority of the work was focused on the fountain itself. Every year, the lower basin leaks a little bit more. According to restorethefountain.com, Buckingham Fountain was leaking hundreds of thousands of gallons of water into the ground each year. To fix this, the lower basin’s 81 year-old concrete floor and walls have been replaced with new. Additionally, the Georgian marble of the lower basin has been severely damaged by water corrosion and cold winters. These marble carvings have been refinished.
A big emphasis of the project also was to make the entire 5.4 acre area the fountain calls home completely compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Several ramps and walkways have been added to allow easier access.
Largest Fountain in the World
On May 26, 1927, Kate Buckingham dedicated the Buckingham Fountain to the memory of her late brother Clarence Buckingham. The fountain was the largest in the world at the time, and from concept to dedication took 18 years to finish.
It runs from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily until the middle of October. At the top of every hour from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., there is a 20 minute water show with music and light show to enhance the experience.
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