Mayor Domenic J. Sarno and the City’s Department of Capital Asset Construction announced today that the City will begin reinstalling recently restored Street Lamps on Court Street and Sconces at Symphony Hall. The reinstallation will commence on July 27, 2010.
The street lamps along Court Street and the Sconces on Symphony Hall have been lighting the way for Municipal Complex visitors for almost 100 years and were in need of full restoration due to the aging process. The historic pieces were removed and sent to Art Research Incorporated for restoration.
ART Research was charged with casting a replica of one of the street lamp heads along with any missing pieces of the poles. The restoration process included blasting the surfaces with walnut shells, repairing any damaged pieces of metal, and finally applying a patina to the bronze pieces. The sconces were treated to the same process to ensure a long lasting finish. To make certain the street lamps and sconces remain historically correct, broken glass was replaced with hand rolled reproductions of the original glass.
The street lamps and sconces still had some of the original wiring in them and the restoration included the removal of old wiring and upgrading the electrical systems with the latest lighting technology. The modification included the replacement of bulbs, ballasts, sockets, mounting hardware and wiring. All components are UL listed, and tested in accordance with UL standards.
The cost of the restoration totals $98,843.00 and was funded through unexpended bond funds.
Visitors to City Hall should know that there will be no parking on the North side of Court Street from 7:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. on July 27, 2010, while the reinstallation takes place.