PROJECT FOCUS RELIGIOUS
National Shrine of Saint Francis Xavier Cabrini, Chicago The National Shrine of Saint Francis Xavier Cabrini features a 10,000 square-foot, 20-ounce double lock standing seam copper roof fabri- cated and installed by Albert J. Wagner & Son. The original roof, built in 1955, had long since achieved the classic blue-green patina of weath- ered copper. The new covering will start with a shiny gold metallic sheen, then over time, turn a dark brown, then slowly change to the striking teal/vertigris shade that makes the top of the shrine so unique looking. Sullivan, Goulette & Wilson Ltd. designed the
shrine. In addition to the copper roof, the archi- tects added other metal elements including eight bronze doors constructed of 14-gauge Alloy 464 Naval Bronze from C.R. Laurence Co. Inc. Balanced doors pivot on two single-piece cast bronze arms at top and bottom of the door. These are attached to cold-drawn butt weld carbon steel pivoting hinge tube that runs the entire length of the door. The hinge tube contains a torsion bar that provides the closing force for the door, allowing for the easy operation of monumental heavy doors. The brass tubular panic devices are from CRL-Blumcraft, a
division of C.R. Laurence. The doors were installed by MTH Industries and Illinois Bronze Works. In 2002, the diffi cult decision was made to
sell the century-old Columbus Hospital. Preserv- ing the National Shrine of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini proved a challenge. The shrine was housed within the hospital walls, turned out to be a diffi cult engineering challenge. One of the key reasons was the earth-shaking vibrations caused by the demoli- tion process. Also, heavy piles had to be driven in the ground to support the high-rise development that was to be built on the site. The new shrine may be the only one of its kind in the world, says Sister McGlinchey one of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It is located below a residential highrise, where one unit has a $12 mil- lion asking price. At one time, a simple corridor connected
the Shrine to Columbus Hospital, with the doors heralding this entrance. Now with the newly designed narthex area became the main access point to the Shrine, the doors needed to be up- dated to match the redesigned decor. Artists from across the country collaborated on the design
which includes a crucifi x custom fabricated from titanium nitride Alloy 304 stainless steel #8 mirror fi nish gold from Millennium Tiles and installed by Albert J. Wagner & Son.
Architect: Sullivan, Goulette & Wilson Ltd., Chicago Door installers: Illinois Bronze Works, Chicago and MTH Industries, Chicago Copper: Albert J. Wagner & Son, Chicago,
www.albertwagnerandson.com, Circle #39 Custom crucifi x: Millennium Tiles, Elkhorn, Wis.,
www.millenniumtiles.com, Circle #40 Doors: C.R. Laurence Co. Inc., Los Angeles,
www.crl-arch.com, Circle #41
40 METAL CONSTRUCTION NEWS December 2013
www.metalconstructionnews.com
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