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Monument Restoration Opens
The Door To Accessibility
Indianapolis
Restoration of a
landmark monument in downtown Indianapolis has improved
its accessibility without detracting from its appearance.
As part of the project, ornate bronze doors were
retained but updated to current safety codes by
reversing them to open outward and installing exit
devices that match their original appearance.
The Indiana State Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument
has been one of the most recognizable symbols of
Indianapolis since its dedication in 1902. Rising
some 284 feet from the city's center, it was originally
proposed in 1867 to honor Indiana soldiers. A design
by German architect Bruno Schmitz was selected in
an international competition, and construction began
in 1889. According to Mark Prange, Project Architect
with Schmidt Associates Architects, the Indianapolis
architectural firm responsible for managing the
restoration project, the monument's design is "an
eclectic mix of elements that is truly unique."
 Overall
view of Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument, set in
the circle of downtown Indianapolis, shows eclectic
style and massive scale of the symbol, which recently
underwent an $11 million renovation.
After an $11 million renovation
project that lasted over three years, the monument
is now actually better than when it was new. General
contractors for the restoration project were: Phase
I - Geupel-DeMars, Indianapolis, and Phase II -
Jungclaus-Campbell, Indianapolis. The first phase,
primarily cleaning exterior limestone and bronze,
as well as repairing several fountains, accounted
for about $4 million of the cost and took place
in 1986 and 1987. The more extensive second phase,
begun after the Tenth Pan American Games in 1987,
focused on bringing the structure up to current
building codes and making it more functional by
adding emergency systems and fire alarms, revising
entry approaches and doors, rebuilding exterior
steps to eliminate basement leakage, repairing mechanical
services and installing a new elevator.
The original steps surrounding the base of the monument
also formed the ceiling of the basement below it,
which was used at one time as a military history
museum. Leakage and low headroom eventually made
the area undesirable and led to a complete rebuilding.
Originally, brick arches spanned limestone piers.
These were replaced by cast concrete replicas that
duplicated the varying contours of the originals.
Structural slabs were added beneath the steps, which
were selectively replaced and present the same exterior
appearance as before. The basement floor was lowered
30" in most places, to provide added headroom for
future use of the subterranean area.
Four sets of doors leading to the lower area posed
a special problem. Originally, the ornate bronze
pairs of doors swung inward, as was typical when
the monument was built. Modern safety considerations
dictated that the doors open outward and be equipped
with exit devices to assure safe egress. Similar
doors accessing the upper level were left to open
inward, since these will be left open during hours
of operation, with glass outer doors installed to
protect the area against weather.
The challenge was to reverse the lower-level doors
so they opened outward without changing their appearance.
Prange explained, "We actually took the door
frame out and swung it around, then had the frame
reworked to keep the doors in the same plane."
At the same time, exit devices were added for safety,
with traditional cross-bar styled
Von Duprin 88 Series vertical rod exit devices
chosen to maintain the feeling of the era. These
have a custom antique finish to closely match the
finish of the bronze doors after they received extensive
cleaning and a lacquer coating to bring out and
protect their original richness.
Several other facets of the project were also aimed
at upgrading accessibility, for visitors both with
and without handicaps, while also maintaining aesthetics.
A small elevator has been replaced with a more attractive
one of bronze and glass construction. This will
enable visitors to reach an observation deck near
the top of the 284-foot monument, which stands only
15 feet shorter than the Statue of Liberty. Handicapped
access was also improved with the addition of ramps
in several areas, and railings were installed for
safety.
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