REMOVAL AND RESTORATION OF STATUE AT FORMER MONTGOMERY WARDS ADMINISTRATION BUILDING
Iconic Spirit of Progress statue, beacon of what is now One River Place Condominium Association in River North, to betemporarily removed for repair and restoration
Chicago, IL December 9, 2024: The Board and Homeowners of One River Place Condominium Association
located at 758 N. Larrabee Street, Chicago Avenue at the east bank of the Chicago River, are performing projects to maintain and restore the building and important elements that contribute to its historic presence in Chicago. As part ofthose projects we are pleased to announce the restoration of the iconic statue crowning our building: Diana The Spirit ofProgress. We are proud to be maintaining this important aspect of the Chicago skyline.
History: The building was originally constructed in 1927, and in 1929 the tower was constructed at the northeast cornerof the building and a statue of Diana, Spirit of Progress (sometimes referred to as the Goddess of the Hunt) was erectedon top of that tower. Standing 22.5 feet tall, this statue is an icon of the Chicago skyline and has been featured in manyart works and images.
The building along with the original Catalog House building across the street were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. We are presently seeking City of Chicago Landmark status. The Statue was installed in its present location by A. Montgomery Ward. It is a replica of the bronze statue at the former Montgomery Wards
office at 2 N. Michigan Avenue, which was created and patterned after the statue on top of the Agriculture Building at the1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago.
Details on removal: The statue will be removed via crane on December 14, 2024 and sent to the renownedConservations of Sculpture and Objects Studio for restoration, and repair. The statue will be repaired over the winterand reinstalled in Spring of 2025. Crane placement will begin 8:00 AM Saturday December 14th. While Larrabee Streetand the adjoining sidewalks will be closed for safety reasons, it is expected that viewing of the removal will be possibleon the north side of Chicago Avenue. We invite you to visit and document this historic restoration project. After thestatue’s restoration and repair occurs over the winter, we expect to reinstall Diana at her place of honor in Spring 2025.We will also notify you once this reinstallation is scheduled.
One River Place expects to welcome Diana back with much fanfare.
Source of history/more information:
Wikipedia article about the Montgomery Ward complex
Chicagology article -good overview Chicagology article with more detail Smithsonian Art Catalog Article
