RESTORATION AND REINSTALLATION OF STATUE AT FORMER MONTGOMERY WARD ADMINISTRATION BUILDING
Iconic Spirit of Progress statue, beacon of what is now One River Place Condominium Association in River North, will be returned to her perch September 6th on the Chicago skyline after an extensive repair and restoration.
Chicago, IL September 2nd 2025: The Board and Homeowners of One River Place Condominium Association (formerly the Montgomery Ward & Company Administration building) located at 758 N. Larrabee Street, at Chicago Avenue and the east bank of the Chicago River, have been performing projects to maintain and restore the building and important elements that contribute to its historic presence in Chicago. As part of those projects we are pleased to announce the restoration of the iconic statue crowning our building: Diana, The Spirit of Progress. Over the last 9 months the statue has undergone an extensive inspection, cleaning, and restoration and is now ready to reascend to her place of honor as a beacon of the Chicago skyline.
History: The building was originally constructed in 1928. A statue of the Spirit of Progress (also referred to as Diana or the Goddess of the Hunt) was erected on top of a pedestal at the northeast corner of the building in 1929. Made of bronze and standing 22.5 feet tall, this statue has been an icon of the Chicago skyline for almost a century.
The building, along with the original Montgomery Ward Catalog House building across the street, was 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 Montgomery Ward & Company and is an updated version of the bronze statue that topped the former Montgomery Ward office at 2 N. Michigan Avenue, which itself was created and patterned after the statue on top of the Agriculture Building at the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago.
Details on restoration and reinstallation: The statue was removed December 2024 and sent to the renowned Conservations of Sculpture and Objects Studio for restoration. Over the past 9 months the statue has been repaired, cleaned, and her mounting has been reconstructed to ensure she will be securely attached to the building for many years to come. Crane placement will begin at 8:00 AM Saturday September 6th. The raising and reinstallation will occur later that morning (all weather-dependent). Viewing of the reinstallation will be possible on the east side of Larrabee Street and also on Chicago Avenue. We invite you to visit and document this historic restoration project. After the statue’s reinstallation, final masonry work on the pedestal and refinishing will occur and additional lighting will be installed to highlight our beacon of the skyline. This work and scaffolding removal are expected to occur before year-end 2025.
One River Place will welcome Diana back with much fanfare, and we invite you to join us
