Wrigleyville House Stair Restoration, Chicago

This project represents one phase of an ongoing deconversion and restoration of a single family home by its owners. The 110 year old house had been divided into four apartments following World War I. When the last of the former apartments, the basement unit, was ready to be re-integrated into the owner's living space, vertical circulation became a key issue. The original basement stair and entry foyer had been removed many years earlier.

The home's original stair to the upper floors had been partitioned off from the main floor and a front hall closet and powder room had been placed in the former entry foyer, blocking direct access to the kitchen from the front door. Our work involved the removal of these spaces and the conjectural restoration of the original open-stringer stair. A small pantry off of the kitchen proved to be an ideal location for a new powder room, while a new front closet was created by reconfiguring an unused closet that formerly opened into the dining room. The new stair to the basement also required some minor reconfiguration of a bar/kitchenette below.

View After Restoration of Stair and Entrance Foyer

During the design phase, an investigation was made by opening a wall adjacent to the stair. This confirmed that the original stair had an open stringer design. Until demolition took place however, the manner in which the stair was being supported could not be determined. A design which included a new newel post, paired with a floor to ceiling column was prepared to anticipate the potential need to support the stair once the wall was removed.

During construction it was determined that the stair was in fact self supporting, but that newer construction on the floor above required the support of the column, so it was left in the design. The presence of the column also afforded the opportunity to correct settlement of the stair by raising the run of stairs back into level.

The restored open stair has recreated the formal entry foyer and the sense of ‘arrival' one feels upon entering the elegant home.

View Prior to Demolition of Hall Closet and Bathroom