Ideal Contracting’s upcoming project at the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory on Belle Isle was recently featured in The Detroit News. Ideal will be serving as the general contractor on the project, which will include renovations to the building’s steel dome, the removal of lead-based paint, reglazing the upper dome, and completing stone masonry repairs.
A gem of Detroit, the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory is one of the nation’s oldest glasshouses still in existence. The Albert Khan designed building, known for its glass dome, was inspired by Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello and opened on August 18, 1904. The 85-foot-high dome was originally constructed of wood and in the 1950s was rebuilt with a skeleton of steel and aluminum.
This will be the second phase of the conservatory project. During the first phase of construction, Ideal removed and replaced deteriorating structural steel truss columns, original to the 1904 structure, with new galvanized assemblies.
Ideal Contracting looks forward to continuing the revitalization of the conservatory so that it can continue to be enjoyed by visitors for many years to come! You can read more about this project and the conservatory in the article below.
The Detroit News
Belle Isle conservatory to close for major upgrade