New Haven Register: Spiffed-Up Shubert
This past Sunday, the New Haven Register‘s Donna Doherty reported on the recent restoration work carried for the Shubert Theater in an article titled “Spiffed-Up Shubert“.
From the article:
“Kaplan and Fisher are quite happy with the way the repair/restoration has been handled, especially since, through their research and recommendations from city engineers, they found that the best people for the job were local companies: Cheshire’s John Canning & Co., Ltd. Painting & Conservation Studios and Grand Light & Supply, which has restored all the light fixtures, calling in Branford stained-glass artist Jayne Crowley for her expertise.”
“The process started with the removal of the 800 orchestra seats to make room for a five-story-high scaffolding, which was erected over a two-and-half-week period. It allowed the workmen access to the ceiling medallions, the dental and pearl molding, the flossing on the stage beam and the decorative molding on columns and boxes, all of which they took casts of to make rubber molds for the plaster.
At the same time, 50 lights, including wall sconces, large pendant lights and the large bent-glass orchestra area chandelier, were removed and sent to Grand Light for refurbishing.”
“Steve Stockman, one of the owners of Grand Light, who oversaw the light restoration, repaired and replaced the marbleized colored glass panels and fixtures, modernized the wiring and temperature-tested them both in the shop and on site (the project is fascinatingly documented on their Web site www.grandlight.com).
Stockman told Kaplan that part of the damage to the metal on the light fixtures was from the heat from the bulbs that were being used in the fixtures. In 1914, those were 25-watt bulbs, then 100 and recently reduced to 60.
Now, said Kaplan, “We had the opportunity to be able to do some research and find good quality light in low-wattage, krypton fixtures that burn better and give off a great deal less heat … and use less electricity, reducing our footprint.”
The result? Cleaner and brighter light to illuminate the walls and accoutrements, in a fashion befitting a grand old dame.”
The full article can be read at nhregister.com by clicking here.
For more information about this project please review our previous updates or visit the project page and photo gallery.
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About Grand Light:
Grand Light has restored, replicated and manufactured custom lighting fixtures at every scale, including various projects at Yale University, the Lincoln Square Theater in Decatur, IL, The Otesaga Resort and Hotel in Cooperstown, NY, The Shubert Theater in New Haven, CT, and other prestigious projects nation wide.
Located at 580 Grand Avenue, New Haven, CT, Grand Light has been serving the interior and exterior lighting needs of homeowners and professionals since 1929.
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