By Chris Larson
Capital West News
SALT LAKE CITY – The 4,000-pound chandelier dangled just a few feet from the variegated gray marble floor while Capitol maintenance workers carefully vacuumed the restored fixtures early Friday morning.
Nick Radulovich, director of the State Capitol Complex, oversaw the cleaning of the chandelier.
“We’re just going through and getting ready for the session by dropping the beautiful chandelier and changing all the light bulbs, cleaning it up and getting all the dust and debris out of there,” Radulovich said.
Workers used backpack vacuums and soft bristle tools to vacuum out the vintage glass diffusors and the brass fixtures.
The grand chandelier hanging in the rotunda is the original chandelier that was restored with the rest of the capitol renovation project which concluded on Jan. 4, 2008.
“There is a big motor just above the fixture that’s used to hoist it up and down,” Radanovich said pointing to the ceiling. The motor was whisper silent while it raised the 3,000 pound fixture and 1,000 pound chandelier chain back into position on the 165 foot ceiling.
“When they did the restoration they tried to replicate what was here and restore the brass,” Radulovich said, pointing at the original brass eagle fixture. “You can see the shiny brass along with the eagle. That’s all been restored. Then they updated the light fixtures that were in there.”
