Midwest on the Scene: Historic Vautrauvers Building Moved
The Vautrauvers Building, a historic structure just south of Wrigley Field in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood, was moved 30 ft west and 10 ft south on Aug. 3 to make way for a new track alignment for the Chicago Transit Authority’s modernization of the Red and Purple lines.
The 127-year-old, three-story structure was picked up and moved by Wolfe House and Building Movers using a steel bracing frame in a delicate process that took three days. Contractor Walsh-Fluor jacked up the structure and Wolfe installed large jacking beams through the building’s foundation prior to the move. Smaller “needle” beams were installed throughout the perimeter of the foundation walls to ensure the load was distributed evenly.