The cupola of the former News Tower is lowered into place on Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024, at the Iconic Energy building in downtown Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — A picturesque part of the city’s skyline was returned to its home on Thursday more than 100 feet in the sky.
Iconic Energy Solar Professionals reinstalled the historic lantern and spire atop of its building, the former Rockford Register Star News Tower, along the riverfront on State Street.
“Putting it back means a lot to us,” said Teague Dickey, CEO ofIconic Energy. “I know what Rockford’s supposed to look like, and that’s supposed to be there.”
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The 10-foot lantern and 10-foot spire were removed in November after Iconic’s team discovered structural damage including weld fractures and deteriorated hardware. They determined it had to come down as a safety precaution so the damage could be evaluated.
It was the first time in the 94-year-history of the building that the tower was without its cupola.
The features were restored over the past 10 months in preparation to be lifted by crane back into its original resting place.
The work was done by Iconic Energy staff with LM Sheet Metal & Service, Lawnscapes and placed Thursday by Ware Crane and Advanced Crane Technicians.
“I believe everything we’ve done to this will let it last another 100 years,” Dickey said. “There’s been no corners cut. We’re very happy and excited to get this up there and make Rockford’s skyline original again.”
Jason Whelan, left, and
Chuck Johnson, of Advanced Crane Technicians work to attach the spire to the lantern on Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024, at the Iconic Energy building in Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Dickey said the cupola was left as much in its original form as possible, with some rusted sheet metal and failing hardware replaced. The structure was also given a fresh prime and coat to match the original color.
“We didn’t know the extent of the damage while originally taking it down, but a lot of the sheet metal, part of the spire had been deteriorating and falling off and literally was just gone,” Dickey said. “We saved as much as we could. There is still original angle irons, but the majority of the sheet metal was replaced. New fasteners. Still aesthetically looks exactly the way it was.”
The former News Tower, now called the Iconic Building, is perhaps the most recognizable architectural feature of Rockford’s skyline. It was designed by renowned local architect Jesse Barloga and built in 1930.
Early drawings from Barloga described the cupola as the “Lantern of Liberty.”
Across the street, the newly opened Disco Chicken restaurant has rooftop views that overlook downtown including the news tower.
“Disco Chicken opened recently and there was a lot of people taking cool images of Rockford — and it doesn’t look quite right. It’s not supposed to look that way,” Dickey said. “So putting this back up will make us complete again.”
Jason Whelan of Advanced Crane Technicians guides the cupola into place as its lowered by Ware Crane on Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024, at the Iconic Energy building in downtown Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Iconic had been prepared to reinstall the lantern as early as March, but it waited until the end of summer so as not to disturb the peregrine falcons that nest on the eighth floor of the building. Iconic worked with the Sinnissippi Audobon Society to determine the best time to reinstall the cupola.
“We have a tenant — the official city bird of Rockford, the peregrine falcon — and it would’ve been irresponsible to just do what we want to do and put it up when we can,” Dickey said. “It’s better to be cohesive with our tenants.”
The restoration of the cupola is part a multimillion-dollar redevelopment of the downtown building.
Iconic Energy bought the building from the Register Star’s parent company Gannett for $1.7 million in December 2021. The solar company is renovating the building to include a restaurant, cafe, business offices, gym, riverwalk and event space inside the former press area. The roof has already been outfitted with 618 solar panels.
There are still a few more tweaks that will be made now that the cupola is in place. There will be lighting installed for the American flag that rises out of the spire and state-of-the-art color changing lights for the interior of the cupola, Dickey said.
“Lighting it and fine-tuning it will take a few months,” Dickey said.
Iconic Energy CEO Teague Dickey, right, oversees the lowering of the spire onto the lantern on Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024, at the Iconic Energy building in downtown Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
The cupola was originally built and assembled on the roof, not raised by crane like it was Thursday.
Keeping its historic integrity in tact means leaving some of its imperfections, too, Dickey said.
“It was crooked when it came down. It’s going to be crooked when it goes back up because that’s how they made it,” he said. “It’s easy to make things square and perfect and just right, but that’s not how it was built. So we left it exactly the way that it was.”
The cupola of the historic former News Tower is lifted into place on Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024, by Ware Crane at the Iconic Energy building in downtown Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
This article is byKevin Haas. Email him atkhaas@rockrivercurrent.comor follow him on X at@KevinMHaasor Instagram@thekevinhaasand Threads@thekevinhaas
