TOWER CLOCKS FOR HISTORIC FEDERAL BUILDING

LUMICHRON installs 4 new monument tower clocks at Washington, D.C., Landmark

New Tower Clocks at the Sidney Yates Building Clock Tower Clock Restoration inset canister illuminated automatic GPS by Lumichron — New Tower Clocks at the Sidney Yates Building

LUMICHRON built and installed the tower clocks for this historic federal building located at 14^th Street and Independence Avenue in Washington, DC. The set of four new clocks in the tower are part of a complete renovation. Known as the Sidney Yates Building, it currently is the home of the U.S. Forest Service. Built in 1879, the Romanesque-style building was originally designed by the office of James G. Hill.

Time to add the clocks

The building was designed and built with a clock tower, including the four round openings for tower clocks. They were empty for over 125 years! But no clocks were ever installed — until now. LUMICHRON was contracted by Singleton Electric of Gaithersburg, MD, to build and install four (4) 60-inch diameter clocks. The Roman dials and hands complement the Romanesque-style architecture.

Automatic, Atomic Time

The clocks are kept in perfect sync with each other, as well as in exact synchronization with Atomic time, by the state-of-the-art European computer-controlled automatic mechanisms. The clocks will automatically reset to the correct time in case of power interruptions and also or Daylight Saving Time. The computer controller will turn the illumination on at dusk and off at dawn, according to the clocks’ exact latitude and longitude. The Yates Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978 for its architecture, and the new clocks will add to its timeless appeal.

Design-Build Award

Lumichron worked with Grunley Construction Co. Inc., which was selected by the General Services Administration for the $20 million renovation. The renovation of this federal building received the 2014 Design-Build Award for Renovation from the Design-Build Institute of America, Mid-Atlantic Region. The 180,000-square-foot building is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Complete Renovation

The design-build contract called for new mechanical, electrical, heating, air conditioning and fire-protection systems, new windows and a 10,000-square-foot child development center. Project architects were Studios Architecture (bridging documents) and RTKL Associates, Inc. (base contract).

Clocks for other historic federal buildings

LUMICHRON has built reproductions of clocks for other historic federal buildings, such as for the Oconto County Courthouse, Oconto, WI; the Celebrezze Federal Courthouse, Cleveland, OH; and the Potter Stewart United States Courthouse, Cincinnati, OH.

Photos of On-site Clock Installation

Scroll through the photos below for the installation process of the new Tower Clocks at the Sidney Yates Building.

Picture of custom clock face for isntallation

Because of the entrance stairs, and the amount of traffic in the city, scaffolding was not an option.

another picture of the staging area for the custom clock face witht he clock controller

Staging Area for the Tower Clocks at the Historic Sidney Yates Federal Building

big outdoor clocks with custom clock face hoisted 75 feet up the monument tower

Everything had to be hoisted 75 feet to the tower

tower clock manufactured with trim ring and clock controller, waiting for installation.

Trim Ring for the Clock

Tower clocks manufactured for monument tower with analog clock control being hoisted for installation

Guidance by Ian Macartney, owner of Lumichron.

This 60-inch custom clock face with analog clock control cannot be fitted up the narrow spiral staircase of the monument tower. LUMICHRON engineered a way to deliver and install them from the outside.

The 60-inch diameter polycarbonate clock faces would not have fit up the narrow spiral staircase leading to the clock tower, so LUMICHRON engineered a way to deliver them from the outside.