Sullivan Building Update: A "Liberal Allowance for the Use of Gold Leaf"

One of the many reasons we so love the Louis Sullivan Building of Newark is because it’s a constant source of delight. For instance, Sullivan’s cost estimate for the color decoration of the walls and ceiling of the banking room provided a “liberal allowance for the use of gold leaf” ($1,000 in 1915). A few weeks ago, an artist from Conrad Schmitt Studios test-cleaned a dull area under the opalescent windows on Main Street and revealed a glimpse of glistening gold leaf!