05/15/2026
160 Federal Street is a historic 24 story office building located in the heart of Boston's financial district. Designed by George W. Fuller and Parker, Thomas & Rice, the Art Deco landmark was originally constructed in 1929-1930 as the United Shoe Machinery Building and remained the tallest building in Boston for nearly two decades.
Grand Light restored multiple historic Edward F. Caldwell pendant light fixtures within the lobby interior. After dismantling and transporting the fixtures to our factory, our team used historical records from our archives to guide the restoration process.
Each fixture received a brand new electrical configuration, replacing their existing light strips with LED screw-in dual sockets and a new up-light to upgrade the illumination without sacrificing their historic appearance. Through video conferences with the 160 Federal, we discussed potential electrical designs, providing them with mock-ups before settling on our final screw-in retrofit solution that we agreed would suit the fixtures best. Additionally, the existing fire gilded gold painted finish was cleaned, waxed and preserved, while replacement etched glass panels were fabricated to reflect the original historic design.
Upon completion, the restored fixtures were returned to Boston and reinstalled, where they continue to illuminate the lobby with the same elegance and grandeur as they did nearly a century ago.
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