Building trades workers are helping to restore some of the lost luster atop the "Golden Tower of the Fisher Building."

Erected in 1928, the Fisher Building is described by its historical marker "as "Detroit's largest art object." It was built at a time when the seven "Body-by-Fisher" brothers seemingly had money to burn because of the booming automotive market, and basically gave architect Albert Kahn a blank check when it came to outfitting their building.

He spent about $9 million on the building, and a quarter of that was devoted to "extras" that helped Kahn win the Architectural League's Silver Medal designating the Fisher Building as the nation's most beautiful commercial structure of 1928. Seventy five years later, the building is still an architectural gem, and atop the building, a small group of Western Waterproofing tradesmen are helping to make sure it stays that way.

Earlier this month, Bricklayers and Allied Craftsworkers tradesman working for Western Waterproofing completed the process of removing a pair of rotten copper-clad ornamental spires on the roof, in a laborious effort that required a tricky scaffolding job and a gentle touch when it comes to dislodging the historic fixtures.

The job was handled by foreman Shawn Merrill, Bradley Mayer and John Grougan of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Local 1. They will also be removing, repairing or replacing terra cotta tiles that cap part of the skyscraper's green and yellow roof. In several months, they expect to be back on the job installing new replica spires made of fiberglass.

"Once you get under the skin of the spires, every section is rotted, and a lot of it basically turns to dust," said Merrill, working on the tiny scaffolding platform they erected above the roof. "This is interesting, historic work and it's the kind of work we like to do best."

The spires had obviously been deteriorating for years, but the need for this project came to a head when one section broke off. Further inspection found that the pair of spires were barely attached to the roof because of the rot. Before this disassembly project began, the spires were looped in wire so they wouldn't fall apart further.

Clad in 16-guage copper, the two wood and metal spires were gently dismantled and temporarily placed in a pile inside on the building's top floor. They may be reassembled and displayed somewhere inside the building.

The Western Waterproofing crew will also rebuild the 20-foot structures that anchor the fixtures to the roof.

"The craftsmen who built these were pretty sophisticated," Merrill said. "Look how they bent and folded all the copper. And then underneath, they did the same thing with the wood and the metal. When we started, we didn't expect to see all the decay that we've seen. But there are a lot of seams, and that's where the copper failed. I guess you'd have to expect that after being exposed up here all these years."

THE SECOND OF TWO crumbling ornamental spires atop the 28-story Fisher Building tower in Detroit is prepared for removal by (l-r) Bradley Mayer and Shawn Merrill of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Local 1 and Western Waterproofing.

Lights that shine on the 28-story skyscraper in Detroit's New Center area at night led to the building's "Golden Tower" moniker, which is perpetuated by the building's most famous tenant, WJR radio.