Born-again Baltic Exchange waits for its facade

STAFF returning to work at the reopened Baltic Exchange in the City of London last week found that architects and stonemasons had removed more of it than the IRA bomb that killed three people and caused huge damage a year ago.

The Grade II listed building's distinctive facade, with its red granite columns and Portland-stone pediment, has been dismantled and moved to the Isle of Portland in Dorset, where surveyors and stonecarvers are restoring it. The pounds 17m project is expected to be completed early next year.

The first anniversary was marked yesterday in a ceremony by Danny Carter, of Laindon, Essex, who laid a wreath in memory of his daughter Danielle, 15, who died in the bombing.

The 100lb bomb shook the pediment, which features figures of Britannia, Neptune and mermaids, but did not crack its Portland-stone blocks. Stonecarvers will thus be able to restore the detailed carvings, which were severely damaged.

Dismantling the facade was the most difficult task in the restoration project, because the explosion had divided the blocks, leaving the structure unstable.

Warren Leroy, the architect in charge, said: 'The bomb went off at the north end of the facade. It was severely damaged and had to be supported by scaffolding to prevent it falling on to the street.'

Surveyors and stonemasons first sketched and photographed the facade before removing the blocks one by one. Each was then sketched and photographed again to assess the damage.

Garth Weston, director of operations for Bath and Portland Stone, which is carrying out the work, said: 'The bomb lifted the portico up in the air, perhaps only millimetres but enough to move everything out of position.

'Two five-metre-long granite columns which carried the portico were broken. The top halves had moved 70mm out of position, so everything was very unstable,' Mr Weston said.

(Photographs omitted)