In fact, I feel exhausted. I'm on my third day like this now. At first I thought I was just tired, but now I realise I am sick. I'm going to lie down now.
I've done a quick sketch of what it must have been like when the oval was open to let light down from the dome and animated it. Some of it speculation, such as the detail in between the floors and whether the main balustrade posts decended through the floor like they clearly did in the stairwell.
I took these pictures with the intent of lamenting the spiral staircase that was long, long ago removed - but in looking at this I no longer believe there was a spiral staircase in this building, ever. The stairs from the lobby to the second floor had some beautiful woodwork (which was painted over who knows how long ago and then in part irreparably water-damaged in the fire and subsequently replaced with drywall). Because of the woodwork on that first flight of stairs and the lack of evidence of a landing for a staircase in the lobby I had figured the spiral staircase must have ended on the second floor. But now that they have removed all the old carpet on the second floor and the ancient discolouration from the original runners is visible I'm convinced there never was a spiral staircase at all. Certainly there was an oval hole to let light down into the lobby from
The fire was a 
In fact, I feel exhausted. I'm on my third day like this now. At first I thought I was just tired, but now I realise I am sick. I'm going to lie down now.
I've done a quick sketch of what it must have been like when the oval was open to let light down from the dome and animated it. Some of it speculation, such as the detail in between the floors and whether the main balustrade posts decended through the floor like they clearly did in the stairwell.
