On April 3, 1798, eight men declared their intentions to establish the Jefferson Seminary in Louisville. This event marked the beginning of an advanced level of education for the young people of the frontier settlement barely two decades old. Despite struggles in the beginning, the school flourished and evolved into the great school we all know today as the University of Louisville. Over the last 200+ years since the school's inception, there have been many changes in the landscape. In 1990, the Student Activities Center, spanning the railroad tracks between Brook and Floyd Streets became the largest building on Belknap Campus. The Student Activities Center was punctuated by a distinctive clock tower which was topped with a carillon whose rich tones chimed the hour and played music apropos to the season. While functioning as a working clock, it has also became a landmark often cited in promotional literature and when giving directions to visitors. A stairwell gave easy access to the inner workings of the tower. All rails and stair treads were painted in an effort to protect the steel from rust.

Flash forward to the summer of 2012. Wear, tear, and weather had taken its toll on the paint system used in an effort to protect the steel railing and stairs from rust. It was decided the rails and stair treads would be replaced with a new set that would be protected by a duplex system of galvanized steel with a Sherwin Williams Macro Epoxy 646 primer with a Sherwin Williams High Solid polyurethane top coat. The new duplex coated system would give at least 1.5 times the life of galvanized material. It would also eliminate the need for costly annual maintenance of a painted system.

Cardinal Iron Works in Louisville won the job and produced approximately 13,000 pounds of railings, stringers, and stair treads. After fabrication and galvanizing, the material was painted.  All old railings and stairs were removed and replaced with the new duplex coated material. With the new system in place, the university can look forward to an aesthetically pleasing structure that will not only last for many decades, but will also provide substantial maintenance cost savings. Thus, the duplex galvanizing/paint system will quietly do its part to keep costs down and help make a quality education somewhat affordable.