All eyes were on the eagle June 11 as the 3000-pound landmark sculpture -- with a boost from a 160-ton crane -- was re-installed in its perch atop the refinished golden dome of the Jefferson Building at the Wyndham Virginia Crossings Hotel and Conference Center in Glen Allen.

The eagle, which has resided atop the Jefferson Building since the complex served as Figgie International's headquarters in the 1980s, had spent a week "nesting" on the ground after its June 4 removal. Among the restoration and repair tasks performed during the bird's makeover was the regilding of its 24-carat gold leaf wings.

At a ceremony prior to the eagle's flight, the sculpture was re-dedicated in honor of America’s Armed Forces and their families and re-christened the Liberty Golden Eagle. A number of veterans from the adjacent Crosspoint community attended the ceremony, and representatives from Fisher House and the USO of Hampton Roads and Central Virginia accepted donations from the Wyndham Virginia Crossings.

Read the full story of the restoration here: http://www.henricocitizen.com/index.php/news/article/the_eagle_has_landed0608