Project Overview

Jackson & Co, a popular dining destination in Glenview, IL, features a custom-made entrance portico designed with antique-style glass panels — an architectural centerpiece intended to give the restaurant a distinctive, timeless presence at the street. Lighting this portico required more than a standard marquee installation: each glass panel needed to be individually illuminated at its center to highlight the intricacy of the antique glass design and create a warm, inviting glow at the entrance.

To achieve this, the design team selected Belfer's MQ2502 Marquee Lighting, custom-configured with hand-spaced lamp sockets precisely aligned to the center of each glass panel. This bespoke approach ensured that the portico's decorative glasswork would be showcased with balanced, purposeful illumination rather than a generic, evenly spaced lamp run.

Lighting Solution

The project features the Belfer MQ2502 2x2 Medium Base Marquee Lighting, custom-built with non-standard lamp spacing to align with the unique dimensions of the portico's antique glass panels.

Fixture Specifications:

• Model: MQ2502 2x2 Surface Mount Medium Base Marquee Lighting
• Type: Linear surface-mounted marquee lighting fixture, custom configured
• Lamp Compatibility: Medium base sockets for incandescent or LED lamps
• Lamp Spacing: Custom, hand-spaced socket placement aligned to the center of each antique glass panel (in lieu of standard 6" or 12" on-center spacing)
• Construction: Extruded aluminum
• Finish Options: Satin aluminum, white, black, titanium, or oil rubbed bronze powder coat; custom finishes available
• Mounting: Surface mounted along the entrance portico
• Location Rating: UL and CUL Listed Damp Location; Wet Location available
• Accessories Available: Lamp guards, baffles, decorative end caps, multi-circuiting, Decora switches and outlets
• Applications: Custom architectural porticos, restaurant entrances, hotel canopies, retail storefronts, architectural facades with decorative glasswork

The MQ2502 is ordered by the foot and available in straight or mitered cuts, with lamp placement custom-engineered rather than standardized — a capability essential to this project's design requirements.

Design Intent

The lighting concept for Jackson & Co centered on honoring the craftsmanship of the entrance portico's antique-designed glass panels. Rather than applying a standard, uniformly spaced marquee configuration, the design team specified custom on-center lamp spacing so that each socket would align precisely with the center of its corresponding glass panel — allowing the light to illuminate the decorative glasswork from within rather than simply washing across the surface.

This bespoke approach transforms the MQ2502 from a purely functional marquee fixture into an architectural lighting solution that celebrates the artistry of the portico itself, reinforcing Jackson & Co's identity as a restaurant defined by thoughtful, custom detailing.

Installation Highlights

Installation of the custom MQ2502 configuration required each lamp socket to be spaced by hand to achieve the exact alignment needed for the portico's antique glass panels. Because the panels were not uniform in width, standard factory spacing would not have delivered the centered illumination the design called for — every socket position was individually measured and set to ensure each glass panel received balanced, centered light.

The fixture's extruded aluminum construction and damp location rating ensured reliable performance despite exposure to Glenview's seasonal weather conditions, while the custom hand-spaced layout preserved the visual integrity of the portico's decorative glasswork. The finish was selected to complement the antique character of the glass panels and the restaurant's overall facade design.

Results

The completed installation transforms Jackson & Co's entrance portico into a striking architectural focal point. The custom hand-spaced MQ2502 fixtures illuminate each antique glass panel from its center, creating a warm, balanced glow that highlights the craftsmanship of the glasswork while welcoming guests to the restaurant.

The project demonstrates Belfer's ability to move beyond standard marquee configurations, delivering precision-engineered lighting solutions for custom architectural features that demand a bespoke approach to lamp placement and fixture design.