Another Elevated View
We're back on Chicago's rapid transit system taking the Brown Line train into the Loop
for a different view of the city's architecture from the el platform. Check out our previous post here, when we stopped at the Washington/Wells station for a look.
[Library-State/Van Buren Loop Elevated Station, Diane Legge Kemp, 1997 /Images & Artwork: designslinger]
Today we've rounded the corner of the first loop of the Brown Line train as it heads into
the city from the north. We're approaching the Library-State/Van Buren stop, which opened in 1997. It was built 100 years after the completion of the Van Buren leg of the elevated system, and was designed to harmonize with the architecture of the Harold Washington Library, which stands adjacent to the el stop.
[Old Colony Building, Holabird & Roche, 1894, Plymouth Building, Simeon Eisendrath, 1899, Manhattan Building,
William LeBaron Jenney, 1891; Rounded corner bay detail, Old Colony Building /Images & Artwork: designslinger]
As you approach the Library station you will see a group of three buildings built within an
eight year span. On the left, is the Old Colony Building, by the architectural firm of Holabird & Roche. The exterior of the building was undergoing a much needed cleaning when I took the picture, and this is the only building I know of left in downtown Chicago with rounded, corner window bays. The smaller building next door was built in 1899 and was named the Plymouth as in Plymouth, Massachusetts, a companion to the Old Colony which was named for the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The next building, built in 1891, was designed by William LeBaron Jenney. Jenney was a pioneer of steel-frame construction, and is credited with building what has been described as the very first skyscraper, right here in Chicago, in 1885. When the Manhattan was completed, it was the first 16-story steel skeleton building built in the United States, and for a short time, the world's tallest. It was renovated and converted into residential apartments in 1982.
[Monadnock Building, south portion, Holabird & Roche, 1893; Monadnock Building, south portion, North portion,
Burnham & Root, 1891 /Images & Artwork: designslinger]
When you're standing on the western end of the platform at the Library station, you'll
have a good view of the Mondanock Building. One of those buildings in Chicago that is studied in Architectural History 101 classes in schools around the world. The southern portion (on the left) was built in 1893 with a steel frame, while the northern portion is supported by its masonry walls, and was constructed in 1891. Because the brick exterior had to carry the weight of the 16 story building, the walls are 6 feet thick at the base! When Burnham & Root designed the northern half, it was the tallest, all masonry building in the world - a title that still holds 108 years later.
[Fisher Building, west facade, D.H. Burnham & Co., Charles Atwood, designer, 1896; Fisher Building & Fisher
Addition, 1906 /Images & Artwork: designslinger]
For a contrast to the bulk of the Monadnock, we'll move down to the other end of the
platform for a nice view of the Fisher Building. It sits directly across Van Buren, and the el tracks, from the Old Colony. Another building with a steel skeleton, the frame went up so quickly, that it only took a month to complete. With its ocher-colored terra cotta and large window bays, the building seems much airier and light-weight than its neighbors to the west and south.
[De Paul Center, (Rothschild's Department Store), Holabird & Roche, 1912 /Image & Artwork: designslinger]
If you look to the east, you'll see a very large white building which now houses a
multitude of functions for De Paul University. The State Street building was originally built as Rothschild's Department Store in 1912. At the time the street was Chicago's, if not the Midwest's, major retail thoroughfare. Rothschild's was just one of a dozen large, full-, or half-block retail establishments which lined the street. The building underwent a conversion from retail to educational in 1993.
[Harold Washington Library, Hammond, Beeby & Babka, 1991 /Images & Artwork: designslinger]
This view of the Chicago Public library system's main branch comes from the north facade
of the dramatic post-modern structure, completed in 1991. From the el platform we have an opportunity to see details up close, which would be impossible from the sidewalk since they're four-stories above ground level, offering a glimpse of the city's stunning architecture, from a unique perspective.
for a different view of the city's architecture from the el platform. Check out our previous post here, when we stopped at the Washington/Wells station for a look.
Today we've rounded the corner of the first loop of the Brown Line train as it heads into
the city from the north. We're approaching the Library-State/Van Buren stop, which opened in 1997. It was built 100 years after the completion of the Van Buren leg of the elevated system, and was designed to harmonize with the architecture of the Harold Washington Library, which stands adjacent to the el stop.
William LeBaron Jenney, 1891; Rounded corner bay detail, Old Colony Building /Images & Artwork: designslinger]
As you approach the Library station you will see a group of three buildings built within an
eight year span. On the left, is the Old Colony Building, by the architectural firm of Holabird & Roche. The exterior of the building was undergoing a much needed cleaning when I took the picture, and this is the only building I know of left in downtown Chicago with rounded, corner window bays. The smaller building next door was built in 1899 and was named the Plymouth as in Plymouth, Massachusetts, a companion to the Old Colony which was named for the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The next building, built in 1891, was designed by William LeBaron Jenney. Jenney was a pioneer of steel-frame construction, and is credited with building what has been described as the very first skyscraper, right here in Chicago, in 1885. When the Manhattan was completed, it was the first 16-story steel skeleton building built in the United States, and for a short time, the world's tallest. It was renovated and converted into residential apartments in 1982.
Burnham & Root, 1891 /Images & Artwork: designslinger]
When you're standing on the western end of the platform at the Library station, you'll
have a good view of the Mondanock Building. One of those buildings in Chicago that is studied in Architectural History 101 classes in schools around the world. The southern portion (on the left) was built in 1893 with a steel frame, while the northern portion is supported by its masonry walls, and was constructed in 1891. Because the brick exterior had to carry the weight of the 16 story building, the walls are 6 feet thick at the base! When Burnham & Root designed the northern half, it was the tallest, all masonry building in the world - a title that still holds 108 years later.
Addition, 1906 /Images & Artwork: designslinger]
For a contrast to the bulk of the Monadnock, we'll move down to the other end of the
platform for a nice view of the Fisher Building. It sits directly across Van Buren, and the el tracks, from the Old Colony. Another building with a steel skeleton, the frame went up so quickly, that it only took a month to complete. With its ocher-colored terra cotta and large window bays, the building seems much airier and light-weight than its neighbors to the west and south.
If you look to the east, you'll see a very large white building which now houses a
multitude of functions for De Paul University. The State Street building was originally built as Rothschild's Department Store in 1912. At the time the street was Chicago's, if not the Midwest's, major retail thoroughfare. Rothschild's was just one of a dozen large, full-, or half-block retail establishments which lined the street. The building underwent a conversion from retail to educational in 1993.
This view of the Chicago Public library system's main branch comes from the north facade
of the dramatic post-modern structure, completed in 1991. From the el platform we have an opportunity to see details up close, which would be impossible from the sidewalk since they're four-stories above ground level, offering a glimpse of the city's stunning architecture, from a unique perspective.
Posted by designslinger at 7/29/2009 2:26 AM 
Categories: Architecture, History, Preservation
Tags: Fisher Building Plymouth Building Old Colony Building Manhattan Building State Street Rothschild's Department Store
Categories: Architecture, History, Preservation
Tags: Fisher Building Plymouth Building Old Colony Building Manhattan Building State Street Rothschild's Department Store
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