More Than A Garage

 
[Capital Garage Building (1924) 5539-54 N. Clark Street, Chicago /Image & Artwork: designslinger]

In the 1920s, as more and more cars started filling city streets and large single family
homes in and around Chicago's lake front neighborhoods were demolished to make way for multi-story apartment buildings built without garages, free-standing parking structures began appearing alongside retail storefronts on the city's commercial thoroughfares.

 
[Capital Garage; Broadway Garage (1923) 4119-25 N. Broadway, Chicago, David S. Klafter, architect; Images &
Artwork: designslinger]

A lot of these structures were plain and utilitarian looking, but a few stood out from the
mundane crowd. One of the more prolific garage architects of the era was David Klafter, who took the ordinary looking parking structure and turned it into something special.

 
[Chicago Park District Garage/Whole Foods (1924) 3640 N. Halsted Street, Chicago David S. Klafter, architect;
Images & Artwork: designslinger]

Klafter went all out when he drew up the fanciful exterior decor for this garage in 1924.
As you can see, the building no longer functions as a car park, but instead provides shoppers with delectable gourmet food products behind a preserved facade.

Klafter was a pretty remarkable guy. He never had any formal architectural training and
passed the state licensing exam with a high score that stood as a state record for 10 years. He designed apartment buildings, commercial property and even became the Chief Architect of Cook County in 1944. He died in 1965, still plying his trade as an architect, 57 years after setting that state record.
Posted by designslinger at 3/29/2010 2:00 AM
Categories: Architecture, Decorative Arts, Architects, Preservation
Tags: Chicago David S. Klafter parking garages
 

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  • 3/29/2010 5:57 PM Ira wrote:
    Hi Guys!

    I've admired the Park District garage on Halsted Street for a long time. Thank you for giving me the info I've wanted for so long.
    1. 3/30/2010 2:51 AM designslinger wrote:
      You're so welcome!!

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