Chicago Landmarks | Page Brothers Building
A bit of a mystery....a friend is in town and was reading her guide book about the Berghoff restaurant having one of only two remaining cast iron facades in Chicago. Fun Architecture fact. While we were strolling around the Loop a few days later we came to a historic placard on the Chicago Theater (Page Brother's Building), which of course I had to read. The plaque claimed that the Page Brother's Building had the only remaining cast-iron facade in Chicago - interesting contradiction. Here's what I found on google:
http://www.ci.chi.il.us/Landmarks/P/PageBrothers.html
States: "Page Brothers Building
Year Built: 1872; west facade remodeled 1902
Architect: John M. Van Osdel; west facade remodeling, Hill and Woltersdorf
Date Designated a Chicago Landmark:
January 28, 1983
Lake Street Facade This building north facade, facing Lake Street, features the city's last remaining cast-iron front, a construction technique that was common practice in pre-Fire of 1871 Chicago. Built when Lake Street was the city's main retail street, the building's west facade (State Street) was remodeled and another floor added in 1902, reflecting the reorientation of commercial activity from Lake to State Street."
While: http://www.greaterstatestreet.com/Directory/Architecture/SSCultural%20Walk.asp
claims:
2. Page Brothers Building, 177-191 North State Street, John M. Van Osdel, 1872; Hill & Woltersdorf (State Street facade), 1902.
The cast iron Lake Street facade of the Page Brothers Building designed in 1872 by John Mills Van Osdel, Chicago's first professional architect, serves as the lone reminder that Lake Street was Chicago's earliest major commercial street. In the 19th century, cast iron was traditionally used for bridges and the internal structure of buildings, but because of its flexibility and light weight, it was also applied to the fronts of buildings, imitating stone. Rows of cast iron front buildings, designed in the Italianate style, lined Lake Street from 1856 through the early 1870s, yet this is one of only two remaining cast iron front buildings in Chicago. Its State Street facade was modernized in 1902, as State Street was becoming more fashionable.
Also, I was able to find regarding the Berghoff building that the cast iron front was designed in 1872 by C.M. Palmer (who, it seems, also worked on the Palmer House Hotel).
Wonder which is true.
http://www.ci.chi.il.us/Landmarks/P/PageBrothers.html
States: "Page Brothers Building
Year Built: 1872; west facade remodeled 1902
Architect: John M. Van Osdel; west facade remodeling, Hill and Woltersdorf
Date Designated a Chicago Landmark:
January 28, 1983
Lake Street Facade This building north facade, facing Lake Street, features the city's last remaining cast-iron front, a construction technique that was common practice in pre-Fire of 1871 Chicago. Built when Lake Street was the city's main retail street, the building's west facade (State Street) was remodeled and another floor added in 1902, reflecting the reorientation of commercial activity from Lake to State Street."
While: http://www.greaterstatestreet.com/Directory/Architecture/SSCultural%20Walk.asp
claims:
2. Page Brothers Building, 177-191 North State Street, John M. Van Osdel, 1872; Hill & Woltersdorf (State Street facade), 1902.
The cast iron Lake Street facade of the Page Brothers Building designed in 1872 by John Mills Van Osdel, Chicago's first professional architect, serves as the lone reminder that Lake Street was Chicago's earliest major commercial street. In the 19th century, cast iron was traditionally used for bridges and the internal structure of buildings, but because of its flexibility and light weight, it was also applied to the fronts of buildings, imitating stone. Rows of cast iron front buildings, designed in the Italianate style, lined Lake Street from 1856 through the early 1870s, yet this is one of only two remaining cast iron front buildings in Chicago. Its State Street facade was modernized in 1902, as State Street was becoming more fashionable.
Also, I was able to find regarding the Berghoff building that the cast iron front was designed in 1872 by C.M. Palmer (who, it seems, also worked on the Palmer House Hotel).
Wonder which is true.
posted by Nate at 9:53 PM
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