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Essential Architecture- Chicago
Loop South Leiter II Building |
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architect |
William Le Baron Jenney |
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location |
403 S. State St. |
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date |
1891 |
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style |
early Chicago School |
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construction |
steel frame |
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type |
Department Store |
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Renowned as one of the nation's most important early examples of
skeletal-frame commercial architecture, this building is discussed in
every major history of American architecture. A National Historic
Landmark, it was designed by William Le Baron Jenney, the so-called
"father of the skyscraper." This building was erected by Levi Leiter;
later, it was leased by Sears, Roebuck & Co. for its flagship department
store. It is the city's oldest surviving department store, a type of
building that contributed to State Street's development as a retailing
thoroughfare. The so-called "first Leiter" building, built in 1879 at
Wells and Monroe, was demolished in 1972. |
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links |
With special thanks to the City of
Chicago website,
www.egov.cityofchicago.org , for much of the info on this page.
Photos copyright City of Chicago. |
| www.essential-architecture.com | |