Century Building, Home Federal Savings and Loan Building
Life Span: 1915-Present
Location: 202 S. State
Architect: Holabird & Roche
Chicago Tribune, January 31, 1911
Buck & Rayner Leasehold Acquired.
Record was made of the acquirement by Louis Eckstein as president of Buck & Rayner, of the leasehold estate of the 22½xS0 feet at the southwest corner of State and Adams streets. Mr. Eckstein acquired this direct, while Attorney Israel Shrimski represented the Exceisior Shoe company and W. Grant Williams, the sellers. Mr. Eckstein also has acquired the L shaped piece surrounding this, thus giving Buck & Rayner a piece forty-feet on State by 101 feet on Adams, on which will be erected a modern fireproof building with offices in the upper floors for physicians. Albert L. Strauss and Seymour Morris were the brokers.
Chicago Tribune, January 26, 1915
State Street’s Newest Skyscraper.
State street is to have another skyscraper, to be erected by Buck & Rayner at the southwest corner of Adams street. The plans, which were prepared by Holabird & Roche, provide for an unusually attractive structure of the highest type of fireproof construction, fifteen stories high, and to cost about $700,000. It will have & frontage of forty-two feet on state street, with a deph of 100 feet on Adams street. The work of razing the present old buildings on the lot will probably begin the next day or two, and it is expected to have the new building completed and ready for occupancy by July 1.
Buck & Rayner will occupy the corner store and basement with an attractive drug store. and it in interesting to note that it will be the third valuable corner controlled by Buck & Rayner under long term lease on State street, the others being State and Madison and State and Randolph streets.
- Century Building, 1920
Chicago Tribune, September 11, 1915
“20TH CENTURY” BUILDING.
“Twentieth Century ” will be the name of the new State street skyscraper constructed by Buck & Rayner at Adams street. This selection has been decided upon out of 6,000 names suggested in more than 4,000 letters to the builders. Forty-three persons chose “Twentieth Century ” and the prize of $100, therefore, will a divided among them.
- Buck & Rayner Cafeteria
1917
Chicago Central Business and Office Directory, 1922
- Century Building.
Left: The Century Building ca. 1940. Storefronts at the base have been altered from the original and may reflect the changes authorized by the 1934 building permit for “changes to storefront.”
Right: The Century Building ca. 1948. The canopy over the main entrance is gone and storefronts have been changed, this time with deeply recessed entrances flanked by round-cornered display cabinets atop structural glass. These changes may reflect the 1944 building permit issued for “storefront repairs.” A clock with signage now projects over the sidewalk, likely from the 1946 permit issued for “erection of signpost for clock.
- Left: Display cases are opposite the elevators in this rendering of the elevator lobby from a circa 1915 Buck & Rayner promotional pamphlet.
Right: Holabird & Roche drawing of a typical hall elevation for the Century Building. The top half of the drawing shows elevators and
stairs while the bottom half of the drawing shows the opposite side of the corridor and specifies “plate glass” for all wall panels
Chicago Tribune, April 1, 1949
Savings Bank Group Buys Loop Corner
Home Federal Savings and Loan association yesterday purchased the 16 story Century building and leasehold at the southwest corner of State and Adams sts. for $880,000. The association, now at 1618 W. 18th st., probably will move to the loop some time next year, said Charles A. Zundalek, president.
The association has 6, 250 square feet of floor space in its west side quarters. It will occupy about 10,000 square feet in its new location, O. L. Preisler, vice president, said. The new quarters will be air conditioned and the three or four floors to be used may have escalators, he said.
“Home Federal’s purchase of the loop building reflects the association’s greatly expanded scope of operations during the last dec-ade,” said Zundalek. “It is our opinion that office quarters in a central location will provide greater convenience for all members and improved efficiency of operation. ”
Home Federal was founded in 1886 as the Domov Building and Loan association. “Domov” is the Bohemian word for “home.”
- Century Building
Sanborn Fire Insurance Map
1927
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