Chicago & Northwestern Railway Office Building, Chicago City College
Life Span: 1904-Present
Location: NE corner of Jackson Boulevard and Franklin Street
Architect: Frost & Granger
- Lakeside Business Directory of the City of Chicago, 1907
Chicago and Northwestern Ry. Building.—215 Jackson Boul. and 235 Franklin.
Lakeside Annual Directory of the City of Chicago, 1911
Chicago and Northwestern Ry. Building.—226 W Jackson boul
Inter Ocean, December 22, 1903
NORTHWESTERN TO MOVE ITS OFFICES
Railway Company Buys Land and Building on Franklin Street, from Quincy to Jackson.
Talk of the removal of the Chicago & Northwestern rallway’s general offices to the heart of the wholesale district has some foundation in the fact that the railway company has taken title from the Northern Trust company to the entire west frontage on Franklin street, extending from Quincy street to Jackson boulevard, 166 feet, with a depth of 105 feet. It is occupied by a six-story wholesale building, erected by Conrad Fuerst in 1885 at a cost of $175,000. The conveyance yesterday was for a nomInal amount, “good and valuable considerations,” as it was expressed in the deed. The board of review valued the property last year at $665,760.
Sold for $600,000.
Last year the holding was sold by Conrad and Dorothea K. Fuerst to the Northern Trust company for $600,000. The bullding then was paying 4½ per cent net a year on the purchase price, and this rate of income has rather increased since, as rents in the wholesale district have gone up considerably. Allowing $100,000 for the building, the land values established by this transaction are a fraction over $3,000 per foot Franklin street frontage, and $28.60 a square foot.
Acted for Railroad.
It was stated at the time of last year’s sale that the Northern Trust company acted for the railway company in this matter, but the Chicago & Northwestern officials denied at the time that the purchase was made for the road. They refuse to make any statement at this time, but it is known that the present general offices at Fifth avenue and Lake street are inadequate, part of the office work being done in the old office building on Kinzie street and another part on the upper floor of the terminal station in Wells street.
The building on the Franklin street frontage would admit not only of the concentration of the entire office force, but would also bring the general offices closer to the headquarters of the other trunk lines entering Chicago.
Bricklayer Magazine, September, 1904
Frost & Granger are architects for the new office building of the Chicago and Northwestern Railway Company, which will occupy the entire building. It is located at the northeast corner of Jackson Boulevard and Franklin Street. The dimensions are 105 by 166 feet, and it will be fourteen stories high. The total height above grade will be 209 feet, and the depth below grade will be nine feet. The foundation consists of fifty concrete piers, carried down in wells ninety feet below datum to natural rock. The system of fireproofing for the floors is flat end pressure hollow tile arches between 1 beams. All constructive work is firepoofed with the same.
On the court side fronting Quincy Street all window frames and sash are of copper, and glazed with wired glass. This court is also protected by a water curtain. It has standpipes with hose connections throughout. The office floors are of hard wood and all others of marble tiling. The two sides of this building which front on streets will be faced with granite, and all others including the court, with brick.
Fireproof Magazine, December, 1904
- Office Building of the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad, Jackson Boulevard and Franklin Street, Chicago—Frost and Granger, Architects.
This progress photograph shows the process of fireproofing all steel ahead of enclosing exterior walls.
- Chicago & Northwestern Railroad Office Building
- Office Building of the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad
Sanborn Fire Insurance Map
1906
Leave a Reply