New York Life Insurance Building
Life Span: 1894-Present
Location: 37-43 S. LaSalle stree
Architect: Jenney & Mundie
LaSalle-Monroe building, at 37-43 S. LaSalle street, on the northeast corner of W. Monroe street, formerly the New York Life Building, was completed as a 12-story building in 1894. Jenney & Mundie were the architects.
New York Life Insurance Building
1894
The building is now 14 stories high with one basement, on spread foundations with beam grillages, two stories having been added at a later date. The east half was built in 1898, 13 stories high, at which time one story was added to the west half. An additional story was added to the entire building in 1903. The building was set 4½ inches above normal grade, 2½ inches to 3 inches settlement being expected during construction with a soil pressure of 3,500 pounds per square foot. A complete steel frame was used with gusset plates for wind bracing. It is claimed that this is the first building in which the walls were not built from the ground up, but were begun at several floors.
The building is faced with brick and terra cotta trim in the classical style. Prior to the additions, a cornice and parapet encircled the top, however these were removed to accommodate the expansion. The lobby retains its white and gray marble cladding and mosaic tile floor. Light fixtures are deco and appear to be from the 1920s.
Kimpton Hotel & Restaurants announced plans in August 2014 to convert the building into a four-star hotel.
It was designated a Chicago landmark in 2006, and Kimpton CEO Mike Depatie said the plan is to “maintain the look and the feel of this beautiful 1894 vintage building.”
In 2006 there was a plan to tear down half of the total area of the building to make way for a 51-story high-rise, encroaching on the original building’s footprint. That project never materialized
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