Kaiserhof Hotel, Gore Hotel, Wyoming, Atlantic Hotel
Life Span: 1889-1971
Location: 320-28 S. Clark street
Architect: Max Teich, (Marshall & Fox, addition)
Atlantic Hotel, at 320-28 S. Clark street, formerly known as the Kaiserhof, Wyoming, and Gore Hotels, was built in 1889, eight stories high with one basement, on spread foundations. Max Teich, a hotel tycoon, was the client.
The 1889 building reflects the concerns of well-known Chicago architects, starting with the rusticated stone. The sense of movement and rhythm from bottom to top indicates an awareness of the importance of creating a unified whole. Still, the awkward stacking of the top three floors indicates the architect has not yet solved the problem of the tall building.
In 1915 an 18-story addition was built at 314-18 S. Clark street, while the hotel was known as the Kaiserhof. This building has two basements and is supported on rock caissons. Marshall & Fox were the architects. The name changed to the Atlantic at this time.
Rand McNally’s Bird’s Eye Views of Chicago, 1893
① Gore’s Hotel,
At 266-274 Clark Street, occupies a steel building, with stone, brick, and steel exterior. It has 100 feet frontage, and is 110 feet high, with 8 stories and basement. There are 5 stories, 200 rooms, and 2 passenger elevators. The wrought-iron work of the office on the main floor is handsome, and the hotel is regarded as safe and a popular by a large class of traveling men and visitors. There is a cafe in the basement.
Before and after 1915 addition.
Kaiserhof Hotel, New Addition Entrance
1915
Chicago Tribune, July 29, 1970
Q. I understand the Atlantic Hotel is being demolished. I’m told that the hotel was originally called the Kaiserhof and that its dining room contained panels depicting Bavarian scenes. Tell me a bit about the hotel and what will happen to those panels when the hotel is razed? J. F., South La Salle Street
A. When Max Teich came from Germany to the World’s Fair in Chicago in 1893 he was impressed by the high cost of his hotel room. He decided there must be money to be made in the hotel business and took the only job he could get, a hotel cigar clerk. He worked and saved and in 1903 he and a partner opened their own hotel, the Kaiserhof a name changed to the Atlantic during World War I. The hotel prospered and so did Teich. When he died in 1964 the Atlantic consisted of three adjoining buildings.
The oldest of these at 322-28 S. Clark St. was torn down several months ago, said Michael Ivan, an auditor who has worked in the hotel for 40 years. Before demolition, the panels depicting Bavarian scenes were removed and stored.
They will be placed in a new dining room in the hotel building at 319 S. La Salle Ivan said. The wood-burned panels were done for the Atlantic by Otto van der Leeden, a German artist whom Teich brought over to this country especially for that purpose.
Chicago Tribune, March 18, 1971
Start Tearing Down Atlantic Hotel, Annex
Cleveland Wrecking Co. has started demolishing the 18-story Atlantic Hotel, 316 S. Clark and the adjoining brownstone annex on La Salle Street.
Another part of the hotel at the northwest corner of Clark and Van Buren Streets was torn down several months ago. The hotel was built in stages starting in 1903.
Kaiserhof Hotel
Sanborn Fire Insurance Map
1906
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