Van Buren Building, Kultchar Building
Life Span: 1893-TBD
Location: 185 Van Buren, 279 State (210-14 W. Van Buren), Northeast Corner Van Buren and State streets
Architect:: Flanders & Zimmerman
Rand McNally’s Bird’s Eye Views of Chicago, 1893
The Van Buren Building
At 187-191 Van Buren Street, is a very new steel skyscraper, 130 feet high. It stands on a lot but 50 feet wide and 80 feet deep, and rises to 10 stories above the basement. Its front is of cut-stone and brick. It contains 100 suites of offices, and has 1 freight and 2 passenger elevators. It is occupied by manufacturers’ agents and wholesale jobbers. Erected in 1893.
Chicago Tribune, June 11, 1893
Why Not in Dollars and Cents?
For the first time in the memory of old brokers mortgages upon improved real estate in Chicago were recorded in pounds and shillings sterling last Monday and Tuesday, the Scottish Provident Institute being the grantor in both cases. Last Monday a mortgage of £51,371 12s was recorded by the Scottish Provident Institute upon part of Lot 4, Block 137, school section addition, for five years from May 1, 1893, at 6 per cent per annum. This is the Ellsworth property at Nos. 331 to 335 Dearborn street, sixty feet front, running seventy feet to an equivalent on Plymouth place. Upon this property J. W. Ellsworth has erected a fourteen-story modern office building at a post of about $300.000. The value of the ground is considered by experts to be also $300,000, so that the entire security would represent about $600.000. The amount in pounds and shillings evidently stands for $250,000.
The Scottish Provident Institute last Tuesday recorded a mortgage for £12,329 3s, equal to $50,000, upon Lot 3 in Lots 14 to 16, Block 91, school section addition. This property comprises the premises Nos. 189 and 191 Van Buren street, 534×80 feet, upon which M. R. Kultchar, the owner of the ground, has recently erected a ten-story office and wholesale building of modern design at a cost of $150,000. The property represents a value of at least $100,000, so that the entire security would amount to $250,000. In this case also the loan is for five years at 6 per cent per, annum.
Kultchar Building
Inland Architecture
August, 1892
Inter Ocean, May 18, 1895
In A BLAZE OF GLORY.
Great Hews of A. M. Rothschild & Co.
Is Informally Opened.
The big store of A. M. Rothschild Co.. on the corner of Van Buren and State streets, was ablaze in a flood of light, beauty, stateliness and “gray matter” last night. The occasion was the informal opening of the house which “retails everything” and a reception to the merchant princes of the downtown district, and the press—hence the “gray matter. The big store did the honors to its guests on the third floor. Here a plentifully laden banqueting board, large coolers of pungent champagne, punch, and other good things were spread in the south aisle. The liberal and proad principle upon which the new colossus is to be conducted was mirrored In the presence of hundreds of the principal merchants of the city. Messrs. Lazarus and Rothschild were there to welcome the men invited, and assured them-that they were looked upon as friends, rather than competitors. “This is a big city.” explained Mr. Lazarus, “there is room here for all; we seek to crowd nobody out. As a matter of fact, I firmly believe that our enterprise will redound as much to your benefit aa to ours.”
The reception was on from 6 to 8 o’clock. and was enlivened by an orchestra from the Symphony Society.
A pleasing feature of the evening’s general enjoyment, and one which nearly upset Mr. Lazarus, was the presentation of a diamond-studded scarf pin patterned after the electric light tower trade mark of the new firm. The gift came from Mr. Lazarus’ 6-year-old grandchild, Baby Edith Rosenthal.
Tonight, from 8 to 9 o’clock, the new house will open its doors for public inspection. While there will be 2,280 employes behind the myriads of counters and in the house, not a penny’s worth of goods will be sold. It will be a public inspection, purely.
A. M. Rothschild Catalog
State and Van Buren Streets
1898
Chicago Tribune, July 29, 1902
Abram M. Rothschild, until recently head of the big State street store which bears his name, committed suicide by shooting him self in the head with a revolver at his residence, Michigan avenue and Thirty-seventh place, shortly after 1 o’clock yesterday afternoon.
The sound of the shot was heard by the members of the family, who were on the floor below, and they rushed upstairs, to find him dying. Dr. S. C. De Veny, 2542 Indiana avenue, was summoned, but the wound was mortal.
Mr. Rothschild’s act is attributed to an attack of temporary insanity brought on by acute insomnia, from which he had been a sufferer for a long time. Business affairs also, it is said, added to his mental depression. Recently he had retired from the business. It is said that his father-in-law, Nelson Morris, the principal owner, was dlssatisfied with his work and urged his retirement.
Appeared in Good Spirits.
Persons who met Mr. Rothschild yesterday, within a few hours of his death, declared he seemed in excellent spirits, and had reported he had gained in health from a sojourn at Lake Minnetonka, whence he returned last Thursday. He had said he was getting his business affairs in shape for a long trip abroad, and during the last few weeks spoke of his hopes that in travel he would regain his health.
Since he severed his connection with the firm of A. M. Rothschild & Co. Mr. Rothschild has made his headquarters in his old office on the sixth floor of the building. He appeared at the store about 10:30 a. m. yesterday. There he chatted for half an hour with C. E. Davis, who has succeeded him as president of the company, and later announced that he was going home for luncheon. He left the store in company with his only son, Melville Nelson Rothschild.
Fired Fatal Shot.
Father and son reached the residence about 1 o’clock, and met Mrs. Rothschild on the first floor. Mr. Rothschild at once went to his room, where he secured the revolver from a bureau drawer. Passing into the bathroom, he placed the weapon, to his head and fired one shot.
A servant who stood near Mrs. Rothschild was the first to run upstairs. He found his employer lying on the floor in an unconscious condition, with the revolver by his side. In his left hand was a cabinet photograph of his only child. The members of the family came running to the room, and they picked up the man and carried him to his bed, where he died In a short time.
When word was telephoned to the store it caused much grief among the employes who had known Mr. Rothschild in a personal way during his connection with the big establishment.
Nelson Morris, who is the father of Mrs. Rothschild, learned of the suicide shortly after 2 o’clock, and was inexpressibly grieved.
Late Business Associate Surprised.
The news that Mr. Rothschild had killed himself was the greatest surprise of my life,” said C. E. Davis. “When he came in his old office this forenoon he appeared to be In excellent spirits. We chatted together for half an hour, and at no time did he drop any hint of a desire to end his life.
“The only reason I can give for his act is temporary insanity, brought on by his old trouble, insomnia. In fact, I believe this was his reason for getting out of the company. His physical ailments brought him to a condition where he was unable to attend to business affairs. He severed his connection with the company on May 20, and afterwards sold his stock to his father-in-law, Nelson Morris. Six weeks ago he resigned as director in the National Bank of the Republic, and I understood he was getting his affairs in shape for a long trip abroad.
“After this he went to French Lick, and then to Lake Minnetonka. where he spent five weeks, returning last Thursday.”
Reports of Business Differences.
The retirement of Mr. Rothschild from the company, after serving seven years as its head, was the cause for stories that he had come to serious differences with his father-in-law, who owned a large interest in the establishment. When Herman Lazarus, secretary and buyer, resigned last August, the criticism became centered on the president.
Another thing which it is said caused Mr. Rothschild much trouble was the fire in the store on Sept. 19, 1901, with the fall of a big water tank from the roof to the bottom and the destruction of a part of the stock by water. The insurance companies refused to pay for the damage, and the firm brought suit against sixty-eight companies for an aggregate sum of $250,000.
This started an investigation, and the underwriters made the statement that the accident was caused by repairs being made to the building for which a permit had not been taken out at the city building department.
This is said to have widened the breach between Mr. Morris and Mr. Rothschild, and resulted in the retirement of the former.
Was a Self -Made Man.
Mr. Rothschild was one of Chicago’s self-made business men. He was one of those who aided in building up the city from the ashes of the great fire of 1871. He came to America in 1856 a poor boy, and the bulk of his fortune was acquired in this city. He was born in Nordstetten, Germany, in 1853. On arriving in the United States he went to Davenport, Ia., where his brother, Emanuel, was conducting a retail clothing store.
When the great fire swept Chicago the young men saw their opportunities and established a small clothing house in West Madison street, which was rapidly enlarged until 1895, when, with Nelson, Edward, and Ira Morris as silent partners, Mr. Rothschild opened the great establishment which still bears his name.
In December, 1882, Mr. Rothschild married Miss Gusta Morris. One son was born to them. He was a member of the Washington Park and Standard clubs.
Chicago Tribune, January 2, 1921
Wholesale dry goods district rentals are increasing, according to John R. Magill & Co., who have renewed several leases in the ten story Van Buren building, 210-14 West Van Buren street, for Ferdinand Siegel and Mrs. Maurice L. Rothschild, owners, at a term rental of $93.000. The new leases are for three years from Jan. 1, at a total annual rental of $31,000, compared with $19,400 under expiring leases, Indicating an increase of $11,600 annually, or approximately 60 per cent. The tenants are: Harold Moses, Paragon Hat company, Leopold, Solomon & Eisendrath, B. A. Knapp company, Kahn & Tower, Standard Sewing Machine company, and the Thomas Cusack company.
Van Buren Building
Sanborn Fire Insurance Map
1906
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