Cobb’s Block
Life Span: 1862-1871
Location: Dearborn street, near Madison street
Architect: John M. Van Osdel
- Halpin & Bailey’s City Directory for the Year 1863-64
Cobb’s Building, 126 and 128 Dearborn st.
Edwards’ Annual Directory in the City of Chicago, for 1870
Cobb’s Building—Nos. 120 to 128 Dearborn, between Washington and Madison.
Wadskier T. V. architect, 126½ Dearborn, bds. 159 Wabash av.
Chicago Tribune, May 7, 1862
CITY IMPROVEMENTS.—In a previous issue we alluded in brief to the preparations being made by Silas B. Cobb, Esq., for the erection of a block of stores on Dearborn street, near Madison, and which are to be completed by the 18th of September next. The block is to be one hundred feet and sixty-eight feet deep, and four stories high, exclusive of a deep basement. The first floor will be divided into five stores, the upper floors into offices—a most desirable location, situated, as it, is between two lines of city railway, and quite near the Post-office. The architect is Mr. J.M. Van Osdell. The masonry is to be done by Mr. Warner, and the carpenter wor by Messrs. Wilcox & Ballard.
The above is but one instance in hundreds, we might almost say thousands, of the improvements already going on, or about to be inaugurated in various sections of the city. Architects inform us that already there are more buildings under contract than there were during the whole of last year. These buildings are mainly first-class brick and stone-front residences, and will form a permanent and beautiful ornament to the city. It certainly augurs well for the healthy condition of Chicago trade and finance, when her merchants and tradesmen are able to come forward and erect for themselves costly dwellings, while merchants elsewhere are seeking to convert their houses and real estate into capital. There is plenty of capital here for investment, and with the excellent opportunities offering themselves on every hand, that capital will not long remain idle. While the war and commercial stagnation are depressing other cities, Chicago is taking long strides forward in the march of improvement, and affording unparalleled inducements for investments by merchants and capitalists in other cities.
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