Kendall Block III

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Kendall Block III, Equitable Building, Real Estate Exchange Building
Life Span: 1873-1940
Location: SW Corner of Washington and Dearborn 40 North Dearborn
Architect: John M. Van Osdel

Lakeside Annual Directory of the City of Chicago, 1874

Kendall Blk.

Lakeside Annual Directory of the City of Chicago, 1880
Kendall Blk.—104 to 110 Dearborn

Lakeside Annual Directory of the City of Chicago, 1884
Kendall Blk.—104 to 110 Dearborn

Lakeside Annual Directory of the City of Chicago, 1904
Equitable Building 106 to 110 Dearborn

Lakeside Annual Directory of the City of Chicago, 1911
Equitable Building 40 N Dearborn

Chicago Central Business and Office Building Directory, 1922
Real Estate Exchange Building, 40 N. Dearborn Street

Chicago Evening Post, October 5, 1872

KENDALL BLOCK.
This elegant structure is built on a handsomer plan than that of the former building, which had risen to the height of one story before the fire, though two of the upper stories on the old plan are dropped, and the Mansard feature with them. As the building stands now it is four stories, over a high basement, the floor of which is but two or three feet below the sidewalk. The basement, and first and second floors, are of marble tiling. The material of the structure is Lake Superior and Cleveland stone. The building is located on the southeast corner of Washington aud Dearborn. It cost about $95,000, and was completed and occupied about the 1st of August.

The Land Owner, February 1872

REBUILT CHICAGO—THE NEW KENDALL BLOCK, THE WESTERN BUSINESS PALACE OF THE EQUITABLE ASSURANCE SOCIETY OF NEW YORK.
Among the many elaborate and expensive business structure now going up in the burnt district, none attract more attention than the new building now in process of erection at the southwest corner of Washington and Dearborn streets, by James S. Kendall, Esq., on the site of the old Kendall block, one of the early landmarks of the city. This magnificent structure is well shown in our illustration. The design is by the veteran architect, John M. Van Osdell, Esq., and the cost, when completed, will exceed $100,000.

The Kendall Block, Southwest Corner of Washington and Dearborn Streets, Burnt District.

Architectural Detais.
This structure fronts 40 feet on Washington, and 90 feet on Dearborn street. It is five stories in height, including basement story. The two street fronts are faced with Ohio sand stone, from the Vlough quarries. The building will be fire-proof throughout, and the entire construction of the French roof will be of iron, with iron cornices, dormers, etc., while the flat part of the roof will be of corrugated iron. The partitions inside will be lathed with May’s patent iron fireproof lath. The interior will be finished throughout with hard wood. The main entrance will be from Dearborn street, with easy flights of stairs. All the windows in every story of the two fronts will have polished plate glass, and the whole will be heated by steam throughout. The general style of the architecture is Italian.

Equitable

Coburn, Cook & Company

Chicago Tribune, April 30, 1940

By Al Chase.Wreckers will start razing three loop landmarks tomorrow and a fourth on May 15. They also will begin outside work tomorrow on a fifth downtown old timer, whose inside wrecking has been going on since March 30, Mounting taxes, obsolescence, and the necessity for new foundations before the subway is built are the causes for their demolition.

They are: the Atlas building, at the northwest corner of Wabash and Randolph; the Bedford building, southeast corner of Dearborn and Adams; the Temple Court, northeast corner of Dearborn and Quincy; the Grant hotel, northwest corner of Madison and Dearborn, and the Real Estate Exchange building, southwest corner of Dearborn and Washington.

Built Soon After Chicago Fire.
The oldest of the three the wreckers will start demolishing tomorrow is the Atlas building. This five story building was built shortly after the great Chicago fire. Rising taxes and old age are the reasons given by C. J. Donnelly, general agent of the properties of the Leander J. McCormick estate, owner.

The Harvey Wrecking company has been awarded the contract to remove the Atlas building. A two story taxpayer is 1o be built by the Chicago Service Parking company. W. O. Melcher, attorney for the trustees of the estate of Cyrus Hall McCormick, said that the 13 story Bedford building, at Dearborn and Adams, and the eight story Temple Court building, adjoining it on the south, will be wrecked.

No Decision on New Use.
The trustees have not yet decided how the property will be used after removal of the two structures. Tentative plans are being made by Holabird & Root for a two story taxpayer.

On May 15 the Harvey Wrecking company will start tearing down the old seven story Grant hotel at Madison and Dearborn.

A two story business building will be built from plans by Loewenberg & Loewenberg.

The Grant hotel building was built in 1890 as a home for the Inter Ocean, a newspaper that has passed out of existence. It became a hotel in 1907. The Bosley Wrecking company has had a crew of men tearing out the interior of the eight story Real Estate Exchange building since March 30. The last tenant will move out today. Tomorrow wreckers will begin tearing down the exterior walls. A two story taxpayer, designed by Floyd E. Dougherty, will be built..

NOTES:

In 1854, Orrin Kendall had constructed on this site a four-story bakery building. It was replaced by the second Kendall Block in 1871 but perished in the great fire of that year. John M. Van Osdel was the architect both of this building and of its successor, which was demolished in 1940 to make way for a new two-story building. The property has been acquired by the Chicago Title & Trust Co., which now owns the entire north half of the block except the Methodist Temple building.

This building was remodeled in 1893 by Holabird & Roche.

NOTES:

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