Andrews’ Building II

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Andrews Building II
Life Span: 1872-1892
Location: NW Corner LaSalle and Arcade Court
Architect: T. V. Wadskier

Edwards’ Annual Directory in the City of Chicago, for 1873

Andrews’ Building

Home Ins. Co of N.Y.

Lakeside Annual Directory of the City of Chicago, 1874
Andrews’ Building.—153 and 155 LaSalle

Lakeside Annual Directory of the City of Chicago, 1875
Andrews’ Building.—153 and 155 LaSalle

Lakeside Annual Directory of the City of Chicago, 1877
Andrews’ Building.—153 and 155 LaSalle
Home Insurance Co. of New York Ducat & Lyon, managers, 155 LaSalle

Lakeside Annual Directory of the City of Chicago, 1880
Andrews’ Building.—153 and 155 LaSalle

Lakeside Annual Directory of the City of Chicago, 1884
Andrews’ Building.—153 and 155 LaSalle
Home Insurance Co New York (western dept.) Ducat & Lyon, managers, 85, 159 LaSalle

Lakeside Annual Directory of the City of Chicago, 1891
Andrews’ Building.—153 and 155 LaSalle

The Land Owner, December, 1872

THE ANDREWS BUILDING.
(See Illustration, page 204.)
This fine structure, now rapidly approaching completion on Lasalle street, at the corner of Arcade court, in the very heart of the best office section of the burnt district, is one of the most substantially built of all our new edifices. Its owner, Martin Andrews, Esq., has been determined to add another notable building to the long list erected this season, and by paying close personal attention to the work, has succeeded beyond a doubt. It will be remembered that before the fire the old building on this site was built in conformity with the Major block, but the new edifice is a distinct and separate structure, of entirely different material and architecture from the one destroyed. When fully completed this block will be an ornament to the busy and popular thoroughfare upon which it stands. Lasalle street has come to be considered our Wall street, and such buildings as this is giving it a distinctive character. Here center the insurance offices, the great bulk of the real estate business, and many of the banks and brokers. With its commencement at the river tunnel on the north, and its termination at the great Lake Shore and Michigan Southern depot on the south, Lasalle street its entire length, is rapidly becoming the great business center of the south division.

The Andrews building stands 55 feet on Lasalle street by 65 feet on Arcade court. It is four stories and office basement in heigth, with vaults extending to the fourth story. The height of the basement is 10 feet 6 inches; the first story 14 feet 11 inches; the second story, 13 feet 2 inches; the third story, 12 feet 8 inches; the fourth story, 14 feet. The height of the entire structure, from the sidewalk to the top of the cornice, is 70 feet. All the openings are set with heavy plate glass. The material used in its construction is the Cleveland stone, with the popular Lake Superior brown stone for trimmings and ornamentation. The design is pleasant and graceful, and the effect produced by the combination of the two colors of stone is very fine. The structure has a solid and massive appearance, its walls are unusually heavy, and it is thoroughly built throughout. The workmen and contractors have been closely watched from the foundation stone, by Mr. Andrews in person. The architect is Mr. T. V. Wadskier, who has done himself much credit in this building. As will be seen in the illustration, no Mansard roof has been deemed necessary by him to give a pleasant “sky line.” The architecture is of the good old solid sort, that stands for all time, and is not easily destroyed by fire.

Internally this block is being elaborately finished in black walnut and ash. The offices will be among the most desirable in the city, as the location of the building is an extremely advantageous one. The block will be completed by the first of January, and will cost $60,000.

Martin Andrews, the owner of this block, is one of our best known and most successful real estate owners. His confidence in Chicago property has realized for him an ample fortune. He is ever foremost in the work of city improvement, a gentleman of unimpeachable integrity, and a citizen whom all honor and respect.

Rebuilt Chicago.—The Andrews Building, LaSalle Street and Arcade Court.

Messrs. Blanchard Bros., Real Estate.
Blanchard Brothers, one of Chicago’s representative real estate firms, occupy an office on the first floor in this building. They have two large, well lighted rooms, making one of the most central, convenient, and commodious offices for the transaction of a general real estate business to be found in this city, or, in fact, in the United States.

The accommodations in this office are complete in all pertaining to a first-class real estate and loaning business. The leading newspapers and real estate periodicals of the city are kept on file. The best maps of Cook county, of Chicago, and Chicago’s suburbs, may here be consulted. Views of Chicago before, during and after the fire, and illustrations of our prominent buildings appropriately adorn the walls. Two vaults, constructed with the utmost regard to safety, in case of a repetition of the fire, furnish ample room for the protection of notes, deeds, mortgages, abstracts, etc.

The Blanchard Brothers have won for themselves a very enviable reputation in all their varied transactions, and The Land Owner desires to congratulate them upon their securing such elegant quarters as they will have in the Andrews block.

The Insurance Agency of Arthur C. Ducat.
The old established insurance agency of Arthur C. Ducat is to occupy the first floor corner office of this building. This office, in its location, construction, fixtures and furniture will probably be one of the finest and best appointed fire insurance establishments in the country. The light is per-fect, having south and west fronts, as well as windows north and in rear. It has three fire-proot vaults for the preservation of the insurance records, and of other papers pertaining to the business, of great value to both companies and patrons in the event of fire. This precaution was taken by General Ducat before the great conflagration, and his customers all know what a great benefit it was to them in procuring copies of their burnt insurance contracts, and it will long be remembered how courteous and obliging this agency was in furnishing all needed information. Indeed, many did not know when they were insured until on enquiring at this agency they were promptly given a transcript of their policy.

Of this agency and the agent little need be said for their reputation is so fully established for all that is honorable, reliable and sure that a repetition of what has been said so often, and what is so well known to our property-owners and citizens would hardly seem to be necessary. The splendid record of five million six thousand dollars paid the people of Ching promptly and without a single case of litigation growing out of such numerous and heavy losses after our great fire, cannot soon be forgotten. And later, the Boston fire has again tested most of the companies and found them ready and willing to cheerfully respond to all demands upon them without embarrassment or impairment. The companies represented are as follows:

The Home Insurance Company, of New York; organized 1853. The assets of the Home are four millions four hundred thousand dollars. The Home promptly paid the people of Chicago three million dollars after the great fire, and offers indemnity to-day unsurpassed by any similar institution in the world.

The Howard Insurance Company, of New York; organized 1825. The assets of the Howard are eight hundred thousand dollars. The company has been represented in Chicago ever since it had twenty thousand inhabitants, and ranks second to none for prompt and honorable dealing. The Howard promptly paid the people of Chicago over half a million of dollars after the great fire.

The Citizens’ Insurance Campany of New York; organized 1836. The assets of the Citizens are over eight hundred and fifty thousand dollars. The high character and management of the company is well known to the business men of Chicago,

The Manhattan Fire Insurance Company, of New York.
The Manhattan Fire is a new company, and has a select line of risks, all at the advanced rates.

The National Insurance Company, of New York; organized 1838. The National is one of the old new companies, highly conservative in its management, and is entitled to the fullest confidence.

The Providence Washington Insurance Corpany, of Providence: organized 1799. The Frovidence Washington is the oldest insurance company in New England, and is the oldest in the United States. It is well known to ou second oldest in the United States. It is well known to our oldest citizens, and its course during its long period of success, and honorable adjustment of losses after the Chicago fire, commend it most highly to our people.

The Land Owner, July, 1873

Major Block II and Andrews Building II

Chicago Tribune, May 7, 1892

Plans for the new Young Men’s Christian Association Building provide for a structure fifteen stories high fronting on La Salle street, just south of the Major Block. It will occupy the site of the Andrews Building. The present building will be torn down at once and operations begun on the new structure.

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