5 N. WABASH AVENUE building, at the northeast corner of E. Madison street, with a frontage of 56 feet on Wabash and 163 feet on Madison, was formerly known as the Kesner building. It was built in 1910 and is 17 stories and one basement high, on rock caissons. Jenney, Mundie & Jensen were the architects. The land was part of the Fort Dearborn Military Reservation and this building.
Chicago Examiner, January 15, 1911
The picture shows the Kesner Building, at the northeast corner of Wabash avenue and Madison street, now practically finished. It is one of the must attractive of the new buildings, and, while the exterior is ornate, the interior is more elaborate, as it is finished in mahogany and marble. The building is all rented.
This building is not to be confused with the Municipal Courts Building, also known as the Lake View Building, is a skyscraper located at 116 S. Michigan Avenue. The building was built from 1906 to 1907 to serve as a temporary home for Chicago’s Municipal Court. Jacob L. Kesner built the building, which was originally 12 stories tall, on a strip of land only 40 feet wide; Kesner was one of the few property owners willing to grant the Municipal Court a short-term lease.
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