Palmolive Building, Playboy Building (1968-1989), 919 N. Michigan Building (1989-2001), Palmolive Building (2001-Present).
Life Span: 1929-Present
Location: 919 N. North Michigan Avenue, Southeast corner of E. Walton street
Architect: Holabird & Roche

From The Palmolive Building Rental Brochure. 1928.

As it has done in New York, so in Chicago, business is moving North, out of the Loop, too long the imaginary compass of commerce. Northward to quieter streets, clearer skies, more pleasant surroundings.

Seeking the ideal site for its own general offices, the Colgate-Palmolive-Peet Company deliberately and advisedly chose this location and are erecting here this outstanding vattlement of business, at what will possibly be, for many years to come, the dividing line between commercial and purely residential Chicago. Within this tapering tower this company has provided space—not only for itself—but for other business and individuals of equal standing and financial integrity.

A study of the tenant list to date impressively confirms this. Two reasons will motivate moving to the Palmolive Building:

Modern business men, jealous of the hours they now waste yearly in city transportation, will welcome this opportunity to work near their homes, live near their offices. Magnificent far-sweeping views, from the upper floors over lake and city, will bring new pleasure to their business hours, new inspirations to their work. The test of tenancy will assure them neighbors of the highest character.

The very address —”Palmolive Building”—will add an invisible accolade to their letterheads. Farsighted employers will grasp this opportunity to more happily house their workers in a building surrounded with sunshine and clear air, removed from the distractions of the Loop, yet convenient to the busses and car lines.

Experience is proving that the better class of office help seek positions so located. And for those favored men of hard-earned leisure who now require simply a business address somewhere, what more logical than a spacious study, high aloft in this cliff of commerce?

In such a distinguished structure one will naturally expect—and will find—all the facilities and refinements of the modern American office building. A splendid restaurant, a popular-priced lunch room, barber shop, brokerage office, and resident valet.

An interesting architectural feature of the Palmolive Building, and one guaranteeing additional light and air for every office, will be the six series of set-backs on all four sides making the entire building virtually a tower. Firms taking entire floors at these set-backs may use them as promenades and if they so desire, beautify them with formal planting.

Chicago Tribune, October 14, 1928

Lord & Thomas Take 2 Floors in New Palmolive Building.
Lord & Thomas & Logan, one of the oldest advertising agencies in the country and a pioneer in the now popular trek from loop to north side, have decided to take another step northward. They are to move from the Wrigley building, of which they were a first tenant, to the Palmolive building, now climbing skyward at Michigan and Walton.

According to Ross & Browne, renting and managing agents of Palmolive, the ad firm has leased the entire 17th and 18th floors, containing 15,386 square feet, for ten years from next May, at a total term rental of $478,404.

Lord & Thomas started in business in 1872 with Daniel M. Lord and A. L. Thomas as partners. Albert D. Lasker is chairman of the board. In July, 1926, the firm was merged with Thomas F. Logan, Inc., of New York. The first office of Lord & Thomas, fifty-six years ago, was in the McCormick block, at Randolph and Dearborn. Later they occupied space for a time in the Trude building, and eighteen years ago moved to the Mallers building. When the first Wrigley unit was built they became the first tenants. They will be the first office tenants in the new Palmolive tower.

Chicago Tribune, January 27, 1929

Chicago Tribune, August 13, 1930

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The Lindbergh beacon, the gift of Elmer Sperry to the city of Chicago, arrived here yesterday and was raised to position 600 feet above Michigan avenue atop the Palmolive building. It is the most powerful beacon ever constructed, having a beam 500 miles in length.

The two billion candle power beacon weighs more than a ton. By its light pilots will be able to read a newspaper 50 miles away. The beam will be visible to pilots 300 miles away from Chicago. The beam would be visible 200 miles farther but distances greater than 300 miles, due to the earth’s curvature, it is an at an altitude too great for airplanes to reach. The beacon will be dedicated dueing the national air races Aug. 23 to Sept. 1.

Evelyn Day (left), of 1323 Farwell avenue in new lamp which will be installed in the new tower of North Michigan avenue building.

Modern Mechanics and Inventions, July 1930

Chicago to Have World’s Most Powerful Aerial Beacon

A two billion candle power high intensity arc light, the biggest lamp ever mounted as an aerial beacon, soon will be projecting its beam into the sky from a tower atop one of Chicago’s tallest skyscrapers. The light, the gift of its inventor, Elmer A. Sperry, famous inventor of the high intensity arc, the gyroscopic compass, gyroscopic helms-man, is to be named the “Lindbergh Beacon,” as a permanent memorial to the colonel’s famous one-man flight to Paris.

Aviators flying in the neighborhood of Milwaukee, north of Chicago, or St. Joseph, Mich., on the east shore of Lake Michigan, will be able to read their newspapers by the beam. In tests of the big light made from the ground recently an aviator flying down The beam was able to read the New York Times when fifty miles away from the light.

On its lofty perch atop the 37 story Palm-olive building the light, which has an eighty inch lens, will be 603 feet above the street. It is to be mounted on a steel tower more than 100 feet high, the sides of the tower encased in gleaming aluminum.

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To avoid blinding people on the ground, the light is to be pitched two degrees above the horizon. At 300 miles, or about the vicinity of Cleveland, the light will be approximately 39,000 feet above the earth, owing to its pitch and to the curvature of the earth. Further on it will be lost in space, and no one probably, will ever see its extreme range of 500 miles.

In experimenting Mr. Sperry had to find an electrical conductor with a higher melting point than carbon, and carbide in a molten form was the answer. Carbon melts at 2800 degrees and carbide at 5000. A way was devised of using the two elements; a carbon electrode was brought into contact with a pool of molten carbide; and the result was an arc light of extremely high intensity.

Chicago Tribune, August 28, 1930

Boring into the early autumn haze that hung above the city, the mighty Lindbergh air beacon shot its blue gray beam into the skies at 9 o’clock last night, on President Hoover’s signal, and began its official service to night flyers. Short ceremonies on the roof of the Palmolive building, the beacon’s station preceded the President’s touching of a button in the White House.

World famous aviators were present. Admiral Byrd, wired his regrets, but Col. Charles A. Lindbergh, the ex-airmail pilot whose name is perpetuated by the light, was not present and no communication from him was read.

Invited by James Simpson.
At the dedication, it was reported that Col. Lindbergh was actuated in absenting himself by a desire to avoid reporters and cameramen. He was invited here in a long telegram sent last Thursday by James Simpson, a negative reply being received two days later. Members of the committee sponsoring the celebration were told of Lindbergh attitude by his secretary, it was said.

A dinner was served at 8 o’clock last night on a terrace below the aluminum covered steel tower that supports the powerful beacon and a lesser light beneath it which points to the municipal airport. Attending it were Rear Admiral Moffett of the navy’s air forces, Maj. Gen. Frank Parker, Sixth corps area commander; Sir George Hubert Wilkins, the explorer; Capt. Fritz Loose of Germany, who is here for the air races, and many others whose names are known in aviation.

Charles S. Pearce, president of the Colgate-Palmolive company, welcomed the guests and presented Merrill C. Meigs, chairman of the civic committee in charge of the dedication. Mr. Meigs in turn introduced City Attorney William D. Saltiel, who accepted the light in behalf of the city. The speechmaking closed a few seconds before o’clock.

All Eyes on Light.
Lights were dimmed on the lofty roof and all eyes turned to the tower above, topped by the light platform which stands 602 feet above the street. Just at 9 p.m. a bell tinkled.

From the platform two beams of light shot out through the murk. Above, the immense two billion beam candle power lamp cut its dark blue swath through the haze in a reflected ray sixty inches in diameter. Below it, the eleven hundred million candle power light, thirty-six inches in diameter, but weak in comparison to its brother, was trained on the municipal air port and will remain fixed to point the way for night air visitors.

For a few seconds the big light was held stationary, pointed to the southwest, then it began a leisurely turn touching the loop skyscrapers as it went. The new Merchandise Mart, already blazing with lights, was given added brilliance by the beam; the Mather Tower loomed out of the darkness as the shaft brought it into view, and a degree or two further east the beam gilded the flag staff of the Tribune tower, and illuminated the mosque-like dome of the Medinah Athletic Club.

But it was no night for a display of the light’s power, the engineers said. In good weather it is claimed that the beam will be visible to aviators 250 miles away and will form an aerial guidepost for all of Chicagoland.

Built and presented to the city of Chicago by the late Elmer A. Sperry, the gift commemorates, in the words of the printed program, “the heroic flight of Col. Charles A. Lindbergh from New York to Paris on May 21, 1927.”

Chicago Tribune, March 1, 1942

For the first time since its installation in August, 1929, the Lindbergh beacon atop the Palmolive building on North Michigan avenue was dark last night.

The two billion candle power light was a landmark to night flyers and a familiar part of Chicago’s skyline was doused as the request of Capt. E. A. Lofquist, chief of staff of the ninth naval district. He said is was necessary because of the beacon’s possible advantage to the enemy in event of an air raid.

Often called the most powerful beacon in the world, the light was a gift to Chicago by Co. Elmer Sperry, wealthy inventor. The Palmolive building owners also extinguished flood lights on the structure

LEFT:

RIGHT

Chicago Tribune, June 9, 1967

Hugh M. Hefner, the North State parkway potentate whose Plavmate treasure chests overflow each month, will be displaying his new administrative offices for the press next week in a building that doesn’t exist.

The building that isn’t is the Playboy building.

The invitation to a “Cham-pagne Preview” as well as all advertising, gives the address of the building as 919 N. Michigan av.

On that exact spot stands the landmark called the Palmolive building-38 years old, 37 stor-is high, 100 per cent successful.

The gray stone structure is owned by Prudential Insurance Company of America. In 1965, Hefner purchased the operating leasehold of the building. To change the name of the building, Hefner must get permission from Prudential and according to both sides, as yet he has not tried.

Prudential officials are not concerned about Hefner’s name for the building. T. A. Sedan, executive general manager of the mortgage loan department, said he has tested cab drivers asking them on several occasions to take him to the Playboy building, 919 N. Michigan, and the Palmolive building. He always gets to the same place.

The Greater North Michigan Avenue association is not too concerned about the name. However, the letterhead of official stationery will in the future not refer to the structure as the Palmolive building.

The civic group will take a middle course, by calling it the 919 N. Michigan building.

Richard Rosenzweig, executive assistant to the president, said the organization may eventually change the name of the building, but has no immediate plans.

By that time it may be commonly known as the Bunny building.

Chicago Tribune, December 5, 1968

As of yesterday, one of the most famous features of Chicago’s nighttime skyline developed a permanent wink.

Workmen yesterday began installing an aluminum shield on the southeast side of the beacon atop the Playboy building.

Called the Lindbergh beacon when it ws first put up in the 1930s, the enormous revolving light was first used to guide biplanes across Lake Michigan. The name later changed to the Palmolive beacon, and then again to the Playboy beacon when Hugh Hefner took over the building at 919 N. Michigan.

Hefner was very fond of the revolving light but his neighbors in the giant Hancock center were not. For one thing, they thought their tenants might not be amused when the two billion candlepower beam flashed through their windows every 30 seconds.

The Hancock people demanded that Playboy do something about it.

What was finally decided upon was the shield, which will cut off the beam whenever it swings by the Hancock.

“It sure better work,” said Frank Heidenreich, Hancock’s chief engineer. “If it doesn’t, you’re going to hear the screams for miles.”

Playboy Building in 1976. Taken from Hancock Center, using Pentax Spotmatic F with 300mm lens.

Chicago Tribune, January 14, 1973

The gray limestone building no longer dominates the skyline but still smacks of the class of the old money that put up prestige buildings in the 1920s. To some it will always be the Palmolive Building, but today it is the office tower of Playboy Center.

Built in 1929, the 37-story building at 19 N. Michigan Av. seems faintly reminiscent of the New York skyline towers. It was however, designed by Holablrd & Root of Chicago. Those who worried about the buildings reputation when Hugh Hefner moved in Jock, stock, and centerfold, don’t know too much about the building. It has often enjoyed an aura of flamboyance.

A forerunner to the John Hancock Center-type of building, it once contained lavish apartments rented by executives of major tenant firms. Esquire Magazine had offices in the building long before pickets burnt their bras in protest and a powerful advertising executive of Lord & Thomas & Logan had his own private barber shop in his office. Playboy moved in in 1963, paying $19 million for the building. The land is still owned by Prudential Insurance Co.

The top two floors contain hilarious office suites once occupied by Colgate Palmolive Co. executives. The rooms have wood-paneled walls, parquet floors, 16-foot ceilings, and wood-burning fireplaces.

These are the only vacant offices in a building that continues to succeed amid complaints by other owners that the Magnificent Mile is not an office market John Leaheey, building manager, says one reason for the building’s low vacancy rate is that it still offers the full spectrum of services not found in newer buildings.

“We still have men to deliver bottled water and change light bulbs, free of charge,” he said. “We’re probably the only office building with a door-man.”

The 30-man maintenance staff includes carpenters and electricians.

Playboy made some changes when it moved in, but all far the better, Leaheey said. The publishing firm spent $7 to $8 million decorating its 15 floors of offices, upgrading the heating plant, and automating the famed beacon atop the building, he said.

The only exterior change was the subtle addition of a black glass curtain wall to the first two floors.

Leaheey is still awed by the extent and expense of redecorating the Playboy offices. The floors were gutted and walls resurfaced to form softly curving textured surfaces and cut-outs.

Did any tenants move because of the reputation of the Playboy Magazine and Club? “I think too much has been made of that idea,” Leaheey said. Some tenants had to move because Playboy needed the space. When they bought the building they thought they would occupy four floors. By the time they moved in they needed eight floors. We tried to relocate the tenants, but some had to move.”

What’s in the future? Maybe some modernization of the floodlighting of the building at night. And maybe some work on the elevators. But no cottontail on the beacon, he said.

Chicago Tribune, July 3, 2007

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A beacon atop the Palmolive Building, once a fixture of Chicago’s night sky but mostly a memory for the last quarter-century, is to be lighted for the 4th of July, though only for several hours.

Kim Dooley of Draper & Kramer Inc., which manages the Palmolive, a landmark building at 919 N. Michigan Ave., said Monday that the beacon would be turned on from about 8 p.m. to midnight Wednesday. It is to oscillate in am arc over Lake Michigan, from about where Belmont Avenue would extend into the water to about Monroe Harbor.
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She said Draper assured residents of two taller, neighboring towers that it would light the beacon for Wednesday night onlky and restrict its sweep so that the strong beam would not annoy them.

If it goes well Wednesday, her firm may seek permission to light the beacon on other special occasions, Dooley said.

Draper bought the 37-story Palmolive in 2001 and converted it from offices to condominiums. In 2001 and 2002, it conducted a brief and not very successful tests of a refurbished World War II beacon it had bought. Each time, neighbors complained about the light and won sympathy from their alderman, Burton Natarus.

“When (people) look out the window, they won’t see the moon. They won’t see the stars,” Natarus said in 2002.

Dooley said her firm refined the beacon, adding a shield to focus its beam and prevent peripheral scattering of light at its base. The condo association boards at the nearby John Hancock Center and I Magnificent Mile then gave the green light for a single holiday test of the beacon.

Ald. Brendan Reilly (42nd), Natarus’ successor, said he is going along with the test but “will be monitoring it to make sure its not disruptive to neighbors.” As for the possibility of future lightings, he said, “Let’s see how the test goes.”

The Palmolive, an Art Deco beauty designed by Holabird & Root, opened in 1929. A year later, the Lindbergh Beacon, named for the famed aviator, was installed atop its mast, some 600 feet from the ground.

The beacon, described then as “the world’s most positive searchlight,” became a skyline icon and a boon to aviation. Its rotating beam pierced the night, and its fixed beam pointed pilots to what is today called Midway Airport.

The Lindbergh Beacon glowed until 1981, when complaints from dwellers of taller buildings that had been constructed nearby. It was removed in 1988 and donated to a Wisconsin museum.

Chicago to Have World’s Most Powerful Aerial Beacon

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