Photo, Print, Drawing 1. Historic American Buildings Survey Richard Nickel, Photographer, 1961 EXTERIOR TOP STORY DETAIL - Schiller Building, 64 West Randolph Street, Chicago, Cook County, IL Photos from Survey HABS IL-1058

About this Item

About this Item

Title

  • Schiller Building, 64 West Randolph Street, Chicago, Cook County, IL

Names

  • Historic American Buildings Survey, creator
  • Adler & Sullivan
  • Balaban & Katz Corporation
  • Smith, William Sooy
  • Probst Construction Company
  • Binder & Seifert Ironworks
  • Northwestern Terra Cotta Works
  • German Opera House Company
  • German Club
  • Rudd, J William, historian
  • Homolka, Larry J, historian
  • Erins, Janis J, delineator
  • Felin, Robert E, delineator
  • Hayman, Joseph M, III, delineator
  • Poggenpohl, J Rex, delineator
  • Saxon, Robert S, delineator
  • Nickel, Richard, photographer

Created / Published

  • Documentation compiled after 1933

Headings

  • -  theaters
  • -  office buildings
  • -  hotels
  • -  clubhouses
  • -  Illinois--Cook County--Chicago

Notes

  • -  Significance: Designed by Adler and Sullivan in 1891-92, the Schiller Building was a unique solution to the problem of placing a large theater and office building on a mid-block site. The result was the first "skyscraper" designed on a set-back principle. The plan was roughly I-shaped: a central 17-story tower with flanking nine-story wings formed the Randolph Street elevation, while behind it, a narrower 14-story wing extended back to the alley. The theater was placed in the central, windowless portion of the structure, while the offices above and on the street side enjoyed ample natural light. The soaring central tower represents the highest skyscraper created by the firm. In addition, the theater is said to have been one of the finest in Chicago, offering a completely unobstructed view of the stage and excellent acoustics. In February, 1960, the Garrick, as it was known locally, was named a Chicago Architectural Landmark. In spite of this recognition, in May 1960, the building's owners began to make plans for its demolition and eventual replacement by a parking facility. There followed a lengthy court struggle between Balaban and Katz Corporation and the City of Chicago; however, public opinion and civic pride were unable to prevent the final razing which occurred in 1961. Through the efforts of many individuals and organizations, the Schiller Building was thoroughly photographed and a salvage project was undertaken to preserve most of the florid Sullivan ornamentation which embellished the interior and exterior surfaces. The ornament was later distributed to interested museums, colleges, and universities throughout the country.
  • -  Survey number: HABS IL-1058
  • -  Building/structure dates: 1948 Subsequent Work
  • -  Building/structure dates: 1961 Demolished
  • -  Building/structure dates: 1891- 1892 Initial Construction

Medium

  • Photo(s): 8
  • Measured Drawing(s): 11
  • Data Page(s): 13

Call Number/Physical Location

  • HABS ILL,16-CHIG,60-

Source Collection

  • Historic American Buildings Survey (Library of Congress)

Repository

Control Number

  • il0034

Rights Advisory

Online Format

  • image
  • pdf

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Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

Historic American Buildings Survey, Creator, Adler & Sullivan, Balaban & Katz Corporation, William Sooy Smith, Probst Construction Company, Binder & Seifert Ironworks, Northwestern Terra Cotta Works, et al., Nickel, Richard, photographer. Schiller Building, 64 West Randolph Street, Chicago, Cook County, IL. Cook County Illinois Chicago, 1933. Documentation Compiled After. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/il0034/.

APA citation style:

Historic American Buildings Survey, C., Adler & Sullivan, Balaban & Katz Corporation, Smith, W. S., Probst Construction Company, Binder & Seifert Ironworks [...] Saxon, R. S., Nickel, R., photographer. (1933) Schiller Building, 64 West Randolph Street, Chicago, Cook County, IL. Cook County Illinois Chicago, 1933. Documentation Compiled After. [Photograph] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/il0034/.

MLA citation style:

Historic American Buildings Survey, Creator, et al., photographer by Nickel, Richard. Schiller Building, 64 West Randolph Street, Chicago, Cook County, IL. Documentation Compiled After. Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/il0034/>.