8/19/2023 0 Comments First skyscraper chicago 1885![]() ![]() The newel-posts of the grand stairways rising on either side terminate in clusters of electric lights, and there is a great electrolier at the summit of the staircase. The floor is marble, the wainscoting is marble, with Mexican onyx pilasters, the walls are marble, the arched ceiling is marble, the bronzed stairs have marble steps, and throughout the ten-story pile the floors of all halls and the steps of all stairs are in marble, the material being the finest Italian, snowy as Carrara, and susceptible and often subjected to the highest polish. It is twenty-five feet wide, and rises through two stories, or nearly thirty feet. Chicago has no parallel for the greatness and dignity of this entrance, nor has this country unless in one or two New York instances. The sight would lengthen the days of the great Ruskin. The passerby who, busy as he may be and impelled along by the rushing throng, does not cast at least a second glance up through that vaulted entrance way and high-arched court of finest polished Italian marble, gleaming the whiter for the lace-work of blue steel festooning the entrance, and the bars of onyx and bronze relieving the marble vista-such a man deserves not to have eyes, and has none for the highest architectural art. Take it as a whole, the Home Building at the northeast corner of La Salle and Adams street, is the finest piece of architecture in Chicago, and as the past week witnessed its house-warming, i.e., its occupation as their Northwestern headquarters and local offices by the company who built it, The Inter Ocean improves the occasion to pay a passing tribute-to the building, for the company needs none. It is the company’s intention to make this a model office building, not losing sight of the fact that it is a commercial enterprise, and as in exterior design and interior plan the architect has been admirably successful, the renting of the building will be accomplished without trouble, as the demand for convenient office quarters will be fully met. The ironwork will be furnished by the Dearborn Foundry. The first story and basement will be of Jonesboro rose granite, with Tren¬ ton pressed brick and Vert Island red sandstone trimmings above. Work on the Home Fire Insurance building is progressing rapidly. Jenney, and that architect has, upon the orders of the company, let the cut stone and other contracts but while this architect’s designs are highly meritorious,and would give to the company a magnificent structure, no design has as yet been accepted. A permit to build was taken out upon the plans of architect W. They are representative men in the architectural profession, and it will be hard to choose, and when it is done it will be because of the fancy of the committee for some one design rather than because of any weakness in the others. ![]() The Building Committee of the Home Insurance Company of New York have been examining the designs of three different architects. Why the height of fire-proof buildings, however, should be interfered with is not evident.” ![]() Those who have considered this subject think that the ordinance should make it illegal to erect non-fire-proof buildings of more than sixty feet in height. The license was taken out rather prematurely because an ordinance is pending in the Council forbidding the erection of buildings more than 100 feet in height. It is too early to give a description of the plans, for many important points have hot yet been decided upon. Jenney, “will be strictly fire-proof and first-class in every respect. Jenney took out a permit yesterday to put up an eight-story and basement office structure, at the northeast corner of Adams and La Salle streets, to cost $300,000 for the Home Insurance Company of New York. Location: NE Corner of LaSalle and Adams Streets ![]()
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