26 Jan phenix building’s final days captured by richard nickel shortly before its demolition in 1959
recently digitized richard nickel images of burnham and root’s phenix building (1887) during its demolition by midwest wrecking in 1957. i was pleasantly surprised to run across both contact sheets and 8 x 10 images of the building’s demolition since very few images of chicago school commercial buildings wrecked in the 1950’s exist.
the first floor, including the elaborately decorated arched entrance on jackson, is all that remains of the 11-story building (the two additional stories were added in 1892 by western union).
phenix was replaced by the 24-story transunion building completed in 1961 by a. epstein and sons.
the early albumen print was taken around the time it was completed in 1887, with old board of trade building in background. the image first appeared in inland architect and i suspect james talyor was the photographer.
the phenix building is credited as being one of the first buildings for which hardware – executed by yale & towne – was custom-designed for use throughout (see image of monogrammed doorknob).
images courtesy of john vinci and the ryerson and burnham archive, art institute of chicago.
list of building contractors and suppliers are as follows:
- brick – lockwood and kimbell, chicago
- terra cotta – the northwest terra-cotta company, chicago
- vert island sandstone – mr. henry kerber, chicago
- marble work – davidson & sons, chicago
- ornamental iron work – paulsen & eger, new york city
- ornamental hardware – yale & towne manufacturing co., chicago with orr & lockett, chicago. the phenix building is credited as being the first instance for which hardware was custom-designed for use throughout the building.
- painting, glazing and woodwork finishing – s.s. barry & son, chicago
- elevators– w.e. hale & co., chicago
- gas and electrical fixtures – t.w. wilmarth & co., chicago
- woodwork, including the office furniture – edward e. swiney, chicago
- washstands, water closets and related fixtures – j.l. mott iron works, new york
