20 Apr theodore karl’s 1872 conrad seipp post-fire chicago three-story commercial building (1872) undergoing demolition
post-fire chicago architect theodore karl’s building was constructed in the early months of 1872 for brewer conrad seipp on the pre-fire foundation using recycled or salvaged brick from the fire.
the building had storefronts on the first floor (including a saloon), offices on the second, and a spacious masonic hall on the third floor catering to various clubs and lodges.
a fourth floor addition was likely added to the building facing superior street in the late 1870s.
after reviewing several of my building catalogs of the period, i suspect the union foundry works executed the cast iron storefront.
the interior retains the original fluted cast iron load-bearing columns with heavily ornamented corinthian style capitals.
the following crude images were taken with iphone during a brief investigation of the structure and salvaging some ornament for building’s current owner.
