by eric j. nordstrom and ornament chicago By the 1940s onward the J.L. Higgie building had begun a protracted period of what could be considered gradual decline. In this postcard from the 1940s one notes the classic bell shaped roofs from the earlier 1920s photo are...
[caption id="attachment_34392" align="alignleft" width="900"] ogen avenue facade with terra cotta name plaque in place.[/caption] by Eric J. Nordstrom and Ornament Chicago: As another exhausting week continues additional details of the family behind the curious wedge-shaped J. L. Higgie building continue to emerge. After some more research...
after a much-needed break from the bowels of congress theater, i spent the remainder of my time there traversing the auditorium's upper balcony plenum chambers hoping to discover more objects discarded by moviegoers beginning around the time the theater opened in 1926. thankfully, i was...
an extensive photographic record of congress theater's basement level mechanical equipment was completed late last week. the utilization of multiple camera lenses was required to accurately capture both surface details and systems found throughout the subterranean space, located directly beneath the lobby floor. additionally, images...
a largely intact circular pine wood privy pit or "vault" floor was discovered during excavation of a site where a pre-fire chicago residence succumbed to the wrecking ball. i was busy documenting the sill plate configuration of a nearby wood frame house when i got wind...
ann pinegar halsted was the sole executrix of henry s. halsted's legacy, and as she took over the reins of his water vessel business, she decided to change her living situation. in 1883 she began discussions with new architectural partners dankmar adler and louis sullivan...
day 1: the 37-story carbon and carbide building (1929) appears to be undergoing facade restoration. i did notice cavities covered over with plywood - mainly along the east facade. i was a bit rushed, so will have to revisit and...
[caption id="attachment_34252" align="alignleft" width="620"] a late 19th or early 20th century chicago tugboat.[/caption] facing its impending destruction, the wedge-shaped j.l. higgie building has piqued my interests; perhaps moreso because of the lack of information out there surrounding the building itself, and the plethora of accolades following...
a closer look at window hood ornament found on the italianate style facades of the "lake-franklin group" of post-fire buildings constructed shortly after the great chicago fire. the quartet represents the largest concentration of post-fire commercial buildings in the loop. burling and adler designed two...
[caption id="attachment_34103" align="alignleft" width="727"] c. 1910 northwestern terra cotta company catalog cover.[/caption] the northwestern terra cotta company was founded in chicago in 1877 by a group of investors that included john r. true. the company became a major producer of terra cotta trimmings used by the...
this month marks the second trip i’ve taken to new york to document american architecture, and the cross-over of preservation happening in the two cities. this summer i pursued a fragment of the historic gage building (1899) being replicated in buffalo at the boston...
i continue to document historic buildings undergoing restoration/renovations in chicago’s downtown at a feverish pace. i've noticed there is little - if any - public attention directed at the "sky boys" who spend their days working high above on scaffolding replacing, repairing, and recreating terra cotta and...
the following gallery offers a glimpse at the most recent american architectural, medical, and industrial artifacts and/or miscellaneous objects added to our ever-expanding urban remains virtual catalog (over 30,000 catalog listings to date). the newly acquired items have been documented, cleaned/refinished (if need be) and...
the bldg. 51 museum collection houses historically important examples of unusual and intricately designed escutcheons, doorknobs, rosettes, doorbell push button plates and other house trimmings known as the "kelp" pattern. the "stock" hardware was executed by the yale & towne mfg. company, stamford, ct. the...
the image gallery offers a selection of images taken from a recent shoot where i systematically documented john root-designed ornamental terra cotta adorning the west facade of the rookery building (1888). the northwestern terra cotta company executed the terra cotta for burnham & root's rookery...
a unique and largely unaltered 1870's brick cottage on ohio street (west town neighborhood) i've been watching for years is now for sale. it's a rather unusual workers cottage, with overpowering faceted panel keystones accentuated with anthemions. i'm convinced the window hoods are comprised of...
my ongoing effort documenting the jewelers building at 35 e wacker has intensified over the past week, when the northwest turret (one of four designed to conceal water tanks) was fully exposed with newly added terra cotta - executed by boston valley terra cotta. more to...
at the surface level, the recent fire at 695 north milwaukee was a devastating blow to the owners of a couple of local restaurants and entertainment companies. however when i dig deeper, it also becomes apparent that this location had a rich past with local...
demolition begins today at 2219 n. dayton. the early to mid-1880's two-flat is amazingly intact, with stamped tin bracketed cornice, marble mantels, and cast plaster ceiling escutcheons. the double door entrance, with centrally located corbel, raised panel jamb, and transoms are all original. the interior...
it never ceases to surprise that the smallest artifacts can hold the most expansive histories. this week a simple object --a brass key ring from the reliance building-- unveiled an iconic narrative from an era when chicago served as territory to some of the most notorious gangsters. even...