17 Feb

Posted at 18:28h in Bldg. 51, Events & Announcements, Featured Posts, Miscellaneous, New Acquisitions, New Products, Travel by

mecca flats was a notable apartment complex in chicago's bronzeville neighborhood, serving as an architectural and cultural landmark from 1891 until its demolition in 1952. the site at 3360 s. state street is now occupied by s.r. crown hall, a modernist structure designed by ludwig...

10 Feb

Posted at 18:05h in Bldg. 51, Events & Announcements, Featured Posts, Miscellaneous, Salvages, Travel, Uncategorized by

the following images and information - a work in progress - shed light on the northwestern terra cotta company's richly colored and visually striking french art deco style "stock pattern" terra cotta ornament. early 1980s image of the art deco style chicago bee building (1929), located...

05 Feb

Posted at 04:30h in Bldg. 51, Events & Announcements, Featured Posts, Miscellaneous, New Acquisitions, New Products, Travel, Uncategorized by

original and largely intact 1962 marina city (bertrand goldberg, 1964-68) prospectus showcasing the building’s distinctive architectural elements with floor plans, site layouts, models, and photographs. the uniquely designed prospectus includes an embossed cover, saddle-stitched booklet with varied paper types, a fold-out building model, blank rental applications,...

02 Feb

Posted at 18:55h in Bldg. 51, Events & Announcements, Featured Posts, Miscellaneous, New Acquisitions, New Products, Salvages, Travel, Uncategorized by

the 1893 pabst pavilion, designed by otto strack for chicago’s world's columbian exposition, was a terra-cotta structure with a green copper dome and glass corners showcasing beer products. its highlight was a 13-square-foot 24 karat gold-plated cast bronze and white metal pabst brewery model executed...

30 Jan

Posted at 18:34h in Bldg. 51, Events & Announcements, Featured Posts, Miscellaneous, Travel, Uncategorized by

for many years, if not decades, if documented the three john karl daniels's white glazed terra cotta figures adorning hewitt and brown's 1914 washburn crosby utility building, located at 700 second street, minneapolis, mn. i'm both amused and mystifed over the circumstances surrounding the disappearance...

28 Jan

Posted at 17:07h in Bldg. 51, Events & Announcements, Featured Posts, Miscellaneous, Salvages, Travel, Uncategorized by

after reviewing these early images - taken during the early days of my photographic career -  i've realized that while my creative vision remains similar, my technical skills, mastery of equipment and lighting, post-processing abilities, and instinctive and intellectual comprehension of my subjects have improved...

27 Jan

Posted at 18:58h in Bldg. 51, Events & Announcements, Featured Posts, Miscellaneous, Travel, Uncategorized by

the masonic temple, presently known as the hennepin center for the arts, was constructed in 1890 at the intersection of hennepin avenue and sixth street north. recognized as an exemplary representation of richardsonian romanesque architecture, the building initially served as a masonic lodge for the...

26 Jan

Posted at 18:00h in Bldg. 51, Events & Announcements, Featured Posts, Miscellaneous, Travel, Uncategorized by

exterior photographic survey of purcell and elmslie's prairie style community house, first congregational church (1913-14), located at 310 broadway, eau claire, wisconsin. this parish house demonstrates why purcell and elmslie of minneapolis were regarded as leading architects in the region. its broad gable gives the impression...

25 Jan

Posted at 15:19h in Bldg. 51, Events & Announcements, Featured Posts, Miscellaneous, Travel, Uncategorized by

the bachman house is located at 1244 w. carmen ave., chicago, illinois. originally built in 1889, it was remodeled by bruce goff between 1947 and 1948 into a home and studio for myron bachman. notable for its updated windows and brick with corrugated aluminum exterior, the...

22 Jan

Posted at 16:46h in Bldg. 51, Events & Announcements, Featured Posts, Miscellaneous, New Acquisitions, New Products, Salvages, Travel, Uncategorized by

the bldg. 51 museum collection recently acquired additional historically important redl slip terra cotta ornament from milwaukee’s former main passenger rail station, the chicago & north western lake front depot. designed by charles sumner frost in a romanesque style, the brick and terra cotta-clad depot...

21 Jan

Posted at 18:56h in Bldg. 51, Events & Announcements, Featured Posts, Miscellaneous, New Acquisitions, New Products, Travel, Uncategorized by

for almost three decades, i've driven past this small polychromatic art deco terra cotta storefront, always expecting it to disappear before my next visit. thankfully, it still stands and remains largely intact. the two-story hugo miller-designed wile building (1923, rebuilt 1928) is located at 1211-13 west...

20 Jan

Posted at 17:06h in Bldg. 51, Events & Announcements, Featured Posts, Miscellaneous, Travel, Uncategorized by

the iconic two-story stained glass window in the former pabst brewhouse, currently the brewhouse inn & suites, was commissioned by captain pabst in the 1890s. it was designed by milwaukee artist frederick wilhelm heine and fabricated by the charles baumbach company.   the leaded glass window...

20 Jan

Posted at 03:25h in Bldg. 51, Events & Announcements, Featured Posts, Miscellaneous, Travel, Uncategorized by

detail photographic images taken after scaffolding was removed (a few months ago) from the flemish renaissance revival-style frederick pabst mansion (george ferry, architect, 1892) located at 2000 west wisconsin avenue, milwaukee, wisc. both the original buff-colored slip glaze ornamental terra cotta (executed by the northwestern terra...

14 Jan

Posted at 18:43h in Bldg. 51, Events & Announcements, Featured Posts, Miscellaneous, Travel, Uncategorized by

the kenna apartments, officially named the john f. kenna apartments, are a historic landmark located at 2214 e. 69th street in chicago’s south shore neighborhood. known for their distinctive prairie school architecture, the building was designed by barry byrne—a protégé of frank lloyd wright—and features...

12 Jan

Posted at 18:19h in Bldg. 51, Events & Announcements, Featured Posts, Miscellaneous, Press, Travel, Uncategorized by

threatened with demolition. exterior photographic survey of george kinglsey's four-story polychromed terra cotta-clad jackson storage and van company warehouse (1923-24), located at 112 east burlington street, la grange, il. notable prairie school architect francis barry byrne was likely involved in the facade's design program. according to tim samuelson,...

09 Jan

Posted at 16:07h in Bldg. 51, Events & Announcements, Featured Posts, Miscellaneous, Travel, Uncategorized by

exterior photographic survery (ornament detail) of george kingsley's jackson storage and van company warehouse (1921), located at 5951 west madison street, chicago, il. the sullivanesque style white glazed terra cotta was fabricated by the midland terra cotta company, chicago, il.. the jackson storage and van company warehouse...

06 Jan

Posted at 16:38h in Bldg. 51, Events & Announcements, Featured Posts, Miscellaneous, New Acquisitions, New Products, Press, Travel, Uncategorized by

recent images (1-5-2025) of frank lloyd wright's joseph jacob walser junior house (1903), located at 42 north central avenue, chicago, il. the j. j. walser jr. house is a prairie style home at 42 north central avenue in the austin neighborhood of chicago, illinois. designed by...

04 Jan

Posted at 16:03h in Bldg. 51, Events & Announcements, Featured Posts, Miscellaneous, Press, Travel, Uncategorized by

2026 photographic survey of george fred keck's 1933-34 century of progress "house of tomorrow," located at 214 lake front drive, beverly shores, indiana. designated the "century of progress," the fair attracted 39 million attendees, showcasing how advancements in science and technology could enhance everyday life. although...

01 Jan

Posted at 16:29h in Bldg. 51, Events & Announcements, Featured Posts, Miscellaneous, New Acquisitions, New Products, Press, Sales and Promotions, Salvages, Travel, Uncategorized by

note: the following links represent some highlights accomplished in 2024. the posts are arranged chronologically, from beginning of 2025 to end of year. as 2025 draws to a close, i culled the the work of eric j. nordstrom, urban remains, and the bldg. 51 archive to...

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