Address: 53 W. Jackson Blvd. Year Built: North half 1889-91; south half 1891-93 Architect: Burnham & Root; Holabird & Roche Date Designated a Chicago Landmark: November 14, 1973

The two halves of this building provide a unique perspective for examining the history and development of modern architecture. The north part--famed for its lack of traditional ornamentation--is a masonry, wall-bearing structure, the last skyscraper to employ this method of construction, with six-foot thick walls at the base. The south addition, on the other hand, is an early example of steel-frame construction, its underlying structure revealed through narrow piers and wide windows. Together, they mark the end of one building tradition and the beginning of another.

Daniel Burnham Holabird & Roche/Root
Early Skyscrapers Great Interiors The Loop
1.	Side Elevation, North Half, photo by Richard Nickel
2.	Cornice Detail, South Half, photo by Barbara Crane
3.	View circa 1920
4.	Interior Stairs, photo by HABS
5.	Section and Elevation Drawings