Friday, April 10, 2009

New Franklin Building ...





New Franklin Building ..
Address: 720 S Dearborn Street ..
Year built: 1916
Architect: George C. Nimmons ..

# The New Franklin Building is in the Printing House Row District, which was designated a Chicago Landmark in 1996 .. For more buildings in the Printing House Row District ... click here ..




I got some interesting information on this building from it's official website ... The Franklin Building .. click here .. Here's a excerpt ...

The building was built by the Franklin Printing Company and housed presses until 1983.. In 1987 the Franklin Building was purchased from the Borg-Warner Corporation for $2.7 million by developer Duncan Henderson. He recognized the building’s unusual architectural features and potential. In 1976, Henderson moved to Chicago from New York City where he had lived in a loft in SoHo. He became a pioneer of loft development in Printers Row when he and architect Harry Weese rehabbed the Donohue Building in 1977.

The 14-story Franklin Building underwent an extensive $9 million renovation. The structure’s interior was gutted and 65 residential units were created. The restored Franklin Building opened for occupancy in September 1989, the last major renovation of loft space on Printers Row.




The most impressive feature for me is the ornamental tile work adorning the east facade of the building. The main mural over the entry entitled “The First Impression” depicts men working at the Gutenberg press. An inscription executed in terra cotta tile over the doorway reads, “The excellence of every art must consist in the complete accomplishment of its purpose.” Other picture tiles represent printing and publishing activities from Benjamin Franklin’s time. Chicago artist, Oskar Gross, designed all of these picture tiles specifically for the Franklin Building ...

For more on..
# New Franklin Building - II [Mural Tiles].. click here..
# Printing House Row District.. click here..





REF:
The Franklin Building..lick here ..

1 comment:

Unknown said...

I remember standing on the top floor of this building with Duncan Henderson one windy day after it was gutted. There were no windows and the wind was whipping through us. He was describing what the interior would look like. He had hired me to help him price the units for sale upon completion.

Janice A Hiley, SRA
Real Estate Appraiser