The Phenix (aka Phoenix) Building was an office building in

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

Burnham and Root Burnham and Root was one of Chicago's most famous architectural companies of the nineteenth century. It was established by Daniel Hudson Burnham and John Wellborn Root. During their eighteen years of partnership, Burnham and Root designed and ...

. It was built by the Phenix Mutual Fire Insurance Company of

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and occupied the block fronting Jackson Boulevard between Pacific Avenue (now LaSalle Street) and Clark Street. When completed in 1887, the building was seen as "the latest addition to Chicago's magnificent architectural structures". It was later owned by the

Western Union Telegraph Company The Western Union Company is an American multinational financial services corporation headquartered in Denver, Colorado. Founded in 1851 as the New York and Mississippi Valley Printing Telegraph Company in Rochester, New York, the company ch ...

, who sold the building to the manufacturer and philanthropist Frederick C. Austin (1853-1931) in 1922. Austin donated it to

Northwestern University Northwestern University (NU) is a Private university, private research university in Evanston, Illinois, United States. Established in 1851 to serve the historic Northwest Territory, it is the oldest University charter, chartered university in ...

in 1929 with the understanding that the income derived from it would "provide scholarships for the training of business executives". The building was demolished in 1957 and replaced by what today is known as the

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Building, a twenty-four story office building designed by A. Epstein and Sons.

Features

The footprint of the building measured 215 feet on Jackson Boulevard, but was only 50 feet deep. It cost $1 million to complete, not including the $400,000 paid for the lot (other sources state $100,000) which to this point was "covered with shanties". The building was built with a structural steel frame and was advertised as being "absolutely fireproof". The exterior base was sheathed in Vert Island Stone from

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, with the upper floors finished with red

terra cotta Terracotta, also known as terra cotta or terra-cotta (; ; ), is a clay-based Vitrification#Ceramics, non-vitreous ceramicOED, "Terracotta""Terracotta" MFA Boston, "Cameo" database fired at relatively low temperatures. It is therefore a term used ...

and

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brick. The lobby, including the walls and stairs, was finished using white

marble Marble is a metamorphic rock consisting of carbonate minerals (most commonly calcite (CaCO3) or Dolomite (mineral), dolomite (CaMg(CO3)2) that have recrystallized under the influence of heat and pressure. It has a crystalline texture, and is ty ...

, as were the interior hallways in the rest of the building, with the woodwork in the offices being of Cuban mahogany. The building had windows on all four sides. The structure was considered groundbreaking in its day in the quality of the interior finish that it provided, in that "As an office building for office purposes, the Phenix Company have gone further than any company in the West, in placing as elegant finish in a building devoted to purely commercial purposes, an example that will be followed until art will find a place where before rough walls and plain finish were considered all that was necessary." Originally built with eleven stories above ground, two floors were added in 1892 by the

, a subsequent owner.

Contractors and suppliers

* Brick – Lockwood and Kimbell, Chicago * Terra Cotta – The Northwest Terra-Cotta Company, Chicago * Vert Island sandstone – Mr. Henry Kerber, Chicago * Marble work – Davidson & Sons, Chicago * Ornamental iron work – Paulsen & Eger,

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* Ornamental hardware – Yale & Towne Manufacturing Co., Chicago with Orr & Lockett, Chicago. The Phenix Building is credited as being the first instance for which hardware was custom-designed for use throughout the building. * Painting, glazing and woodwork finishing – S.S. Barry & Son, Chicago *

Elevator An elevator (American English) or lift (Commonwealth English) is a machine that vertically transports people or freight between levels. They are typically powered by electric motors that drive traction cables and counterweight systems suc ...

s – W.E. Hale & Co., Chicago * Gas and electrical fixtures – T.W. Wilmarth & Co., Chicago * Woodwork, including the office furniture – Edward E. Swiney, Chicago * Washstands, water closets and related fixtures – J.L. Mott Iron Works, New York

Tenants

The Phenix Mutual Fire Insurance Company occupied the top two floors of the building as its Southern and Western Departments headquarters, and leased the remainder of the space. Because of its proximity to the city’s many railroad terminals, the building provided office space to a number of railway-oriented manufacturers and suppliers, along with several of the area's passenger and freight railway companies. The building was purchased by the Western Union Telegraph Co. as its headquarters in 1892 for $1.5 million, the highest price paid to that date for any building located downtown.

Gallery

References

External links

* {{usurped,
Emporis.com - The Phoenix Building
}
Skyscraperpage.com - Phoenix Building
Buildings and structures in Chicago Skyscraper office buildings in Chicago Burnham and Root buildings Former skyscrapers Former buildings and structures in Chicago Buildings and structures demolished in 1957 1957 disestablishments in Illinois Demolished buildings and structures in Chicago Western Union 1887 establishments in Illinois Commercial buildings completed in 1887