The Waukegan Building is a historic skyscraper in

Waukegan, Illinois Waukegan ( ) is a city in Lake County, Illinois, United States, and its county seat. Located north of Chicago, Waukegan is a satellite city within the greater Chicago metropolitan area. As of the 2020 census, its population was 89,321, makin ...

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

. Located in what was the central business district, it was the city's first skyscraper when it opened in March 1925.

History

By 1920,

had grown to a small city with a population nearing 20,000, a 19.6% increase over the previous decade. The Waukegan National Bank Corporation was founded in 1914 to provide capital to the growing population. However, the bank quickly outgrew its original three-story headquarters at the corner of Genesee and Washington Streets. In 1924, they hired the St. Louis Bank Equipment Company to build a much larger building on the same site. The bank opened for a public viewing on March 7, 1925. Upon its opening, it became the tallest building in Lake County.Illinois Historic Preservation Agency
/ref> The original tenants were the Waukegan National Bank, the Public Service Company of Northern Illinois, and a

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. The Chicago Chamber of Commerce had an office on the eighth floor. Various professionals such as physicians and attorneys occupied other suites. The

Great Depression The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...

hit the bank hard and by 1931 the Waukegan National Bank was bankrupt. The Citizens National Bank moved into the vacated offices and operated for six years. A variety of retail stores and professional firms have occupied the space since. It has been largely vacant since 1985. The Waukegan Building is generally Neoclassical in design. The eight-story building has an L-shaped plan with the main elevation on Genesee Street. Exterior walls are light brown brick with limestone details. Built on a concrete foundation, the tower has a flat roof with two antennas. The main facade is divided in a typical tripartite design.

References

{{commonscat, Waukegan Building National Register of Historic Places in Lake County, Illinois Neoclassical architecture in Illinois Office buildings completed in 1925 Waukegan, Illinois 1925 establishments in Illinois Skyscrapers in Illinois Skyscraper office buildings in Illinois