Pittsfield Building
Encyclopedia
The Pittsfield Building, is a 38-story skyscraper
located at 55 E. Washington Street in the Loop
community area
of Chicago, Illinois
, USA, that was the city's tallest building at the time of its completion. The building was designated as a Chicago Landmark
on November 6, 2002.
, and is named after Pittsfield, Massachusetts
, where Marshall Field obtained his first job. The nearby Burnham Center, at the intersection of Clark Street and Washington Street, was originally named the Conway Building after Conway, Massachusetts
- the birthplace of Marshall Field. Marshall Field III presented the property as a gift to the Field Museum of Natural History
in honor of the museum's 50th anniversary. The museum held the property until September 1960 when the museum sold it.
, the structure combines both art deco
and Gothic detailing, while complying with a 1923 zoning ordinance which mandated skyscrapers setbacks
. The interior of the building features a five-story atrium, lined by balconies and shops, that is detailed with glowing marbles, gleaming brass and Spanish Gothic style carvings.
-based real estate developer has acquired the thirteenth through twenty-first floors of the building with plans for dormitory conversion at a cost of $23 million (about $173 per square foot). It will finance the $45-million renovation costs with a $36-million loan from First bank and has entered lease agreements with Roosevelt University
and Robert Morris University (Illinois) for 350 of the planned 450 beds. Morgan Reed Group who acquired the entire building for $15 million in 2000 continues to own the remaining portions of the building. The building is used mostly by doctors, dentists and jewelers and students will have a separate entry under the plans.
Skyscraper
A skyscraper is a tall, continuously habitable building of many stories, often designed for office and commercial use. There is no official definition or height above which a building may be classified as a skyscraper...
located at 55 E. Washington Street in the Loop
Chicago Loop
The Loop or Chicago Loop is one of 77 officially designated Chicago community areas located in the City of Chicago, Illinois. It is the historic commercial center of downtown Chicago...
community area
Community areas of Chicago
Community areas in Chicago refers to the work of the Social Science Research Committee at University of Chicago which has unofficially divided the City of Chicago into 77 community areas. These areas are well-defined and static...
of Chicago, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, USA, that was the city's tallest building at the time of its completion. The building was designated as a Chicago Landmark
Chicago Landmark
Chicago Landmark is a designation of the Mayor of Chicago and the Chicago City Council for historic buildings and other sites in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Listed sites are selected after meeting a combination of criteria, including historical, economic, architectural, artistic, cultural,...
on November 6, 2002.
History
The property, in the Jewelers' Row Landmark District, was developed by heirs of Marshall FieldMarshall Field
Marshall Field was founder of Marshall Field and Company, the Chicago-based department stores.-Life and career:...
, and is named after Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Pittsfield is the largest city and the county seat of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the principal city of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Berkshire County. Its area code is 413. Its ZIP code is 01201...
, where Marshall Field obtained his first job. The nearby Burnham Center, at the intersection of Clark Street and Washington Street, was originally named the Conway Building after Conway, Massachusetts
Conway, Massachusetts
Conway is a town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 1,809 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
- the birthplace of Marshall Field. Marshall Field III presented the property as a gift to the Field Museum of Natural History
Field Museum of Natural History
The Field Museum of Natural History is located in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It sits on Lake Shore Drive next to Lake Michigan, part of a scenic complex known as the Museum Campus Chicago...
in honor of the museum's 50th anniversary. The museum held the property until September 1960 when the museum sold it.
Architecture
Designed by Graham, Anderson, Probst and WhiteGraham, Anderson, Probst & White
Graham, Anderson, Probst & White is a Chicago architecture firm that was founded in 1912 originally as Graham, Burnham & Co. This firm was the successor to D. H. Burnham & Co. by Daniel Burnham's surviving partner Ernest Graham and Burnham's sons Hubert Burnham and Daniel Burnham Jr...
, the structure combines both art deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
and Gothic detailing, while complying with a 1923 zoning ordinance which mandated skyscrapers setbacks
Setback (architecture)
A setback, sometimes called step-back, is a step-like recession in a wall. Setbacks were initially used for structural reasons, but now are often mandated by land use codes.-History:...
. The interior of the building features a five-story atrium, lined by balconies and shops, that is detailed with glowing marbles, gleaming brass and Spanish Gothic style carvings.
Today
Alter Group, a Skokie, IllinoisSkokie, Illinois
Skokie is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Its name comes from a Native American word for "fire". A Chicago suburb, for many years Skokie promoted itself as "The World's Largest Village". Its population, per the 2000 census, was 63,348...
-based real estate developer has acquired the thirteenth through twenty-first floors of the building with plans for dormitory conversion at a cost of $23 million (about $173 per square foot). It will finance the $45-million renovation costs with a $36-million loan from First bank and has entered lease agreements with Roosevelt University
Roosevelt University
Roosevelt University is a coeducational, private university with campuses in Chicago, Illinois and Schaumburg, Illinois. Founded in 1945, the university is named in honor of both former President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. The university's curriculum is based on...
and Robert Morris University (Illinois) for 350 of the planned 450 beds. Morgan Reed Group who acquired the entire building for $15 million in 2000 continues to own the remaining portions of the building. The building is used mostly by doctors, dentists and jewelers and students will have a separate entry under the plans.