The
Second Leiter Building, also known as
Leiter II Building and the
Sears Building, is located at the northeast corner of South
State StreetState Street is a large south-north thoroughfare in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It begins on the Near North Side at North Avenue. For much of its course, it lies between Wabash Avenue on the east and Dearborn Street/Lafayette Avenue on the west...
and East Congress Street in
ChicagoChicago is the largest city in the U.S. state of Illinois, and with more than 2.8 million people, the 3rd largest city in the United States...
,
IllinoisIllinois , the 21st state admitted to the United States of America, is the most populous and demographically diverse Midwestern state and the fifth most populous state in the nation...
. (not to be confused with Willis Tower, formerly
Sears TowerWillis Tower, formerly named Sears Tower, is a 108-story skyscraper in Chicago, Illinois. At the time of its completion in 1973 it was the tallest building in the world, surpassing the World Trade Center towers in New York...
). This
landmarkThis is a list of landmarks around the world.Landmarks may be split into two categories: natural phenomena and man-made features, like buildings, bridges, statues, public squares, and so forth...
of the
Chicago school of architectureChicago's architecture is famous throughout the world and one style is referred to as the Chicago School. The style is also known as Commercial style. In the history of architecture, the Chicago School was a school of architects active in Chicago at the turn of the 20th century...
has gained its fame for being one of the first commercial buildings still standing in the United States to have a metal
skeleton frameSteel frame usually refers to a building technique with a "skeleton frame" of vertical steel columns and horizontal I-beams, constructed in a rectangular grid to support the floors, roof and walls of a building which are all attached to the frame...
.
Built in 1891 by
Levi LeiterLevi Ziegler Leiter was a Chicago businessman. He co-founded what became the Marshall Field and Company retail empire.-Biography:...
the Second Leiter Building was designed by
architectAn architect is trained and licensed in planning and designing buildings, and participates in supervising the construction of a building. Etymologically, architect derives from the Latin architectus, itself derived from the Greek arkhitekton , i.e. chief builder...
William Le Baron JenneyWilliam Le Baron Jenney was an American architect and engineer who became known as the Father of the American skyscraper .- Biography :...
who implemented the skeletal frame made of steel to make the design fireproof.
Discussion
Ask a question about 'Second Leiter Building' Start a new discussion about 'Second Leiter Building' Answer questions from other users |
The
Second Leiter Building, also known as
Leiter II Building and the
Sears Building, is located at the northeast corner of South
State StreetState Street is a large south-north thoroughfare in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It begins on the Near North Side at North Avenue. For much of its course, it lies between Wabash Avenue on the east and Dearborn Street/Lafayette Avenue on the west...
and East Congress Street in
ChicagoChicago is the largest city in the U.S. state of Illinois, and with more than 2.8 million people, the 3rd largest city in the United States...
,
IllinoisIllinois , the 21st state admitted to the United States of America, is the most populous and demographically diverse Midwestern state and the fifth most populous state in the nation...
. (not to be confused with Willis Tower, formerly
Sears TowerWillis Tower, formerly named Sears Tower, is a 108-story skyscraper in Chicago, Illinois. At the time of its completion in 1973 it was the tallest building in the world, surpassing the World Trade Center towers in New York...
). This
landmarkThis is a list of landmarks around the world.Landmarks may be split into two categories: natural phenomena and man-made features, like buildings, bridges, statues, public squares, and so forth...
of the
Chicago school of architectureChicago's architecture is famous throughout the world and one style is referred to as the Chicago School. The style is also known as Commercial style. In the history of architecture, the Chicago School was a school of architects active in Chicago at the turn of the 20th century...
has gained its fame for being one of the first commercial buildings still standing in the United States to have a metal
skeleton frameSteel frame usually refers to a building technique with a "skeleton frame" of vertical steel columns and horizontal I-beams, constructed in a rectangular grid to support the floors, roof and walls of a building which are all attached to the frame...
.
Built in 1891 by
Levi LeiterLevi Ziegler Leiter was a Chicago businessman. He co-founded what became the Marshall Field and Company retail empire.-Biography:...
the Second Leiter Building was designed by
architectAn architect is trained and licensed in planning and designing buildings, and participates in supervising the construction of a building. Etymologically, architect derives from the Latin architectus, itself derived from the Greek arkhitekton , i.e. chief builder...
William Le Baron JenneyWilliam Le Baron Jenney was an American architect and engineer who became known as the Father of the American skyscraper .- Biography :...
who implemented the skeletal frame made of steel to make the design fireproof. The building was leased by Levi Leiter to the department store of Siegel, Cooper and Company. Later it became the downtown flagship store of
Sears, Roebuck and CompanySears, officially named Sears, Roebuck and Co., is an American mid-range chain of international department stores which was founded by Richard Warren Sears and Alvah Roebuck in the late 19th century...
and still stands to this day. Its predecessor the
First Leiter BuildingThe First Leiter building was a Chicago structure built in 1879 and demolished in 1972.-External references:* Historic American Building Survey Photos and information...
was built at Wells and Monroe in 1879 but unlike its successor the building was demolished in 1972. The Second Leiter Building was designated a landmark on January 14, 1997. The building is now home to Robert Morris University.
External links
- Leiter II Building Historic American Buildings Survey
The Historic American Buildings Survey , Historic American Engineering Record , and Historic American Landscapes Survey are programs of the National Park Service established for the purpose of documenting historic places. Records consists of measured drawings, archival photographs, and written...
- Leiter II Building National Historic Landmark designation on January 7, 1976