 |
| Steven Vaughan Shipmans 1872 C. C. P. Holden Building (JWB, 2012) |
Walking east in the
1000 block of West Madison Street last Sunday, on my way to the Dominick’s deli
after finding the doors of the Washington Boulevard Subsway shop closed as
tight as Mayor Emmanuel’s jaws, I came upon a building that stopped me in my
tracks.
It’s not listed in the AIA Guide to Chicago, and I’m sure
that thousands of folks walk past it every day without giving it a second
glance. But this is a really special
building, so special that the Commission on Chicago Landmarks has given the
Holden Block at 1027 West Madison Street landmark status.
With good reason . . . because it’s a great old Chicago building that combines history,
larger-than-life individuals, and a happy ending into a particularly attractive
package.
 |
| The resorted facade of 1027 West Madison (JWB, 2012) |
Designed in the Italianate
style and finished just a year after the Chicago Fire, the commission’s
landmark designation report calls the Holden Block “arguably the finest
surviving example [of the standard building block of Chicago’s commercial
streets in the 19th and early 20th centuries] on the Near
West Side and one of the best citywide in its overall architectural design and
detailing.”
The builder and
owner of the Holden Block, Charles C. P. Holden (1827-1905) was one of
Chicago’s original settlers. Born in
Groton, New Hampshire in 1827, he came to Chicago with his family in 1836, just
a year before the city was chartered. At
the age of 19 he joined Company F of the Fifth Regiment of the Illinois
infantry and fought against the Navajos in what is now New Mexico.
By 1855 he began an
18-year career with the Illinois Central Railroad as a land agent with over
2,000,000 acres of the state’s land grant under his administration. Mr. Holden served as President of the Chicago
City Council from 1870 to 1872 and was in charge when the Chicago Fire leveled
the city.
In 1874 Mr. Holden
was elected to the Cook County Board of Commissioners and served as its
president in 1876. He laid the
cornerstone for the 1877 County Courthouse and oversaw the construction of the
first Cook County Hospital on Harrison Street.
The Holden Block on
Madison Street was a speculative project, and Mr. Holden sold the property
within a year. His name still stands at
the top of the structure, though, and above his name the year that the building
was finished -- 1872.
The style of the
building in the Italianate style was popular in Chicago and much of the country
from 1860 to 1885 or so. Based to a
greater or lesser extent on the Italian country villa, it stood as a more
relaxed alternative to the rigid classicism that dominated architecture at the
time.
 |
| Window Detail of Holden Block (JWB, 2012) |
According to the
report of the Chicago Commission on Landmarks, “. . . the use of decoration
around windows and doors and along rooflines enhanced street-facing
facades. In Italianate-style buildings,
paired brackets typically ornament elaborately detailed cornices. Tall, narrow windows, topped by decorative
stone lintels, often with incised floral medallions, can be found in many
shapes.”
The emphasis on
window treatment and elaborate cornices was perfect for the flat façade of the
post-fire business block in Chicago. And
what a treatment the Holden Block was given.
There are 24 windows in the north face of the building . . . treated
with eight different window surrounds.
The windows are designed with the greatest complexity on the second floor
and get simpler as the building rises.
 |
| Window detail & Buena Vista Sandstone (JWB, 2012) |
The front façade of
the Holden Block is clad with ”Buena Vista stone,” a sandstone quarried in
Ohio. Because there was virtually no
visible difference in its granular structure, it could be cut in any direction. Its popularity in Chicago was made possible
by the growth of the railroads, which made transportation of the highly valued
stone possible. The height of Buena
Vista stone’s popularity coincided almost exactly with the date of the Holden
Block’s completion. Bedford limestone
from the area around Bloomington, Indiana replaced Buena Vista as the stone of choice in Chicago
as it had the same uniform quality as the Ohio stone, while being far more
resistant to weathering.
The architect of
the Holden Block was Stephen Vaughan Shipman.
Born in Montrose, Pennsylvania, he learned the building trade from his
father. He established an office in
Madison, Wisconsin in 1855 and designed the first dome and rotunda of the
second Wisconsin state capital.
He entered the
Civil War in the First Wisconsin Cavalry Regiment as a first Lieutenant and was ultimately promoted to Colonel as the war progressed.
Upon returning to Madison in 1865 he was elected City Treasurer. He was drawn to Chicago after the Great Fire because
of the opportunities for men of his experience in the re-building of
the city.
 |
| The Original Presbyterian Hospital |
One of his designs
was for the first Presbyterian Hospital on Chicago’s west side. He also designed the block at 10 West
Hubbard, where Architect Harry Weese established his practice. It is now the location of Carol Ross Barney’s
firm. Three of Stephen Shipman’s buildings are listed on the National Register
of Historic Places.
 |
| The Holden Block before the renovation by S/C/C (Google image) |
You’re always
looking for good news when you stop to admire these older buildings. And in the case of the Holden Block there is
good news. Schafer/Condon/Carter, a
highly respected Chicago advertising firm, purchased the Holden Block and, after an
extensive renovation, moved its operations to the 34,500 square-foot building
in the fall of last year.
The care taken in
the renovation is obvious, and this hidden gem on the near west side now looks
deserving of its newly gained landmark status.
 |
| The Holden Block after the renovation by Schafer/Condon/Carter (JWB, 2012) |
Posts
20 comments:
Great article, Jim! Do you know what architecture firm did the renovation? Looks like it was very well done.
Widler Architecture. Brent Widler. He did a fantastic job and was great to work with!
Excellent .. Amazing .. I’ll bookmark your blog and take the feeds also…I’m happy to find so many useful info here in the post, we need work out more techniques in this regard, thanks for sharing. roulette
This is a mind boggling stirring article.I am essentially happy with your incredible work.You put really outstandingly obliging information... sünnet dügünü organizasyonu
Absolutely amazing posting! Heaps of significant information and inspiration, the two of which we as a whole need!Relay welcome your work. get more info
Thanks a lot for sharing us about this update. Hope you will not get tired on making posts as informative as this. 토토
Wonderful article, thanks for putting this together! This is obviously one great post. Thanks for the valuable information and insights you have so provided here. 먹튀사이트
A debt of gratitude is in order for the significant data and experiences you have so given here... Mythical pokemon
I basically found your webpage page and expected that would express that I have genuinely regarded the experience of looking on the web journal areas. login joker123
We are genuinely appreciative for your blog section. You will find a lot of strategies in the wake of setting off to your post. I was exactly checking for. An obligation of appreciation is all together for such post and please keep it up. York St John University London Campus
The site is affectionately adjusted and spared as much as date. So it ought to be, a debt of gratitude is in order for imparting this to us. login joker123
I am unquestionably making the most of your site. You unquestionably have some extraordinary knowledge and incredible stories. Blackout Window Cover
However, it should not be mistaken that putting your stained object in the dryer will cause the stain to set. So, make sure the stain is removed before putting your fabrics in the dryer. Coffee Reviews
I just found out this febulous article,please check it.korea-onlinecasino.com
You have done a great job. I will definitely dig it and personally recommend to my friends. I am confident they will be benefited from this site먹튀
Nice post! This is a very nice blog that I will definitively come back to more times this year! Thanks for informative post.안전공원
This paragraph gives clear idea for the new viewers of blogging, Thank you 성인야설 .
I am getting a lot of help. However, please refer to other information as well.https://cutt.ly/LGfIiSv
Good morning!! I am also blogging with you. In my blog, articles related to are mainly written, and they are usually called 메이저사이트. If you are curious about , please visit!!
xfhh
Post a Comment