Loop District in Chicago in Cook County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Chicago Building

Holabird & Roche, architect; 1904-05

— Chicago Landmark —

Chicago Building Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Sean Flynn, January 31, 2024

1. Chicago Building Marker

Inscription. This building epitomizes the Chicago School, a design movement that changed modern architecture. Its distinctive features include large windows, steel-frame construction, projecting bays, and ornate terra cotta cladding. Located at what was known as the "World's Busiest Corner," its prominence was further heightened by a jog in the alignment of State Street.

Erected 1996 by Commission on Chicago Landmarks; City of Chicago.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Roads & Vehicles. A significant historical year for this entry is 1904.

Location. 41° 52.916′ N, 87° 37.691′ W. Marker is in Chicago, Illinois, in Cook County. It is in the Loop District. Marker is at the intersection of Madison Street and State Street, on the left when traveling west on Madison Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 7 West Madison Street, Chicago IL 60602, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. State Street (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Reliance Building (about 400 feet away); The Heyworth Building (about 400 feet away); Majestic Building and Theatre (about 400 feet away); Inland Steel Company Building (about 400 feet away); Inland Steel Building

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(about 400 feet away); Old Saint Mary's Cathedral (about 500 feet away); Jewelers Row (about 500 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Chicago.

More about this marker. While perhaps no longer the "World's Busiest Corner," State and Madison remains critical to Chicago geography as it is the locus for the city's addresses: State Street is the east-west divide, and Madison represents the line between north and south. State Street's "jog" is also still visible, and this building does indeed poke out when viewing State Street from the north.

Regarding Chicago Building. Much of the building was converted in 1997 to a dormitory for the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Chicago Building image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Sean Flynn, January 31, 2024

2. Chicago Building

The marker is near the doorway that is on the right side of this photo.

Jones Hall marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Sean Flynn, January 31, 2024

3. Jones Hall marker

On the right side of the doorway to the building is this 2011 marker dedicated to Tony Jones, who was president of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago for almost two decades and chancellor for another three. The SAIC is one of the current tenants of this building.

State and Madison image. Click for full size.

Library of Congress, circa 1903

4. State and Madison

This 1903 photo shows the "World's Busiest Corner," State and Madison in Chicago's Loop. The location of the Chicago Building would be behind the photographer in this north-facing photo.

"Madison Ave. [i.e. Street], west from Wabash [Avenue], Chicago, Ill." image. Click for full size.

Detroit Publishing Company photograph collection (Library of Congress), circa 1910

5. "Madison Ave. [i.e. Street], west from Wabash [Avenue], Chicago, Ill."

The Chicago Building is the third building on the left in this photo, taken from the east.

Credits. This page was last revised on February 1, 2024. It was originally submitted on February 1, 2024, by Sean Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. This page has been viewed 52 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on February 1, 2024, by Sean Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. 4. submitted on January 31, 2024, by Sean Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. 5. submitted on February 1, 2024, by Sean Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.