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 Reid Murdoch Building - Chicago, Illinois Posted by:  JimmyEv
N 41° 53.275 W 087° 37.924
16T E 447561 N 4637525
This massive, 400,000-square foot building, erected in 1914 as the central food processing plant for Reid, Murdoch & Co., represents early commercial establishments that once lined the Chicago River.
Waymark Code: WM27XC
Location: Illinois, United States
Date Posted: 09/19/2007
Views: 82
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George C. Nimmons was the architect that designed this building for Reid, Murdoch & Co., a local grocer. He was attempting to follow the 1909 Plan of Chicago put forth by Daniel Burnham. The Plan emphasized using river frontage for both aesthetic and commercial possibilities. Loading docks were located on the bottom two floors, allowing merchandise to be received either via the docks on the Chicago River or from trailers at street level. The company’s showroom was located on the main floor; the upper floors provided office and manufacturing space.
Nimmons created a horizontal masonry structure framed by steel, influenced by both the Chicago and Prairie schools of architecture. This gave the building its horizontal massing. In a departure from both architectural styles, a prominent three-story clock tower was used to disguise the building’s water tower, housing its sprinkler system.
It was across the river from the Reid, Murdoch & Co. Building that the ocean liner S.S. Eastland capsized on July 24, 1915. The building became the staging area for the emergency response to the disaster, treating the wounded and dealing with the 812 fatalities. In the lobby is a small interpretive exhibit about the disaster.
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The west bay of the building was removed for the widening of LaSalle Street, making the symmetrical building asymmetrical. The City of Chicago purchased the building in 1955 for use as its Central Office Building. During this time the interior was extensively altered. |
Street address:
325 North LaSalle Street
Chicago, IL USA
County / Borough / Parish: Cook County
Year listed: 1975
Historic (Areas of) Significance: Event, Architecture/Engineering
Periods of significance: 1900-1924
Historic function: Warehouse, Manufacturing and Office Space
Current function: Office Building
Privately owned?: yes
Hours of operation: From: 9:00 AM To: 5:00 PM
Primary Web Site: [Web Link]
Season start / Season finish: Not listed
Secondary Website 1: Not listed
Secondary Website 2: Not listed
National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed
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Visit Instructions:
Please give the date and brief account of your visit. Include any additional observations or information that you may have, particularly about the current condition of the site. Additional photos are highly encouraged, but not mandatory.
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