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These three buildings
(Haskell and Barker, 1875; Atwater, 1877) are among the oldest structures in
downtown Chicago, dating to the period following the Fire of 1871. Two
buildings feature “modernizations” designed by famed architect Louis
Sullivan (1896) and elaborate masonry cornices. After being further altered
in 1927, the facades subsequently deteriorated or, in the case of the
Atwater cornice, were removed. The ornamentation of the Barker building had
over 20 layers of paint by 2007. The owner, Joseph Freed and Associates,
LLC, decided in 2007 to restore all three buildings to their 19th-century
appearance, which required not only uncovering portions of the Sullivan
facades, but also reconstructing the Atwater cornice and other elements.
Using historic photographs and analysis, the cast iron storefront was
restored including the discovery of a previously-undocumented 1903 Sullivan
façade.
Photo credits: Courtesy
of Joseph Freed and Associates and Harboe Architects
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