Chicago's Luxury Apartment Buildings (Images of America)

Chicago’s Luxury Apartment Buildings presents a history of the city’s residential buildings constructed during the Gilded Age of the 19th century. These buildings redefined the city’s architectural landscape and transformed urban living. Beginning with the first structure, erected in 1876, and continuing through the close of the 19th century, many were masterpieces designed by some of the era’s most influential architects. Burnham & Root, Treat & Foltz, Patton & Fisher, and Holabird & Roche, aided by technological advances such as fireproof structural steel frames, deeper foundations, modern plumbing, steam heat, electric lighting, and passenger elevators, built luxury apartments throughout Chicago. These buildings included a variety of amenities such as on-site restaurants, room service, ballrooms, barbershops, retail stores, billiard rooms, bowling alleys, formal gardens, terraces, and ornate lobbies, and many featured views of parks and Lake Michigan. There were approximately 150 constructed in Chicago during the 19th century, and this book contains photographs of nearly every one of these structures.John Graf is an attorney and Chicago historian who is the author of other books in Arcadia Publishing’s Images of America series, including Chicago’s ParksandChicago’s Mansions. Perry Casalino is a real estate developer and Chicago historian who has authored various books about Chicago.  Read more