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in the wake of the osborne & adams demolition, historical significance of the building illuminated by its architect

a development in the afterlife of the non-extant osborne & adams commercial loft arrived recently via an email from my good friend, tim samuelson while we were discussing the use and/or abundance of both sandstone and limestone as building materials used in post fire chicago construction. as it turns out, tim's research several years ago at the landmark commission office revealed that the the osborne and adams building was designed by the office of john mills van osdel. this new piece of information fleshes out the narrative of the sadly, demolished structure, which was only one of a handful of 1870's loft buildings left standing along lake street.


osdel is well known as the first architect of chicago, contributing tremendously to the city's growth between the time of its incorporation in 1837 until the great fire of 1871 (and beyond). osdel's place as a pioneer is represented by an 1867 publication that states, "coming here when it was little more than "the village of mudfog," he was the first to introduce a style of building worthy of the metropolis then in chrysalis; and the high order of architecture which characterizes this city is largely due to his influence".

osdel is well known as the first architect of chicago, contributing tremendously to the city's growth between the time of its incorporation in 1837 until the great fire of 1871 (and beyond). osdel's place as a pioneer is represented by an 1867 publication that states, "coming here when it was little more than "the village of mudfog," he was the first to introduce a style of building worthy of the metropolis then in chrysalis; and the high order of architecture which characterizes this city is largely due to his influence".

born in baltimore in 1811, john van osdel was a carpenter's son whose humble beginnings necessitated he take up his father's trade to support his family as a teenager. after his father recovered from a debilitating accident, john continued to work alongside him. in time he became a skilled craftsman and an autodidact in the field of architecture. through the use of "the apprentice library" -- one of new york city's first public libraries, operated by the general society of mechanics and tradesman -- osdel became proficient in drafting. at age 19 he even opened an evening school of instruction in drawing.

a catalyst to osdel's career was when, in 1836, chicago's first mayor, william b. ogden, hired him to design and construct his residence in chicago. the house which osdel designed and built on ontario street was considered one of the best in the city (at least for a time). van osdel's next move, also a lucrative one, was in the business of ship joinery, constructing the first steamboats built in chicago -- an endeavor which portended the great expansion in commerce that chicago would foster. adding to these accomplishments, van osdel constructed several large pumps for the purpose of lifting water out of the excavations that were then in progress for the illinois and michigan canals; he further invented a horizontal wind-wheel that was extensively used in working these canal pumps. he additionally pioneered the construction of grain elevators throughout the city, and served for a time as the associate editor of "american mechanic" in new york.

in the mid 1840's, john van osdel was in partnership with elihu granger in the iron foundry and machine business, when his wife fell ill. at the encouragement of  several leading builders, osdel took the opportunity to tend to his health and that of his wife while shifting his devotion to architecture. he opened an office on clark street, over a millinery store which was later the entrance to the sherman house hotel - the first professional architecture firm to be established in the nascent city.

the move ushered in a new occupation, in which architects focused solely on design and aesthetic, rather than functioning as builders who designed what they constructed. over the course of his lifetime van osdel built and supervised construction on an enormous number of public and private buildings throughout the city and state. these included the chicago city hall (1848), the mccarthy block (1872), the tremont house (1880), and the second mccormick block (1887), among many recognizable others.

of special interest to urban remains is the relationship of the john kent russell house's architect william belden olmsted, to john van osdel. they briefly had a partnership, between 1853-1855, operating from their dearborn street offices as osdel & olmsted. they designed some of the most spectacular pre-fire structures in the city.

john van osdel withdrew from the firm to partner with architect frederic baumann, and thereafter william olmsted continued to practice alone in the same offices through part of 1855.

osdel's hand in the city's construction was undoubtedly multifaceted, involving an array of business endeavors that re-shaped waterways, amplified trade, and elevated landmark buildings, both before and after the great fire. his spectacular overall role in the city's making only serves to enrich the feeling of loss over the osborne & adams loft.

an interesting comparison to note is the resemblance between the osborne & adams building, and the second palmer house hotel (constructed by john van osdel in 1875, and advertised as "the world's only fire proof hotel"). perhaps a future line of inquiry will investigate similarities in building material, and why this renowned architect chose to build with artificial stone.



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