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update: 1870's post-fire italianate style superior street residence saved in downtown chicago

detail of built-up molding on pine wood exterior door. the entry and any and all images first published on may 26th, 2016.

1886 sanborn insurance map with red arrow indicating location of the superior street italianate. note: the extant coach house wasn't built yet.

 

 

 

 

 

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when last year, i read dnainfo's story on the likely demolition of an exceptional 1870's post-fire chicago italianate residence, i was so alarmed that i immediately prioritized documenting it in person. i knew the facade and splended ornament deserved to be photographed before any chance of its demolition had come to pass. i took hundreds of photos at every angle possible, aiming to capture the smallest details of its surfaces, including "artificial stone" window treatments and the completely intact double door entrance. luckily the building no longer faces demolition and is currently undergoing restoration.

way back when, i wrote that i strongly suspected the majority of the ornamentation and/or configuration of the interior had changed little since the time it was built in the 1870's. as it turns out the interior does retain many of those original and intact architectural elements. instead of gaining access through the developer or wrecker, in this case i passed over the extraordinary threshold of this residence with my real estate agent, as i explored the possibility of purchasing the building to house the bldg. 51 collection. the image gallery below shows the bones of the building glimpsed during my brief tour.

thankfully, this exceptional italianate mansion on superior street will not face the wrecking ball anytime soon.

 

note the original solid walnut octagonal newel post with nicely turned spindles. the newel post's recessed panels likely were finished in burled walnut for contrast.

typical configuration for an 1870's chicago italianate interior staircase.

original sylacauga or "alabama" marble mantel and cast iron "grate" with detachable summer cover.

first floor "alabama" marble mantel and surround with detachable perforated summer cover.

click here for updates: https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20170214/river-north/up-house-128-year-old-saved-from-demolition

detail of exterior door. all images courtesy of the bldg. 51 museum photo archive.

 

 



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