| Address | Predominantly Bryn Mawr Avenue between Sheridan Road and Broadway |
|---|---|
| Built | Various |
| Architect | Various |
| Status | Designated Chicago Landmark District |
| Designation Date | September 23, 2026 (Final)City Council Journal of the Proceedings, p. 50170 |
| Type | Residential district |
About this name
Cover, verbatim: 'Preliminary Summary of Information Submitted to the Commission on Chicago Landmarks in April 2026 Bryn Mawr Avenue District Predominantly Bryn Mawr Avenue between Sheridan Road and Broadway.' The City's address list carries it as 'N. Broadway Ave. 5555 thru 5615 (odds) Bryn Mawr Avenue District (Preliminary)'. Not to be confused with the Bryn Mawr-Belle Shore Apartment Hotels, which are designated.
Direct quotes from the Chicago Landmark Designation Report
“The four-story courtyard building included two large penthouse units on a partial fifth floor, one of which became Buck's own residence. Buck is also credited with designing eight Queen Anne style houses in the neighboring Lakewood-Balmoral National Register District, which date from 1899 to 1905. 111 111 KENMORE 1038 5. 1025 W. Bryn Mawr Avenue (1908; J.E.O. Pridmore, architect) Commonly referred to as The Manor House, this three-story building was the first dedicated apartment building constructed on Bryn Mawr Avenue.”
“The first non-residential building on Bryn Mawr Avenue was known as the Guild Hall, which Cochran commissioned in 1886. Designed by Chicago architect Joseph Lyman Silsbee, it was a 22-story, mixed-use building with commercial space on the ground floor and a meeting room above.”
“E. L. Bloomster drew this picture. Top image: The first building on Bryn Mawr Avenue designed as luxury apartments was the Manor House in 1908. Each unit included maid's sleeping quarters.”
“Development of lots on Bryn Mawr Avenue occurred in two waves: the first in 1908 when the Northwestern Elevated railway was extended north of Wilson to include a stop at Bryn Mawr; the second during the 1920s when limitations on multi-family construction were eased.”
“The 1910s also saw the construction of novel entertainment venues in the District. A dance hall was located on the second floor of 1106 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., immediately east of the new elevated tracks and the D. Collander Company opened the 768-seat Bryn Mawr Theater for vaudeville performances and silent black & white films in 1912 at 1125 W. Bryn Mawr Ave.”
“While intact individual historic commercial buildings survive throughout Chicago, it is rare to find commercial streetscapes from this period of the quality and degree of physical integrity possessed by the Bryn Mawr Avenue District.”
“Its buff-colored brick walls are heavily ornamented with Classical Revival details in a mix of stone and pressed metal. The north elevation has 150 feet of street frontage that spans a full block of Bryn Mawr Avenue.”
“The Bryn Mawr Avenue District consists of three blocks of historic commercial, mixed-use, residential and ecclesiastical buildings from the late-19ththrough the mid-20th century. While buildings of this vintage are found throughout Chicago's neighborhoods, the District is unusual for its concentration and architectural cohesion.”
“In addition to commerce and transit, the district includes four architecturally significant apartment buildings from the first two decades of the 20th century. One religious building along the corridor serves a congregation with lengthy ties to the District.”
“Constructed in two phases, the oldest portion of the building is its southern half, which dates to 1897. Attributed to architect Joseph A. Thain, the design reflects aspects of Queen Anne architecture.”