| Address | 1027 W. Madison Street, Chicago, IL |
|---|---|
| Built | 1872 |
| Architect | Stephen Vaughn Shipman |
| Status | Designated Chicago Landmark |
| Designation Date | May 4, 2011 (Final) |
| Neighborhood | Near West Side |
| Type | Office and commercial building |
| Landmark ID | L-298 |
Direct quotes from the Chicago Landmark Designation Report
“The Holden Block is arguably the finest surviving example on the Near West Side and one of the best citywide in its overall architectural design and detailing. Immensely popular throughout the United States in the latter half of the nineteenth century, the Italianate architectural style was loosely based on Italian country villa architecture and the picturesque use of classically-influenced ornament, and the style exemplifies the Victorian love of ornament.”
“Most of these 19th-century buildings have been demolished and replaced with either early 20th-century loft manufacturing buildings or late 20th-century mixed-use buildings. The Holden Block is one of the oldest buildings on West Madison west of downtown, having been erected shortly after the Chicago Fire of 1871.”
“Among the first tenants in the Holden Block was George H. Watson & Co., which sold stoves and hardware. Watson and his partner A. C. Thomas occupied the west side of the building (the old address was 302 W. Madison).”
“On September 17, 1855, Charles Holden married Sarah J. Reynolds, granddaughter of Abraham Holderman, an early Northern Illinois pioneer who settled at Holderman's Grove, LaSalle County. They had one child, Sarah J. Holden.”
“Cast-iron columns on the first floor have handsomely-detailed Corinthian capitals. In 1894 a gas explosion and fire destroyed the interior of the west section of the Holden Block and the west and south walls.”
“The Holden Block, with its larger scale and finer, more varied ornamentation, is the best-remaining 1870s-era commercial block that exemplifies this 19th-century period of Near West Side development.”
“He was a member of the Illinois Chapter of the American Institute of Architects and was elected a Fellow in 1887. BUILDER AND OWNER CHARLES C. P. HOLDEN The builder and owner of the Holden Block, Charles C. P. Holden (1827–1905), was a prominent resident of Chicago serving in many elected and appointed political positions.”
“Shipman also designed the 1888 Presbyterian Hospital on the West Side of Chicago in a fanciful Queen Anne style. Now part of Rush Medical Center, this building has been greatly altered, but some of the original stone ornament remains in place, particularly at the entrance and along the base of the corner tower.”
“The style, with its visually-lively decoration that could be easily applied to varied property types, was especially important in Chicago for free-standing single-family residences, row houses and commercial loft buildings, such as the Holden Block.”
“In the 20th century the building stone of choice in Chicago became Bedford limestone from Indiana quarries near Bloomington, Indiana. This limestone is considered the highest-quality limestone in the United States.”