Leiter II Building

“Aside from touches of Romanesque ornament on the mullion capitals and classical moldings and capitals, the elevations are almost completely devoid of embellishment. Professor Turak's words echo those of the Swiss architectural historian Sigfried Gideon who, in his authoritative book Space, Time and Architecture, on the international development of modern architecture, states that the Leiter Building "seems to be the first high building to but in its exhibit the trend toward pure forms.”

“The extant examples of buildings representing the evolution of the skyscraper constitute a fragile chronology of which the Second Leiter is a critical and essential link. The significance of the building's role in modern architecture is underscored by its designation as a National Historic Landmark by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior in 1976.”

“Few figures in Chicago's history have the stature of Levi Zeigler Leiter (1835-1905). Born in Maryland, Leiter came to Chicago in 1854 and became a partner in the firm of John V. Farwell and Company, one of the city's most prominent drygoods businesses.”

“To the east, along South Wabash Avenue, was a light manufacturing and wholesaling district. It was the intention of Leiter, according to a notice in the Inland Architect of August 1889, that his building "be one great retail store, as complete and perfect in all its appointments as the resources of modern science and art can make it." Leiter was obviously hoping that his improvement would spur an expansion of the retail shopping district southward and that the building would be occupied by a single prominent retail firm.”

“After selling his interest in Field, Leiter and Company in 1881. Leiter focused his energies on real estate development. Leiter amassed a large portfolio, including a variety of holdings such as the Grand Pacific Hotel, built in 1872 at Clark and Jackson streets; the Reliance Hotel at State and Hubbard which was leased by the Salvation Army; the building on West Adams Street that housed Henrici's restaurant; a workingman's hotel on State Street near Harrison; and a group of elegant apartments called the Leiter Flats at 65th Street between Stony Island and Harper avenues.”

“The Second Leiter Building is indicative of the innovative versatility inherent in fireproof metal-frame construction. Overall, the street elevations project a unified appearance of vertical elements balanced with horizontal.”

“Critics have recognized the Second Leiter as being of special architectural significance since the time of its completion in the early 1890s, and the building has continued to receive extensive attention from internationally known historians and critics in countless books and articles.”

“A century after its construction, the Second Leiter Building retains its strong visual presence on South State Street. The building, which is a National Historic Landmark, in 1986 underwent a historic rehabilitation certified by the National Park Service.”

“Nevertheless, the firm was seen as the largest of the exclusive carriage-trade stores serving Chicago's elite. Marshall Field never accepted the term "department store" to describe the business, and according to Joseph Siry in Carson Pirie Scott: Louis Sullivan and the Chicago Department Store, Field personally opposed expanding The Second Leiter Building was initially leased to Siegel, Cooper and Company.”