Roanoke Building and Tower

“The exterior will be brick and terra-cotta with marble trim-a finish similar to the McCormick building and cost 1,250,000 when completed." A ring of lights above the first floor storefronts illuminated the building on both street elevations.”

“Individual projects of note include the Streets of Paris concession and Common Brick Model House at the 1933-34 Century of Progress Exposition, the Fisher Studio Homes at 1209 North State Street (designated a Chicago Landmark), and a striking, Art Moderne brick-and-glass block pair of houses at 1328 North State Street that Rebori designed for himself and his son.”

“There were also eight buildings over 500 feet in height and eleven over 400. These came largely in two forms. The first was the Roanoke-essentially a block with tower.”

“In 1922 five stories were added after building height restrictions on downtown Chicago buildings were eased, and the building was rechristened the Roanoke Building. Finally, in 1925, a thirty-six-story tower was added to the building, taking advantage of the City's first zoning ordinance which allowed soaring towers in Chicago's Loop.”

“The most dramatic element of the addition is the tower itself, which rises above the twenty-first story almost another 200 feet. This tower, which measured approximately forty feet east and west and ninety feet deep, featured a central elevator and stair core with offices spaces flanking.”

“Throughout his career, Rebori strove to create graceful and distinctive buildings for modern living. Rebori was born on the Lower East Side of New York. His father Paul, an Italian-born engineer, was killed in an accident when young Andrew was three, and the family was poverty stricken throughout the boy's childhood.”

“In 1913, he received his license. After a brief period working with local Chicago architect Jarvis Hunt, Rebori opened his own firm as a sole practitioner. One of his earliest commissions was the Classical redesign of the Studebaker Theater in the Fine Arts Building in 1917.”

“After the completion of additional floors on the original building and the construction of the adjacent tower – all historically significant changes to the building – the Roanoke Building and Tower has experienced changes common to buildings of its vintage and program.”

“Floors and offices not taken by lumber-related businesses were leased for general office use. The architects for the new building were Holabird & Roche. This longstanding firm had been founded in 1881 by William Holabird and Martin Roche, who met while working in the architectural office of William Le Baron Jenney-the so-called "father of the skyscraper." A native of New York, Holabird came to Chicago in 1875.”

“In 1961, the cornice was removed. In 1981, LaSalle Partners acquired a partial interest in the building and took over management. LaSalle then embarked on a $175,000 renovation of the storefront exterior and the lobby, new design by Hammond, Beeby & Babka.”