| Address | 7059 South Shore Drive, Chicago, IL |
|---|---|
| Built | 1906, 09, 16 |
| Architect | Marshall & Fox |
| Status | Designated Chicago Landmark |
| Designation Date | May 26, 2004 (Final)City Council Journal of the Proceedings, p. 24659 |
| Neighborhood | South Shore |
| Type | Museum and cultural institution |
| Landmark ID | L-11 |
Interior spaces protected by this designation
- Club building interior: the main first-floor spaces of the entry vestibule, the ballroom (now the Robeson Theater), solarium, and dining room, the two-story-high Passagio, and the open mezzanine second-floor corridors encircling the Passagio, all including, but not limited to, all architectural elements and light fixtures of these spaces
- The small outdoor stage adjacent to the ballroom wing (southeastern-most end of the club building) and an adjacent sunken area with a terrazzo floor featuring the South Shore Country Club logo of a stylized tree. (03-108) (7-12-36-11A) (12-1500) SOUTH SHORE COUNTRY CLUB- CHICAGO Above: An aerial view of South Shore Cultural Center in 1975.
Direct quotes from the Chicago Landmark Designation Report
“With a nine-hole course on the shore of Lake Michigan and an ornate Mediterranean Revival-style clubhouse, the South Shore Country Club, originally constructed in 1906 and replaced in 1916 in the same style, was distinguished by its unique site and dramatic architecture.”
“A distinctive intact example of resort architecture in Chicago, in the exotic-for-Chicago Mediterranean Revival style, the South Shore Cultural Center has a unique character that is immediately recognizable, and is an important visual landmark in the South Shore Community.”
“Practicing together between 1905 and 1926, Benjamin Marshall and Charles Fox catered primarily to the City's elite, specializing in luxury apartment buildings, hotels, theaters, and clubs. Prominent Chicago buildings designed by Marshall & Fox include the Blackstone Hotel and Theatre on South Michigan Avenue; the Drake Hotel and several apartment buildings in the East Lake Shore Drive Chicago Landmark District; the 1550 North State Parkway apartment building overlooking Lincoln Park; and the original section of the Uptown National Bank Building.”
“These main first-floor spaces, plus the mezzanine corridors encircling the Passagio, are lavishly ornamented with finely-detailed Classical plaster ornament. The South Shore Cultural Center was designed by Marshall & Fox, a prominent early 20thcentury architectural firm in Chicago.”
“This architectural style was rarely used for Chicago buildings, although widely popular in Florida, Southern California, and other warm-weather parts of the United States. The South Shore Cultural Center is an important intact example of an urban country club facility and an unusual example of resort architecture in Chicago.”
“The traditional character associated with Georgian and Tudor styles also made them popular choices for clubhouses. Several golf clubs, like the South Shore and Medinah Country Clubs, constructed lavish clubhouses in more unusual architectural styles.”
“Its grand interior spaces are popular for weddings and other special events. Now known as the South Shore Cultural Center, the facility features a nine-hole public golf course, bathing beach, tennis courts, and landscaped gardens.”
“The South Shore Cultural Center has several important historic interiors, including the Classical Revival and Adamesque style interior of the ballroom (now the Robeson Theater), which was constructed in 1909 as an addition to the original clubhouse and was later incorporated into the 1916 clubhouse.”
“Two years later Oliver W. Marble died and Marshall became Wilson's junior partner. In 1902, Marshall decided to open his own practice after Wilson retired. His most notable buildings during this period were the Illinois Theatre (demolished) and the Iroquois Theatre, which suffered a tragic fire in 1903.”