The General Services Administration (GSA) has selected “viable adaptive reuse” as the preferred outcome for the historically and architecturally significant Century and Consumers Buildings in Chicago.
Landmarks Illinois has advocated for the buildings’ reuse for many years, introducing a developer with a feasible reuse option to the GSA over a decade ago.
“After spending countless hours over the past three years dedicated to the preservation of these prominent buildings, we are hopeful for the potential to reinvigorate this part of downtown Chicago,” Landmarks said in a statement. “We look forward to the GSA’s next steps to identify a developer that can return these buildings to active use after nearly 20 years of sitting vacant.”
The two vacant, but architecturally significant terra cotta-clad skyscrapers located prominently on State Street. They sit within the National Register-listed Loop Retail Historic District and have been recommended for local landmark status in Chicago — a move Landmarks Illinois says in a statement that it strongly supports.
The U.S. General Services Administration owns the buildings and has proposed demolishing them. This ongoing threat led Landmarks Illinois to include the buildings on its Most Endangered Historic Places in Illinois in 2022 and 2023. Landmarks Illinois also nominated the buildings to the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s 2023 11 Most Endangered Historic Places in America.
“The era of Urban Renewal-scale demolition is over after it scarred communities, our environment and Chicago’s world-renown historic skyline. Reuse is the environmentally sustainable choice that will open doors to more affordable housing and construction jobs in the Loop,” said Landmarks Illinois president and CEO Bonnie McDonald. “We value that the GSA heard the compelling arguments made by our coalition and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation and are signaling a willingness to turn toward reuse.
“We also recognize the developers and real estate professionals who came forward to show interest in reuse as a viable and desirable path forward for these buildings.”
Landmarks Illinois stepped forward to legally protect the public’s right to transparency and to ensure their voice is heard in public processes around our historic resources. We are encouraged that consultation has led to this positive step toward adaptive reuse of the Century and Consumers Buildings. We hope this process has shown the power of the preservation community, which Landmarks Illinois is proud to be a part of, and the impact of our combined forces, expertise and tireless advocacy.
“Two years ago, demolition of the Century and Consumers Buildings seemed almost inevitable,” said Landmarks Illinois Advocacy Manager Kendra Parzen. “The selection of Viable Adaptive Reuse as the preferred alternative is the result of countless meetings, discussions and behind-the-scenes problem-solving.
“This outcome demonstrates how essential sustained advocacy and the public consultation process are in shaping the future of our historic places.”
The Century & Consumers Buildings are two of State Street’s remaining architecturally and historically significant, terra cotta-clad skyscrapers. Both are contributing structures to Chicago’s Loop Retail Historic District, listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1999, and are key components of State Street’s historic street wall. They speak to State Street’s past and present as one of Chicago’s most important retail and commercial corridors. Despite years of vacancy under the ownership of the GSA, these two Chicago School-style high-rise office buildings still have great integrity, beauty and potential for adaptive reuse.
The Century Building was designed in 1915 by the legacy architecture firm of Holabird & Roche (today’s Holabird & Root). Originally, the building was constructed to house the Buck & Rayner Drug Firm. In 1917, Century Trust & Savings Bank bought the property and changed its name to the Century Building.
The Consumers Building was designed in 1913 by architects Jenney, Mundie & Jensen. The building got its name from its first tenant, the newly formed Consumers Company. After the Consumers Company left the building in 1917, it was home to many businesses and storefronts.
The GSA acquired both buildings in 2005 but never occupied them. They have since sat vacant.
