Whimsical sea creatures and the quirky, hand-lettered names of original businesses preserved on apartment doors were among the unique features of a Chicago building that recently prompted Greg Thompson to forsake high-rise living on North Lake Shore Drive for a new address.
Thompson, and his wife, Sandra, moved in September to the newly restored Fisher Building at 343 S. Dearborn St.
“The building has a classic character,” said Thompson. “They’ve integrated the feel of the 1890s, but there’s an updated feel when you walk in that apartment, with its [new] appliances and partition walls.”
The Thompsons, both of whom are musicians, had lived in a 64-floor high-rise on Lake Shore Drive. However, it had little in the way of decorative appeal to make it stand out from a slew of other skyscrapers.
“It was a cookie-cutter [building]. It had great views, but it was 64 floors of `this is your corner’ and everyone above you is exactly the same,'” Thompson said.
The Thompsons still have a great view, but now it is from the fifth floor of this former office building, which has been converted into 184 luxury apartments by Village Green Cos. of Farmington Hills, Mich.
Although this 21-story building now has new life as a residential property, its long history as a commercial structure has not been forgotten.
In fact, the restoration pays tribute to its former identity as a place where many businesses operated, including the Thiel Detective Service and John J. Wolfe Soap Co.
The hand-lettered names of these and other shuttered businesses have been preserved on the opaque glass and mahogany doors, which also are original. Although the Thompson’s unit, which is a two-bedroom, one bath, has a number assigned to it, it also still bears the name “Crescent Silk Company” on the door.
“I get a kick out of it,” said Thompson.
Instead of a view of Lake Michigan, the couple now look through oversize bay windows to see a small park, as well as cars and people rushing along State Street.
The Fisher Building is in the heart of what was then, and still is now, the city’s financial district. It was constructed in 1896 and was named a historic landmark by the City of Chicago in 1978.
Although not every unique detail from the building’s rich past could be preserved, many of them have, such as the array of fanciful, aquatic life forms–crabs, shells, fish, frogs and salamanders–decorating the building’s terra-cotta exterior.
The sea motif is a playful reference to the building’s original owner, Lucius G. Fisher, and the ornamentation comes courtesy of architectural firm D.H. Burnham and Co., which is credited with designing the building.
Other historic features include mosaic tile floors, white and gray marble walls in the lobby, and original hardwood floors in many of the apartments.
At the time it was constructed, the Fisher Building was billed as one of the tallest commercial structures in the world.
Restoring it involved a multitude of time-consuming tasks, from uncovering woodwork and glass hidden underneath layers of wallpaper or numerous coats of paint, to cleaning the marble walls of the lobby, which had been stained a dingy yellow by years of cigarette smoke and dirt.
The restoration also has returned a luster to the mosaic tile floors, which extend through the public hallways and into some of the apartments.
These floors, which feature a large section of white flanked by narrow strips of rust and brown, lead into the building’s two-bedroom, two-bathroom model unit.
The warm colors of the tile floor give a cozy feel to this unit’s intimate foyer, which is about 9-by-4 feet. The tile comes to an end a few feet into this apartment, where it blends nicely with the blond, original hardwood floor that extends through much of the rest of the apartment.
Although this pale-colored floor shines like new, it also retains a few nicks and scars that were not covered over in the restoration process. They are a sign that these floors have a pedigree and are as old as the building itself.
The floor takes a turn near a mirrored, double closet in the foyer and leads eventually into the unit’s living room.
First, however, is the kitchen and just across from it, an ample bathroom. The open kitchen features a white and gray, faux marble counter, which tops a mahogany island.
This island juts into the kitchen and separates it from the hallway. The white and gray of the island counter echoes the white and gray marble in the lobby of this building. The cabinets in this room are mahogany with matte silver knobs–a look that is in keeping with the old-fashioned appeal of the apartment.
The kitchen has black appliances, a stainless-steel double sink and soaring 10-feet-high ceilings, which make this room seem large and airy.
The bathroom, which is across the hall from the kitchen, is updated in white and features an updated amenity–an oversized soaking tub where you could luxuriate as you bathe.
The bathroom also has a white tile floor and a white vanity. It is just next to a closet off of the hallway that contains a stacked washer and dryer.
A few steps beyond the kitchen and bathroom is the approximately 16-by-17 living room.
If looking at the aquatic creatures that decorate the Fisher Building alone are not enough to enjoy, the windows in the living room offer a view of the Harold Washington Library, which is just across the street.
An owl that decorates the library’s exterior, near the roof, can be seen from this oversized bay window. Beyond the owl, it also is possible to see the blue of Lake Michigan in the east, as well as cars, buses and people traveling on State Street below.
The windows of this apartment are nearly as tall and as wide as the walls themselves. The center bay window has a smaller window on each side. These can be opened several inches, about a half-foot to allow a breeze to flow into the room.
While one bay window might be enough to satisfy the yearning for a room with a view for many people, the master bedroom also has views that cannot be overlooked.
The master bedroom, which is carpeted in beige, has a bay window that looks to the south and has a view that encompasses nearby office buildings.
Clothes can be stored in this room’s spacious, walk-in closet, which also features a large window to brighten the area.
Like the first bathroom, the attached master bedroom is decorated in white, with a white vanity, a glass shelf for keeping a decorative toothbrush or soap holder, and a large mirror. Instead of a soaking tub, this bathroom comes equipped with a glass-enclosed shower.
The final room to be seen is the second bedroom, which is about 12 by 10. It has a double window, which also looks to the east, and offers a view of trains rumbling along the “L” tracks below.
This room, like the master bedroom, is carpeted in beige. It also has two closets.
In addition to the two-bedroom, two-bath unit, the Fisher Building offers a variety of floor plans including studios, convertibles, one bedrooms, one bedrooms with dens, two bedrooms, three bedrooms and four split-level penthouses.
Although it is not yet completed, the 19th floor of the building will be the site of several amenities, including an exercise room, a great room with a fireplace and billiard tables, and a common laundry room.
The unit we visited rents for $1,980 a month and requires a $500 security deposit. For rental information, call 312-913-1922.
