Monadnock Building - Masonry Marvel

Stop on Historic Chicago Loop Walking Tour, a free self-guided tour.

Walk east to 53 West Jackson Boulevard to see the Monadnock Building, a remarkable 16-story structure divided into two distinct halves. The north half, designed by Burnham & Root and completed in 1891, is the tallest load-bearing brick building ever constructed. Its walls are six feet thick at the base, tapering to 18 inches at the top. The 3.5 million pounds of brick demonstrate the absolute limit of masonry construction technology. The building's stark, nearly ornament-free facade influenced modernist architecture decades later. The Egyptian Revival cornice and subtle curves showcase Root's artistic restraint. The south half, added in 1893 by Holabird & Roche, uses the newer steel-frame construction with terra cotta cladding, demonstrating the rapid technological change. The building marks the transition between old and new construction methods. The name comes from a New Hampshire mountain. Despite its massive masonry, the building has remarkably thin interior partitions maximizing rentable space. The building's two halves visually document the architectural revolution happening in Chicago. Today, the carefully restored building houses offices and remains a powerful reminder of the ingenuity required before modern steel frames became standard.