Sullivan Center
| Company type | Retail building |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail / Commercial real estate |
| Founded | 1899 |
| Headquarters | Chicago , United States |
| Products | Retail space, commercial offices |
Sullivan Center Overview
The Sullivan Center, previously identified as the Carson, Pirie, Scott and Company Building or Carson, Pirie, Scott and Company Store, is located at 1 South State Street, situated at the intersection with East Madison Street in Chicago, Illinois. Originally designed by Louis Sullivan in 1899 for the retail company Schlesinger & Mayer, the structure underwent expansion before being acquired by H.G. Selfridge & Co. in 1904. However, this company occupied the premises only briefly before selling the property—while the underlying land remained owned by Marshall Field—to Otto Young. Young then leased the building to Carson Pirie Scott at a monthly rate of $7,000,[1] which maintained its presence in the building for over one hundred years until 2006. Additional modifications were carried out by Daniel Burnham in 1906 and later by Holabird & Root in 1961.[2]
Since its inception in 1899, the building has continuously served retail functions and was designated a Chicago Landmark in 1975. It also forms a component of the Loop Retail Historic District.
Architecture
The origins of the Sullivan Center trace back to the aftermath of the Chicago Fire of 1871. In 1872, Leopold Schlesinger and David Mayer, who had previously worked together before the fire, launched a dry-goods business. Schlesinger immigrated from Germany to Chicago in 1862, while Mayer arrived in the United States as an infant in 1852, also from Germany. By 1881, they relocated their store into the Bowen Building at the intersection of State and Madison. In 1890, Schlesinger and Mayer commissioned Adler and Sullivan to design modifications involving the removal of the Bowen Building’s attic and the addition of two stories spanning both the Bowen Building and an adjacent four-story structure to the south. The façades were extended to harmonize with the lower floors, and the building was painted white.
Further remodeling occurred in 1892 when Adler and Sullivan were engaged again to enhance the store’s entrance at State and Madison. By 1896, with Sullivan working independently from Adler, Schlesinger and Mayer invited him back to redesign the façade and add two stories to a newly leased four-story building on Wabash Avenue, connecting it with their State Street location. However, these plans were abandoned when they opted instead for a ten-story structure—a proposal that also never materialized. The building was eventually painted white, and a bridge linking its second floor to the elevated railroad was constructed. In 1898, Schlesinger and Mayer resolved to demolish the original State and Madison building to erect a new one designed by Sullivan. Two proposals were made: one for nine stories and another for twelve. Construction began with the nine-story section on Madison Street adjacent to earlier Adler and Sullivan renovations.
In 1902, Schlesinger and Mayer returned with ambitions for a twenty-story structure at State and Madison but ultimately settled on twelve stories. The earlier Madison Street addition could not support this height structurally and remained unchanged. Sullivan devised a three-phase plan that allowed construction to proceed without interrupting business during the Christmas season.
The building is distinguished by its steel-frame construction, which enabled expansive bay-wide windows that maximized natural light within interior spaces. This post-and-lintel steel framework creates a robust, lightweight, and fire-resistant skeleton. The exterior features a grid of piers and spandrels that visibly express this structural system. This design marked the first implementation of what became known as the Chicago window. At street level, large glass panes provided enhanced merchandise displays visible to pedestrians, fostering the concept of a sidewalk showcase. Terra cotta bands separated these windows—chosen over white Georgia marble to reduce costs, weight, and avoid delays caused by a stonecutter strike. Above the rounded corner tower adorned bronze-plated cast-iron ornamentation. The building also incorporated a fire sprinkler system supplied by a 40-foot (12 m) water tower atop its roof.
Sullivan designed the corner entrance to be visible from both State and Madison streets. The elaborate decoration above this entryway was intended to lend sophistication and distinctiveness—key factors in competing with neighboring retailers. This building stands as an iconic example of the Chicago school style. The intricate detailing on its lower floors utilized natural light and shadow effects so skillfully it appeared almost to float above street level. The uppermost floor of both the 1899 and 1904 sections was recessed to form a narrow loggia crowned by an intricately detailed cornice projecting beyond the façade; however, this feature was removed around 1948 when the twelfth floor was remodeled to match lower levels.
In November 1897, Schlesinger & Mayer controversially opened a pedestrian bridge connecting their second floor directly to the Madison/Wabash elevated train station behind them. Despite city orders halting construction on November 20th, workers completed it overnight in secret, opening it as a fait accompli the following day. This bridge became a distinctive feature that made the store recognizable from afar; it too was embellished with intricate metalwork offering an impressive entry experience.
In May 1904, Harry Selfridge, founder of London's Selfridges, purchased the building to open H. G. Selfridge & Co.. After a grand opening in mid-June, he sold it just two months later in August 1904 to Carson Pirie Scott.
Carson Pirie Scott expanded in 1961 by adding an annex south of the original structure, increasing sales space by 59,500 sq ft (5,528 m2).
| Year | Description | Total sq ft | Total sq m |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1872 | 2,500 | 232 | |
| 1881 | 32,000 | 2,973 | |
| 1885 | 60,000 | 5,574 | |
| 1890 | 90,000 | 8,361 | |
| 1898 | Designed by Louis Sullivan. | 300,000 | 27,871 |
| 1906 | Expansion by Daniel Burnham, adding three bays on State Street; estimated cost $1 million. | ||
| 1961 | Addition of approximately 59,500 sq ft (5,530 m2) southward; architects Holabird & Root. | Around 1,000,000[3] | 1,000,000 sq ft (93,000 m2) |
In February 2006, restoration work on the building’s upper façade reached its first phase completion; this included cleaning as well as reconstructing cornices and supporting columns on the twelfth floor. A report from 2001 estimated renovation costs at $68.9 million.
In August 2006, Bon-Ton Stores Inc., owner of Carson Pirie Scott at that time, announced that following the Christmas season of that year, their department store would cease operations within this landmark structure. No immediate plans were disclosed regarding future tenants after closure; clearance sales preceded Carson’s final shutdown in February 2007.
The three-building complex encompassing approximately 943,944-square-foot (87,695.3 m2), now known as the Sullivan Center, is presently owned by Madison Capital—a private real estate firm headquartered in New York City.
Beginning in 2008, a second restoration initiative focused on decorative ironwork across the lower three floors commenced—covering both State Street frontage and rear sections facing Wabash Avenue—with partial funding from the City of Chicago. Work on Wabash Avenue’s façade concluded by August 2009; restoration along State Street wrapped up in late 2010.
Current tenants within Sullivan Center include Chicago_Community_Trust, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and Gensler. In December 2010 Freed and Associates revealed ongoing negotiations with retailer Target Corporation, which expressed interest in leasing part of the property. On February 15, 2011 Target confirmed leasing approximately 125,000 sq ft (11,600 m2) across two floors. The store officially opened July 26, 2012 receiving positive feedback for its minimalist design that respected historic architectural elements. In October 2021, Target’s entrance featuring a dark-colored façade gained viral popularity on TikTok under the nickname “Goth Target.”
See also
- Chicago architecture
- List of National Historic Landmarks in Illinois
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Central Chicago
References
External links
- Pages with script errors
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- Commercial buildings completed in 1899
- Commercial buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Chicago
- Department stores on the National Register of Historic Places
- Louis Sullivan buildings
- National Historic Landmarks in Chicago
- Skyscrapers in Chicago
- 1899 establishments in Illinois
- Art Nouveau architecture in Chicago
- Art Nouveau commercial buildings
- Individually listed contributing properties to historic districts on the National Register in Illinois
- Chicago school architecture in Illinois
- Chicago Landmarks
- Carson Pirie Scott