Dexter Building
History
Architects Dankmar Adler and Louis Sullivan designed the Wirt Dexter Building as a warehouse and a furniture store for Wirt Dexter Walker, a prestigious lawyer in 1887, twelve years before his death. This building housed many businesses all around the years, from 1967 it was the home of the George Diamond Steak House, and the upper floors later housed the Sawyer Secretarial College.
Fire
On October 24, 2006, workmen were cutting up a boiler in the basement for scrapping with acetylene torches that sparked a large fire. The fire was allowed to get out of control and gutted the building. At its peak, the fire, which started in the basement at around 3 pm, was a five-alarm fire, the Chicago Fire Department's highest level of alert, with over 250 firefighters responding. Following the fire, the surviving shell of the building was too unstable to save and was demolished. At the time of the fire there was no insurance on the building.
In popular culture
The Wirt Dexter Building can be seen in the near background of one scene in the 2001 movie Just Visiting.
References
- ^ Dexter Building, Chicago Landmarks, City of Chicago, retrieved October 4, 2011.
- ^ Ron Grossman, Michelle Keller and Tony C. Yang, "Fire guts historic building: 2nd Louis Sullivan structure destroyed this year in Chicago," Chicago Tribune October 25, 2006.
- ^ Ron Grossman and Josh Noel, "Woman's dream now lies in ruins," Chicago Tribune October 26, 2006.
External links
- Article about the fire by Lynn Becker
- Save a Landmark; Put Down the Blowtorch, Landmarks Illinois: Article about the fire and use of acetylene torches in rehabilitating historic buildings, with pictures