Washington Block
The building was originally intended to host upscale offices for companies wanting to be close to the nearby then-blossoming LaSalle Street financial district. However, when the Chicago 'L' was built next to the building, the upscale commercial customer found the building undesirable. During the mid-1900s, the owner hammered off ground-level architectural details in order to modernize the storefronts. 21st century owners have recast some of the details during a restoration.
The isolated pier technique uses several separate foundations, one at each of the load-bearing points underground. Thus, instead of using a single foundation that would crack as the building shifted on sandy soil, a building may be built on a much longer-lasting and sturdier foundation. The Washington Block's foundation enabled it to be built on soft, compressible soil, instead of the solid bedrock formerly seen as a requirement. This ability allowed skyscrapers to be built in places like Chicago, and many of them were.
Notes
- ^ "Washington Block". City of Chicago Department of Planning and Development, Landmarks Division. 2003. Retrieved July 31, 2008.
- ^ Lee Bey (September 18, 2000). "Rebirth of Washington Block". Chicago Sun-Times. Newsbank. Retrieved July 31, 2008.
- ^ King, John (July 30, 2006). "Chicago's architectural razzmatazz: New or old, skyscrapers reflect city's brash and playful character". San Francisco Chronicle. Hearst Communications Inc. Retrieved July 31, 2008.
- ^ "Washington Block". Emporis.com. Archived from the original on July 30, 2012. Retrieved July 31, 2008.
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