Pontiac Building

The Pontiac Building is a 14-story commercial structure with brick and terracotta facades located at the intersection of Dearborn Street and Federal Street. The building displays three continuous tiers of bay windows and currently houses office and residential spaces.

Completed in 1891, this structure was the oldest surviving work by the architectural firm Holabird & Roche in downtown Chicago following the Great Fire of 1871. Its construction marked a pivotal moment in the rebuilding of the city's skyline after the devastating fire.

The building displays the hallmarks of Chicago School design with expansive windows that flood offices with daylight and pronounced vertical lines that draw the eye upward. These design choices became influential in shaping how tall commercial buildings were built across America.

The building is accessible from South Dearborn Street in Printer's Row, a neighborhood filled with other historic structures from the same era. Visitors can view the exterior and observe the architectural details from street level, with multiple angles providing different perspectives of the facades.

The structure merges engineering practicality with decorative craftsmanship through its limestone piers with carved capitals supporting the lower floors and intricate terracotta detailing beneath the second-floor windows. This balance of function and ornamentation reflected the finest building practices of its time.

Location: Chicago

Inception: 1891

Architects: Holabird & Root

Architectural style: Chicago School

Floors above the ground: 14

Made from material: brick, terracotta

Address: 542 South Dearborn Street, Chicago, Illinois 60605

GPS coordinates: 41.87472,-87.62889

Latest update: December 9, 2025 12:26