Rand McNally Building, Neoclassical skyscraper in Chicago Loop, United States
The Rand McNally Building is a 10-story office tower built with red brick over a steel frame in the Chicago Loop. The ground floor holds retail spaces, while the upper floors were designed for office and publishing work.
Daniel Burnham designed this building in 1889 using an all-steel frame, one of the first times this method was applied to a structure of this height. That construction choice helped shape how taller buildings were put up in Chicago in the years that followed.
The building takes its name from Rand McNally, the map and atlas publisher that used it as its main base of operations. Walking past today, you can still see the red brick facade that set it apart from the stone buildings common at the time.
The building sits in the heart of the Chicago Loop, within easy walking distance of several train and subway stations. The red brick facade is best viewed from the sidewalk across the street, where you can take in the full height.
The upper floors of this building served as the planning office for the 1893 World's Fair held in Chicago, meaning many of the decisions that shaped the event were made here. It also housed a telephone exchange, making it one of the early hubs for long-distance calls in the city.
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