Leiter II Building
Also known as: Sears, Roebuck and Company
Why it's listed
Leiter II Building occupies the northeast corner of South State Street and East Congress in Chicago. Built between 1889 and 1891 to designs by William Le Baron Jenny, it was originally constructed for Seigel, Cooper and Company, which did not occupy it for more than seven years. The eight-story structure is 132 feet high and 402 feet long along State Street, and was among the largest buildings in the world by floor area and volume when completed. It has no bearing walls; fireproofed metal columns carry the floors and walls, leaving open floors that tenants could subdivide. The facades are light gray Maine granite with Romanesque colonettes framing large plate glass panes. The nomination describes it as a proto-skyscraper and Jenny's finest work, the first building where the steel and wrought-iron skeleton formed both the structure and the visible architectural pattern. Interiors have been extensively remodeled, and caissons were added under the west wall in 1940 before subway construction.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it a proto-skyscraper and the highest achievement of architect William Le Baron Jenny. It was the first building in which a steel and wrought-iron skeleton served as both the structural and the architectural element. Jenny combined structural and aesthetic design here more successfully than in his earlier or later work.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 76000695, listed January 7, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | NE corner of S. State and E. Congress Sts., Chicago |
|---|---|
| County | Cook County |
| Listed | January 7, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76000695 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1889-1891 |
| Architect / builder | Major William Le Baron Jenny (1832-1907) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| National Historic Landmark | Yes, designated January 7, 1976 |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Form lists the building as occupied, in good condition, altered, with interiors extensively remodeled; the home office of Sears, Roebuck and Company occupied it at the time. |
| Within district | Loop Retail Historic District |
| Coordinates | 41.87643, -87.62743 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 76000695.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q3477008
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.