Oliver Building
Why it's listed
Built in 1906-07 at 159 North Dearborn Street in Chicago, this narrow seven-story office building was designed by Holabird and Roche as headquarters for the Oliver Typewriting Company. It measures about 110 by 38 feet and has a steel frame clad in brick, with six identical bays filled with prefabricated cast-iron windows. The building originally rose five stories; the same architects added two more in 1920 and continued the original design. Ornate cast-iron panels, many of them still in place, weave the company name, initials and a replica of an Oliver typewriter into Renaissance-style decoration. The building was listed because it shows Chicago School principles in a small, personalized form, and because it recalls a major typewriter manufacturer. The company was organized in 1896, operated a large factory in Woodstock, Illinois, and produced some 900,000 machines. Despite first-floor remodelling, the exterior remains largely intact.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is a distinctive small Chicago School office building by Holabird and Roche, with its skeletal steel frame, identical bays of Chicago windows and elaborate cast-iron Renaissance ornament. It is also historically important as the headquarters of an internationally known typewriter maker. The ornament includes the company name, initials and a typewriter replica.
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 83003563, listed December 8, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 159 N. Dearborn St., Chicago |
|---|---|
| County | Cook County |
| Listed | December 8, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83003563 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- |
| Architect / builder | Holabird and Roche |
| Architectural style | Chicago School |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture, Invention |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in commercial use; the exterior is largely intact apart from first-floor modernizations, and the interior lobby, hallway and office have been remodelled. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 41.88516, -87.62932 (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 83003563.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7087428
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.