Silversmith Building
Why it's listed
Built in 1897 at 10 South Wabash Avenue in Chicago's Loop, this ten-story steel-frame building was designed for the jewelry and silver trade by Peter J. Weber of D.H. Burnham and Company. Its upper floors are faced in warm red brick and unglazed terra cotta, with rounded columns, acanthus capitals, spiral columns on the top story and a corbeled cornice that recall Romanesque Revival design. The first two floors were clad in dark green glazed terra cotta, an unusual and innovative choice for the mid-1890s, when terra cotta was usually made to imitate limestone. The building marks a moment when the Burnham firm was shifting from robust Romanesque work toward restrained neoclassicism. Storefronts and the lobby have been altered, but the masonry, window openings and original cornice remain remarkably intact. It was recognized for its architecture and its place in Chicago commercial design of the late nineteenth century.
Significance in brief: The building is argued to be locally significant under Criterion C as a distinctive late nineteenth century Chicago commercial building. It is one of the last Burnham firm commissions to use Romanesque Revival design. Its dark green glazed terra cotta lower floors were an innovative use of colored terra cotta cladding for the period.
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 97000435, listed May 16, 1997. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 10 S. Wabash Ave., Chicago |
|---|---|
| County | Cook County |
| Listed | May 16, 1997 |
| Reference number | 97000435 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1897 |
| Architect / builder | Weber, Peter J., Architect |
| Architectural style | Commercial Style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Exterior is largely intact with altered storefronts and lobby; the second floor and most upper floors are vacant apart from offices on the seventh floor and a store on the tenth. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Within district | Loop Retail Historic District |
| Coordinates | 41.88121, -87.62639 (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 97000435.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7516777
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.