Uptown Broadway Building
Why it's listed
Rising three stories along North Broadway in Chicago's Uptown neighborhood, this store and office building was begun in 1926 and completed in 1927. It fills a triangular site, and its seventeen-bay front, about 40 feet high and 164 feet long, is covered entirely in pale ochre and slate gray terra cotta. The ornament includes urns, plumed helmets, festoons, spiral columns, eagle medallions and a hooded angel's head over the entrance. Architect Walter W. Ahlschlager, who also designed the Sheridan Plaza Hotel and many movie theaters, drew on classical to late Baroque sources in what the nomination calls Chicago Spanish Baroque. The building was listed as a well-preserved example of 1920s prosperity and exuberance, built when Uptown was among the city's busiest outlying business and entertainment centers. Little of the terra cotta is damaged, and the storefronts have been partly restored, although some windows and the basement entrance have been altered.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is an unusually rich and well-preserved example of terra cotta used to create a striking commercial facade. It reflects the optimistic, eclectic spirit of the 1920s building boom in Chicago. It is also an important work of architect Walter W. Ahlschlager, and its terra cotta, made by the American Terra Cotta Company, remains in unusually good condition.
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 86003143, listed November 6, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 4703--4715 N. Broadway, Chicago |
|---|---|
| County | Cook County |
| Listed | November 6, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86003143 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- (specific date 1926) |
| Architect / builder | W. W. Ahlschlager (1887-1965); terra cotta by American Terra Cotta Company; mason contractor Fridstrom & Gustafson |
| Architectural style | Chicago Spanish Baroque |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in commercial use; terra cotta in good condition, with storefronts partially restored and some alterations such as glass-block second-floor windows. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Uptown Square Historic District |
| Coordinates | 41.96804, -87.65874 (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 86003143.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7899429
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.