Wholesale Florists Exchange
Why it's listed
Built in 1927 at 1313 West Randolph Street, this three-story reinforced concrete loft was created to house Chicago's leading wholesale florists under one roof. First Realty Company partnered with a consortium of floral firms, including Kennicott Brothers and Poehlman Brothers, and hired the firm Fox & Fox, known mainly for garages and industrial buildings. The result used flat-slab construction with flared mushroom columns, while the street facades were cast entirely in concrete, with ribbed piers ending in lotus capitals and abstracted Art Deco floral motifs. Its completion moved the center of the florist trade from the congested Wabash and Randolph area in the Loop to the Near West Side. It is considered locally significant for its role in Commerce and as a rare Chicago example of a loft with concrete facades rather than brick or stone. Original elevators, plaster lobby details and upper-floor corridor doors remain, though windows and the main door have been replaced.
Significance in brief: The building is locally significant for Commerce because it consolidated Chicago's largest wholesale florists in one purpose-built location and moved the center of the trade from the Loop to the Near West Side. It is also presented as an unusual Art Deco concrete loft with cast-in-place concrete facades and a flat-slab structural system.
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 11000849, listed November 22, 2011. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1313 W. Randolph St., Chicago |
|---|---|
| County | Cook County |
| Listed | November 22, 2011 |
| Reference number | 11000849 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1927-1960 |
| Architect / builder | Fox & Fox |
| Architectural style | Modern Movement / Art Deco |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Currently in commercial/business use; the original multi-light steel windows and main entrance door have been replaced, and the ground-floor storefronts are infilled with glass block within the original openings. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.88571, -87.65938 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 11000849.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q65073473
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.