The historic Chicago Power Station, built in 1911 to serve Chicago and the Northwest Terminal in Chicago, Illinois, is a unique piece of architecture. This building was conceived and designed by Frost & Granger in 1909 and is a fine example of the Beaux-Arts style, with elements of the Italian Renaissance.
The power plant is built using cream brick, which is matched with terracotta trim, cornices and ornamentation. A notable element of the building is its 69-meter brick chimney.
This power plant included four rooms, including a large engine room and boiler room, as well as an engineering office and a reception room. In 1948, it was claimed to be capable of supplying power to serve a city of 15,000.
In the 1960s, the power station ceased to function as part of the station. However, when the terminal was demolished in 1984 and replaced by the Ogilvie transport center, this power plant survived.
It is important to note that it is one of two remaining railroad power plants in Chicago and the only one in Chicago and the Northwest region.
For a long time, the building was under threat of demolition until it was recognized as a historical site. What’s more, his basements were hit by the Chicago flood in 1992. However, the developer purchased the building and, by adding two additional interior floors, successfully converted it into a mixed-use office/retail building. This renovation project was even awarded Best Adaptive Reuse by Landmarks Illinois in 2007.