United States Post Office - Loop Station in Chicago

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United States Post Office - Loop Station

211 South Clark Street, Chicago, Illinois, The Loop 60604
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Set apart, but still unified with the other buildings in Chicago's Federal Center, United States Post Office - Loop Station is small, but plays a crucial role in the design of this project.

United States Post Office - Loop Station wasn't actually supposed to happen at all. It was originally planned to be part of the federal courthouse skyscraper across Dearborn Street. But early on in the planning it became obvious that trucks would need better access than the courthouse building could provide, so the post office was split off into its own building.

The structure is a low, square version of Mies van der Rhoe's now classic architecture aesthetic. It has a central core surrounded by a massive glass and steel enclosed lobby and service area. The shape of the building helps define the public plaza outside, and takes up the space where a light-robbing skyscraper would normally go, making the Federal Center less intrusive on the crowded Loop. Mies tried the same thing with the Toronto Dominion Centre in Canada, but later more buildings were added, ruining the spacial dynamics.

Clearly, though, this building was designed for a different age. It has dozens and dozens of service windows, but these days in spite of long lines there are rarely any more than three used. The poor service has driven many people to electronic or private alternatives, leaving vast sections of this once bustling building vacant.

Chicago Spire Condo Information
Quick Facts
Statistics
  • Stories above ground: 1
  • Stories below ground: 2
Timeline
  • 1917: Famed Chicago mobster Al Capone is convicted of tax evasion in a courthouse formerly at this location.
  • 1959: Design work begins on this project.
  • 1960: Congress authorizes construction to begin on the Federal Center.
  • 1965: The old United States Post Office and Courthouse is demolished to make way for this building.
  • 1966: Construction begins on this building.
  • 1973: Construction is completed.
Notes
  • Architect: Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
  • Architecture firm: Schmidt, Garden and Erikson
  • Architecture firm: C. F. Murphy Associates
  • Architecture firm: A. Epstein and Sons
  • This is the building where Illinois senators have their offices.
  • The entire layout of the Federal Center and its buildings are on a 28-foot square grid.
Did You Know?
  • This was formerly the location of the United States Post Office and Courthouse, designed by Henry Ives Cobb.
  • Much of the building's exterior is painted black. If it wasn't painted, then many shiny steel and aluminum elements would be seen.
Forum Discussions Talk about this building with other architecture enthusiasts
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There are two comments.

  If you had a zero rating that's what your station would get from me. Whoever is now delivering mail at 70 W. Madison needs to go into training. I can't run fast enough to catch the mailperson because they are in and back on the elevator in a matter of seconds - and we're on the top floor. When there's registered mail to be delivered, they should at least bring the mail inside the office and get a signature. That's what your client is paying for - a certainty that they're mail is being delivered to the proper party. Whoever took over LaTresse's job need to step aside and the Post Office get LaTrisse back. At the least, she knows what customer service is. If the Post Office is expecting to maintain customers (commercial as well as private), and utilize all of their services and not lose to the internet, for "mailing," I suggest you keep employees like LaTresse. Believe me, if this keeps up that's exactly what will happen, and the Post Office will go by the way of Pony Express.

Rena' Watson - Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009 @ 12:27pm  

  The most timeless post office in the world. Some years ago, being posted in Chicago, I had the opportunity ti admire this building many times. A fantastic work of art.

Bill Sorensen - Saturday, March 21st, 2009 @ 1:57am  

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