Alfred Samuel Alschuler (November 2, 1876 – June 11, 1940) was a
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
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architect.
[
"Alfred S. Alschuler" (history),
archINFORM, 2006-10-12, ''Eng.archINFORM.net'' webpage:
]
archINFORM-ASA
Biography
Alschuler was born in Chicago and was educated in the public school system. He graduated with a Master in Science from the
Armour Institute of Technology
Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois. Tracing its history to 1890, the present name was adopted upon the merger of the Armour Institute and Lewis Institute in 1940. The university has prog ...
in 1899 and spent a year studying architecture at the
Art Institute of Chicago
The Art Institute of Chicago in Chicago's Grant Park, founded in 1879, is one of the oldest and largest art museums in the world. Recognized for its curatorial efforts and popularity among visitors, the museum hosts approximately 1.5 mill ...
. In 1900, he began his career as a draftsman for famed architect
Dankmar Adler
Dankmar Adler (July 3, 1844 – April 16, 1900) was a German-born American architect and civil engineer. He is best known for his fifteen-year partnership with Louis Sullivan, during which they designed influential skyscrapers that boldly addr ...
. Alschuler studied under Adler for five years before joining the firm of Samuel Treat for two years. Alschuler opened his own office in 1907. Also in 1907, he married
Rose Haas Alschuler
Rose Haas Alschuler (December 17, 1887 – July 4, 1979) was an American educator. She worked with the Chicago Woman's Club to create and direct the first nursery school in Chicago. That school, organized in the Franklin Public School system was al ...
, and together they would have five children.
His designs included warehouses, department stores, industrial buildings,
synagogue
A synagogue, ', 'house of assembly', or ', "house of prayer"; Yiddish: ''shul'', Ladino: or ' (from synagogue); or ', "community". sometimes referred to as shul, and interchangeably used with the word temple, is a Jewish house of worshi ...
s, and offices. Alschuler's legacy lives on in the form of historically significant buildings such as the
London Guaranty & Accident Building (1922–23) at the intersection of
N. Michigan Avenue and
Wacker Drive
Wacker Drive is a major multilevel street in Chicago, Illinois, running along the south side of the main branch and the east side of the south branch of the Chicago River in the Loop.Hayner, Don and Tom McNamee, ''Streetwise Chicago'', "Wacker D ...
.
The
Chicago Mercantile Exchange
The Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) (often called "the Chicago Merc", or "the Merc") is a global derivatives marketplace based in Chicago and located at 20 S. Wacker Drive. The CME was founded in 1898 as the Chicago Butter and Egg Board, an a ...
Building (1927), another of Alschuler's acclaimed commercial buildings, suffered a less fortunate fate; The Merc was demolished in 2003, despite a spirited set of protests organized by local preservation groups. The silver lining of The Merc's demolition was the creation of a new Chicago law which provides the
Landmarks Commission a 90-day period to review and potentially save historically significant buildings. Other significant industrial and commercial works by Alschuler include the Bull Dog and Whistle Restaurant,
Brach's
Brach's () is a candy and sweets brand of Ferrara Candy Company.
History
In 1904, Emil J. Brach invested his $1,000 life savings in a storefront candy store. He named it "Brach's Palace of Sweets" and it was located at the corner of North Avenu ...
Candy Factory, the Florsheim Shoe Factory, the Garment Center Building, and the
Benson-Rixon Department Store.
Alschuler was also an accomplished designer of Jewish synagogues in the Chicago area, including the current
K.A.M. Isaiah Israel Temple, Agudath Achim Bikur Cholim Synagogue, B'nai Sholom,
Anshe Emet Synagogue
Anshe Emet Synagogue is a Conservative synagogue located in the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. It is one of the oldest congregations in Chicago.
History of Anshe Emet Synagogue
Anshe Emet Synagogue was established in 1873 in a buil ...
, Am Shalom in Glencoe, and Am Echod in Waukegan.
A member of the
American Institute of Architects
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is a professional organization for architects in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach to su ...
, Alfred S. Alschuler died on June 11, 1940, near age 64, in Chicago.
[ His son John also trained as an architect, as did Alfred S. Alschuler Jr.. Several of Alschuler's works are listed on the U.S. ]National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
.[
]
Notable works
The following is a partial list of known works by Alfred S. Alschuler:John Marshall Law School (Chicago)
University of Illinois Chicago School of Law is a public law school in Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 1899, the school offers programs for both part-time and full-time students, with both day and night classes available, and offers January enroll ...
), 300-306 S. State St. (built in three phases, 1906, 1910 and 1928)Anshe Emet Synagogue
Anshe Emet Synagogue is a Conservative synagogue located in the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. It is one of the oldest congregations in Chicago.
History of Anshe Emet Synagogue
Anshe Emet Synagogue was established in 1873 in a buil ...
, 3760 N. Pine Grove Avenue, Chicago (1910)
*Shops Building, 21 N. Wabash Ave., Chicago (1912)[
* John Sexton & Co. aka Sexton Foods Building, Illinois & Orleans Chicago, Illinois (1916/1928)][
*Torco Building (upper 7 floors only), 624 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago (1922)
*Atwell Building (then Atwell Printing & Binding Company & ]Rotary International
Rotary International is one of the largest service organizations in the world. Its stated mission is to "provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through hefellowship of business, prof ...
; 1950s, Pentron Corporation & Revere Camera Company
The Revere Camera Company was started in 1920 by Samuel Briskin, who also started Wollensak Recorders and Opticals.
History
Founded in 1920 in Chicago, Illinois, as the Excel Auto Radiator Company by Ukrainian immigrant Samuel Briskin to manufac ...
;Chicago Mercantile Exchange
The Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) (often called "the Chicago Merc", or "the Merc") is a global derivatives marketplace based in Chicago and located at 20 S. Wacker Drive. The CME was founded in 1898 as the Chicago Butter and Egg Board, an a ...
Building, Chicago (1927)
*Hudson Motor Co. Building, 2228 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago (1928)[230 South State Street, Chicago, IL]
, General Services Administration
The General Services Administration (GSA) is an independent agency of the United States government established in 1949 to help manage and support the basic functioning of federal agencies. GSA supplies products and communications for U.S. gover ...
. Retrieved January 15, 2020.
*Henry W. Austin Branch, Chicago Public Library, 5615 W. Race Ave., Chicago
Notes
References
Alfred S. Alschuler
profile from Columbia College, Chicago.
External links
"Alfred S. Alschuler"
list of Chicago buildings designed by Alschuler.
Images of Alschuler buildings
University of Minnesota digital library. (search on "Alschuler")
{{DEFAULTSORT:Alschuler, Alfred S.
1876 births
1940 deaths
Jews and Judaism in Chicago
Architects from Illinois
20th-century American architects
School of the Art Institute of Chicago alumni