Wrigley Lodge is a building at 509 N. Union,

Chicago, Illinois (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

. Owned by

the Salvation Army The Salvation Army (TSA) is a Protestant church and an international charitable organisation headquartered in London, England. The organisation reports a worldwide membership of over 1.7million, comprising soldiers, officers and adherents col ...

since 1931, it most recently housed a Salvation Army Thrift Store and adult rehabilitation center. American Institute of Architects Chicago (2014)
AIA Guide to Chicago
'. Third Edition.

University of Illinois Press The University of Illinois Press (UIP) is an American university press and is part of the University of Illinois system. Founded in 1918, the press publishes some 120 new books each year, plus 33 scholarly journals, and several electronic proje ...

. p. 170. Retrieved October 12, 2019.Myers, Quinn.
Near Tribune Printing Plant Being Considered For Casino
, ''Block Club Chicago''. March 24, 2022. Retrieved April 11, 2022.

History

Early uses

The building was designed by the architectural firm of Furst & Rudolph and was built in 1891 by Biemolt & Carter at a cost of between $40,000 and $50,000.
The Real Estate and Building Journal
'. Vol. 33, No. 1. June 27, 1891. pp. 918, 920. Retrieved October 16, 2019.Meyer, Henry C. (1891).
The Engineering Record
'. Vol. 24. p. 227. Retrieved October 16, 2019. The building was originally the Braun & Fitts Butterine Factory. In 1897, a law was enacted in Illinois prohibiting the coloring of butterine."Hit at Butterine Trade; Vast Chicago Industry Depends on Governor Tanner's Pen", ''

Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television a ...

''. June 8, 1897. p. 9."Kills a City Industry; Tanner Ends Butterine Making Here, Manufacturers Say", ''

''. June 16, 1897. p. 9. In response, Braun & Fitts and Chicago's other butterine manufacturers threatened move their operations out of the state. However, Chicago's butterine producers decided to continue manufacturing and coloring butterine until arrests would be made, so the constitutionality of the law could be tested. The company's name was changed to John F. Jelke Company in 1906. In 1912, the Dairy Farm Products Company purchased the building from the John F. Jelke Company. The Dairy Farm Products Company opened its plant in the building on October 17, 1912, manufacturing butter. In 1916, the building was sold to

William Wrigley Jr. William Mills Wrigley Jr. (September 30, 1861 – January 26, 1932) was an American chewing gum industrialist. He was founder of the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company in 1891. Biography William Mills Wrigley Jr. was born in Philadelphia, Penns ...

for approximately $125,000."Wrigley Purchases Plant for Butterine Company", ''

''. November 5, 1916. p. 19. The building would house the factory and offices of the Downey-Farrell Company, a margarine manufacturer that Wrigley was affiliated with. An addition was built in 1917, designed by

Postle * Arthur Postle (1881-1965), Australian athlete * David E. Postle (1863 – 1939), American architecture * Herbert Postle (1884-1961), Australian politician * Joy Postle (1896-1989), American environmentalist *Martin Postle Martin Postle is a Br ...

& Fischer, at a cost of $40,000. In 1923, the building was purchased by the Duz Company, a manufacturer of soap powder, for $384,000. Wrigley re-purchased the building in 1929.

Salvation Army ownership

William Wrigley Jr. gave the Salvation Army use of the building on October 11, 1930 to use as a lodging house for the unemployed. It was named the New Start Lodge and was formally opened at 3:30 pm on October 23, 1930.Dedicate Home for Chicago's Homeless Today
, ''

''. October 27, 1930. p. 4. Retrieved December 14, 2019. It contained 2,020 beds, and facilities to feed a similar number. Wrigley donated the property to them outright the following year, and it was re-named Wrigley Lodge.William Wrigley Jr. Gives Buildings Used by Salvation Army
, ''

''. June 22, 1931. Retrieved October 19, 2019. Following

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

, it served as a rehabilitation center for veterans.Salvation Army Seeks $1,500,000; Strategy Set
, ''

''. March 12, 1946. p. 5. Retrieved December 14, 2019."Salvation Army Enlists North Siders in Drive", ''

''. April 21, 1946. Part 3, p. 5. In 1946, the Salvation Army began raising funds for the remodeling of Wrigley Lodge and the construction of new buildings. It was remodeled in the Streamline Moderne style, designed by Albert C. Fehlow, at a cost of $400,000, and was re-dedicated at 2 pm on January 18, 1951."Salvation Army Will Dedicate Center Today", ''

''. January 18, 1951. Part 3, p. 3."Salvation Army Dedicates New Center Today", ''

''. January 18, 1951. Part 4, p. 9. A new one-story warehouse was also built behind the north half of the building. The building replaced the Central Social Service center, which was demolished to make way for the construction of the Congress Expressway, and served as a rehabilitation center for homeless and disabled men, with housing accommodations for 150 men. The thrift store, located in the building, funded the center's operations and employed some of the men residing in the building. In the following years, the building has served the Salvation Army in similar roles, and continues to house a thrift store as part of a multi-building complex owned by the Salvation Army. The building's rooftop water tower was restored in 2017. The Salvation Army announced their intention to sell the complex in August 2019.Kozlarz, Jay.
Salvation Army lists River West complex, opening near downtown site for development
, '' Curbed''. August 9, 2019. Retrieved October 19, 2019. In February 2021,

Preservation Chicago Preservation Chicago is a historic preservation advocacy group in Chicago, Illinois, which formally commenced operations on October 23, 2001.

listed Wrigley Lodge as one of Chicago's most endangered buildings.Keilman, John.
Chicago lakefront, Catholic churches top newest list of city’s most endangered historic buildings
, ''

''. February 24, 2021. Retrieved February 26, 2021. The Salvation Army closed the adult rehabilitation center and thrift store in March 2022.

References

{{Reflist 1891 establishments in Illinois Buildings and structures in Chicago Salvation Army buildings Industrial buildings completed in 1891