The Noel State Bank building is located at 1601 North Milwaukee Ave Chicago. The bank was founded in 1905 by Joseph R. Noel.   The bank building was built in 1919 -1921. The builder was Gardner  C. Coughlin. He was also the architect for the building. Construction costs were $400,000.

     The building style was neoclassical. Building exterior is clad entirely in ornamental terra cotta. There are large windows divided by engaged pilasters topped with Corinthian Capitals.  The building featured  the original bank vault

     More recently the building was used by Walgreens Drug Store and Barnes and Noble Book Store

    Key restoration and preservation details for Barnes and Noble

  Coffered Plaster Ceiling

     The coffered plaster ceiling  was meticulously maintained as a center piece of the main floor.

Stained glass skylight

     The large decorative stained glass  window in the center of the ceiling remains fully intact and functional.

Custom shelving

    Due to the building’s distinctive wedge shape and internal columns, the store installed unusually shapes shelves to fit into odd angles and nooks

No cafe

   No cafe is featured in the store.

Restricted Vault access

The basement level,home to the vault is currently closed.to the public and repurposed  as corporate office space.

     Super Dawg In is an iconic family drive in restaurant at Milwaukee, Devon and Nagle Avenues in  Norwood Park Chicago.  It was founded in 1948 by Maurie and Flaurie Berman. It is known for its Chicago style hot dogs served on a poppy seed bun.  They originally created the restaurant to fund their education.

     They created a unique car hop experience featuring hot dogs and custom cut fries.  They are famous for their 12 foot Maurie and Flaurie Statues.

     They have opened a second location in Wheeling.

     They initially opened the stand to be a temporary  summer venture, it quickly turned into a year venture.  It was named after popular heroic comic characters of the 1940’s.  The restaurant is now being managed by the family of the original owners.

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     The congregation was founded in 1908 and has been at its current location since 1910. The congregation purchased in 1912  the Union Church a building dating  1868.  It was destroyed in a fire from 1917.Saint Lawrence Episcopal Church Libertyville Il

Construction and Design

The 1917 building was designed in the Tudor Gothic Style

Designer original not known.

The modern additions were designed by Mike Vander Ploeg who worked to integrate the new space with the original brick Tudor Gothic.

     The original wood church was designed by William W. Boyington

 The physical construction was carried by William D. and Frank Price

     The Old Headquarters of the Polish National Alliance was located on 1514-1520 West Division Street ,Chicago.   The building was designed by Joseph Slopkowski.  It is a 2 story building.

     There is a raised basement.  The exterior on two sides was clad in Ashley limestone wth carved limestone detailing.  2 other sides are clad with unornamented brick.  There is a flat roof.

    The building was built by the Polish National Alliance.  The building style was art deco.  Construction costs were $200,000

     The Polish National Alliance occupied the building from 1938 to 1976.  It is currently being used Studio Gang Architects

     The Laramie State Bank Building is located at 5200 W. Chicago Avenue Chicago. The bank was founded in.1924.  The existing building was completed in 1928 to 1929

     The building is 3 stories.  The style is Art Deco.  The facade is ornate poly chrome featuring motifs of industry and wealth. Included were squirrels, coins, and historic workers.

     The architects were Myer and Cook.

     The bank closed on August 16, 1930.  From 1936 -1946 FHA used the building for offices.   1946 to 1991 used by Citizen National Bank.  Bank seized by federal regulators in 1991.  1990’s –2012 used by various tenants including restaurant/deli, furniture store, and a banquet hall.  2012 Building foreclosed.  It has remained unused.

     This building was constructed in 1905.  It was part of the Albert Hollander moving and storage business. The architect was George R. Kingsley.  The building was 5 stories. The facade of the building was terra cotta and brick. It once functioned as a furniture storage facility.

In 2016, the building was completely renovated. along with the Northwest Tower (adjacent to the Hollander Building).  It was converted to a social stay hotel  called the Hollander.   There were 12 private rooms and 8 shared suites.

     On the ground floor of the Hollander is LeLobo a high end fragrance boutique.

     The Old Administration Building of Montgomery Wards was located at 618 W. Chicago Avenue, along the north branch of the Chicago River.  It was built around 1939.It is 8 stories.  It was built with reinforced concrete.  There is a sword and torch motif at the bases.  There are vertical piers that extend uninterrupted culminating in a parapet with motifs similar to the bases.

     The building was 400,000 square feet. It was designed by  Richard E. Schmidt and Hugh Garden.  A  4 story tower was added to the north east corner of the building in 1929.

     At the top of the Administration building was a 22.5 foot bronze  statue.  This was a replica of the statue that originally  was at the top of the old Montgomery Building on Michigan Avenue.  This statue was of the goddess Diana.  It is titled Spirit of Progress.

          In 2004, this building was converted to a luxury condominium.

 This is an historic hotel in Chicago. It was built in 1927 The architect was Jens J. Jensen.  The building style is Moorish Revivsl. The building exterior is red and cream brick. There are arched window on two levels. There is detailed terra cotta typical of Jensen work.. It is 10 stories. The upper levels contained 289 rooms originally designed as furnished kitchenette apartments      It was built at a cost of $1,650,000.   It was built byJ. Louis Guyon a French Canadian nightclub owner and  dance instructor.     The first floor included commercial space and the hotel’s lobby. Two ballrooms were located on the second floor. Guyon resided in the south penthouse.     Guyon mounted 2 AM radio towers to broadcast his radio station, WGES.  One of the second floor   ballrooms was used as the station’s studio. Control of the station was transferred to Harry and Thomas Guyon in mid 1930’s..  The station left the building in in 1942.      The hotel went into receivership during the depression. In 1939 it was sold for $425,000. In 1942, it wss sold to Jack Haller and George London      In 1985, the Guyon was sold to the non for profit Bethnal  New Life. They renovated the building and converted it to affordable housing. The housing project ultimately failed when Bethel New Life ran out of money.      The building currently is vacant..  It has changed possession over six times sinceb1995.Due to multiple building code violations, it is in city demolition court.  Ownership list originally J. Louis Guyen 1985 1990 Bethel Life New Life Mid 1990s Chicago Equity Funds As of2026, owner is Patrick O’Flaherty