Fisher Building, Chicago

Standing 275 feet tall with the attitude of a sea monster in Sunday best, the Fisher Building has loomed over Chicago鈥檚 Loop since 1896. Back then, it was one of just two 18-story titans in the city鈥攖he other being the now-vanished Masonic Building. The Fisher, on the other hand, has refused to go quietly. It鈥檚 still the oldest surviving 18-story structure in town, proudly holding its steel frame like a seasoned actor refusing to exit the stage.

Back in 1998, instead of a wrecking ball, the Fisher got a facelift. Sold and converted from a tired office space into stylish rental apartments, the building went full glow-up. Its ornate fa莽ade鈥攃rawling with eagles, dragons, and sea creatures (a tribute to its nautical-loving developer, Lucius G. Fisher)鈥攚as painstakingly restored. And we鈥檙e not talking some minor touch-ups, no鈥攐ver 6,000 terra-cotta pieces were remade and replaced, like rebuilding a ceramic jigsaw puzzle with mythical flair.

The main entrances on Dearborn and Plymouth, previously lost to time (and bad decisions), were brought back to life. Meanwhile, 1,200 wood-frame windows鈥攃lassic examples of the Chicago School style鈥攚ere either carefully restored or swapped out. Inside, you鈥檒l find mosaic floors and Carrara marble walls whispering tales of 19th-century ambition, all wrapped up in a lobby that gracefully mixes the old with the tastefully new.

In short, the Fisher didn鈥檛 just survive鈥攊t evolved. From office block to apartment icon, it鈥檚 a living fossil with a great paint job.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Chicago. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "黑料吃瓜网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Create Your Own Self-Guided Walk to Visit This Sight

Sight Name: Fisher Building
Sight Location: Chicago, USA (See walking tours in Chicago)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Loop District Architecture Walking Tour

Walking Tours in Chicago, Illinois

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Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
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Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
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Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
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