"City within a City" Celebrates 100 Years
Chicago, November 7, 2006 — One of the most famous commercial complexes found within the City is celebrating 100 years — The Sears, Roebuck & Co. Catalog Plant. Now known as Homan Square, this Complex was home to one of the largest companies in the world at the time. The Complex earned several titles over the last century including “The World’s Largest Store”, “A City within a City” and “The Works”.
Originally erected between 1905 and 1906 as the Sears Roebuck & Co. world headquarters and mail order catalog operations center, a substantial portion of the buildings and surrounding area still exist in the heart of the City’s West Side. The Complex is located about ten minutes from the Loop.
Nat Zvislo, the research director of the Real Estate Capital Institute (a company located in the area), notes “The Sears Catalog Plant is a fascinating national/local landmark rich in history and tradition. On its completion and for nearly two decades, the Complex ranked as one of the most famous commercial buildings in the United States.”
Other important highlights of the historic Sears Catalog Plant include:
1) Employed over 20,000 people in the 1920s – the largest private employer in Chicago.
2) Birthplace of WLS Radio, one of the most famous stations in the country.
3) Home of the oldest skyscraper outside downtown Chicago — The 1st Sears Tower.
4) Birthplace of Allstate Insurance Co. (1931).
5) Home of the first major Chicago skyscraper built after World War II (1949).
6) Pioneer of advanced life/safety systems – completely sprinklered.
7) Known as a state-of-the-art facility that was toured by many celebrities of the era including Henry Ford, Charles Lindbergh, Gene Autry and others.
Winner of the coveted ULI Award for Excellence for the Community Center (2002).
9) Among one of the most successful commercial buildings in continuous use by the same company for more than 80 years.
10) One of the first communities in the city to offer residents free WiFi (2002).
The Real Estate Capital Institute will be one of the sponsors hosting a Centennial exhibit honoring the Complex. The exhibit will display pictures, postcards, books and other artifacts. For further information, contact director@reci.com.