The colorful history of the 42,700-square-foot building at 1071 W. Division Street in Chicago begins in 1905, when the Horween Leather Company tannery moved in and started making razor strops (sharpeners) out of horse hide. In 1927, the Burhop Paper Compan y took over the building, churning out tons of boxes and paper, and endless rolls of twine. In its heyday, it anchored a bustling complex in the heart of the industrial area known as Goose Island. There Burhop workers wou

Next month is D-Day for the Glessner House in Chicago – D for Dig. The much-awaited installation of the building’s new geothermal system is about to begin! Engineers from ACE (Architectural Consulting Engineers) are putting the finishing touches on the design for the new system, which will be state-of-the-art in terms of energy efficiency and performance. Although the Glessners’ 1887 house was visionary for its time, its owners could scarcely have foreseen that air condition

The Glessner House on Prairie Avenue in Chicago may seem, in our eyes, old or old-fashioned, but compared to neighboring mansions of the same period, it was–and still is–a standout. Radically different. Avant-garde. A very decided departure from the conventional. This is how the building, which is now a museum, has been described. Throughout the years, visitors have remarked upon the contrast between the unadorned, expansive, fortresslike exterior and the elegant yet cozy,