The Printers Row neighborhood has experienced all of the ups and downs that many old industrial corridors in Chicago have witnessed over the decades. The area gets its name for being—as one would guess—a corridor filled with printing businesses and engravers. However, as the printing facilities shut down, blight took over. In the '80s, developers began converting these sturdy old buildings into loft condos, and one of the last to receive a makeover was the 13-story Franklin Building at 720 S. Dearborn. Surprisingly, the building was still in use up until 1983.
One of the things that makes the building particularly unique is the ornamental tile and mural that hangs over the front entrance of the Franklin Building. The mural depicts a group of men operating a Gutenberg press, a machine that revolutionized modern printing. The building was designed by George C. Nimmons and built in 1912 for the Franklin Printing Company, but you could own this 1,650-square-foot piece of printing history for $495,000.
- 720 S Dearborn Street UNIT 1205, Chicago, IL 60605 [Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices KoenigRubloff Realty Group]
- Here's a Really Neat Loft in a Historic Printer's Row Building [Curbed Chicago]