Montgomery Ward Building

Profile

Also known as the Catalog House, the Montgomery Ward Building was built as a warehouse and office for the nation’s first large mail-order catalog businesses, and It’s primary purpose was to handle the massive work of receiving, processing, and shipping millions of catalog orders. At the time of its completion in 1934 it became not only the tallest building in Chicago, but also the largest re-enforced concrete building in the world. Today, it is known as 600 West Chicago and houses a mixture of commercial, office, and residential units.

Of considerable shape and size, the building’s curving, 600-foot-long and eight stories tall trapezoidal form runs along the North Branch of the Chicago River. Rich in geometric terracotta ornaments, Montgomery Ward Building Is a great example of an industrial building with a large-scale reinforced-concrete construction and was listed as a National Historic Landmark in 1976.

Summary of Work

Due to the gigantic size of the building, Dougal Building Maintenance had to meticulously install over 100 swing stage scaffolds to access the site. Services performed included critical façade examinations, concrete restoration, terracotta masonry repair, flashing systems replacement, sealant replacement, and application of elastomeric roof coating.

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