Elgin Tower

Project Details

Depression Era Landmark Offers New Views of Chicago

The Elgin Tower opened as a bank in 1929 and closed just months later due to the Great Depression. It later housed the famous Elgin National Watch Company until its closing in 1965. The first attempt to renovate the vacant and deteriorating building was almost 10 years before it was bought by Capstone Development in 2016.

Interior demolition and repairs to the crumbling exterior began soon after; however, with the building on the National Registry of Historic Places, construction work was delayed until design approval of the 272 replacement windows.

"It was a challenge to find windows that met all the criteria," said Craig McGregor, WINCO sales representative. "The job would require a glazier with a special skillset like Krull Window Company, Inc."

Fortunately, the solution provided by WINCO and Krull met all of the standards set by both the National Register of Historic Places and the National Park Service, as well as the terms of the state tax credit program helping to fund the project. WINCO provided 5' x 7' Steel Replica operable windows with fixed grids pinned to the exterior, replicating the oldstyle look from the outside. Krull, which specializes in challenging rehab jobs, installed the windows using an interior snap trim and caulking the exterior of each window by hand for a perfect fit. Every window provides scenic views of downtown Elgin, the Fox River and beyond.

Awards:

2018 Richard H. Driehaus Foundation National Preservation Awards | Award for Adaptive Use

BD+C's 2018 Reconstruction Bronze Award Winner

Elgin Tower Building Wins Preservation Award