The Wm. J. Cassidy Tire Building was a building at 344 N. Canal Street, Chicago, Illinois. Designed by Henry J. Schlacks and constructed in 1902, it originally served as a factory and warehouse for the Tyler & Hippach Mirror Co.Rodkin, Dennis. "What’s That Building? The Cassidy Tire Building — And Its Unusual Escape From Demolition", WBEZ. June 6, 2019. Retrieved November 30, 2019."Threatened: Cassidy Tire Building Endangered by New High-Rise Tower Proposal", Preservation Chicago. Retrieved November 30, 2019.Kozlarz, Jay. "Rendering reveals 33-story apartment tower replacing Cassidy Tire warehouse", Curbed. November 27, 2019. Retrieved November 30, 2019.

The site was purchased for redevelopment in February 2022, with demolition commencing shortly afterward. An apartment tower was erected on the site.

History

The building originally stood at 117–125 N. Clinton Street. In 1907, it was sold to the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad.The Economist. November 16, 1907. p. 769. Retrieved December 2, 2019.Currey, Josiah Seymour (1918). Manufacturing and Wholesale Industries of Chicago. Volume 2. Thomas B. Poole Company. pp. 235-236. Retrieved December 2, 2019. In 1908, the building was moved 52 feet south and 168 feet east to its current location, in order to make way for the construction of the new Chicago and North Western Terminal, at a cost of $50,000."Moving a Large Brick Building", The Engineering Record. Vol. 58, No. 12. September 19, 1908. pp. 317-318. Retrieved November 30, 2019.The Economist. June 13, 1908. p. 1063. Retrieved December 1, 2019. The William Grace Company was contracted to perform the move, and hired Chicago engineer Harvey Sheeler, who had successfully moved several large buildings previously. At the time, this was the largest building ever moved.

In 1929, the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad began leasing the building to Producers Warehouse."Railroad Sells Warehouse at 344 N. Canal St.", Chicago Tribune. October 5, 1947. In 1947, the building was sold to the owner of Producers Warehouse for $75,000. William J. Cassidy Tire & Auto Supply Co. purchased the building for $250,000 in 1970, and it became the headquarters of Cassidy Tire."Major Real Estate Sales Closed in 1970", Realty and Building. Volume 165. 1971. p. 122.Truini, Joe. "Chicago's Cassidy Tire Remains Family Owned After 103 Years", Tire Business. October 15, 1995. Retrieved December 2, 2019.

In 2019, The Habitat Company signed a contract to purchase the property, with intent to demolish the building and build a 33 story apartment building on the site.Gallun, Alby. "Developer plans 33-story Fulton River District apartment tower", Crain's Chicago Business. May 09, 2019. Retrieved November 30, 2019. However, Preservation Chicago fought to have the building designated a Chicago Landmark and preserved as part of the residential development planned for the site. In February 2021, Preservation Chicago listed the Wm. J. Cassidy Tire Building as one of Chicago's most endangered buildings."West Loop Industrial Lofts Chicago 7 2021", Preservation Chicago. Retrieved February 26, 2021.Keilman, John. "Chicago lakefront, Catholic churches top newest list of city’s most endangered historic buildings", Chicago Tribune. February 24, 2021. Retrieved February 26, 2021.

Demolition began in March 2022, followed by groundbreaking that October.The new apartment complex, dubbed "Cassidy on Canal", was finished in 2024. Some of the original bricks of the Wm. J. Cassidy Tire Building were incorporated into the design.

Notes

References

External links Drone video tour of building before demolition.