Commercial Interruption

Booth Hansen, “Old Chicago Main Post Office,” Paris of the Midwest: Chicago, 1837-1987, accessed October 25, 2016,http://parisofthemidwest.omeka.net/items/show/66

Built in 1921 and expanded in 1932, the Chicago Main Post Office was constructed with room underneath for Congress Parkway. At the time of its construction, it was the largest post office in the nation, with the city's massive mail numbers primarily due to the presence of mail-order companies such as Sears and Montgomery Ward.

Since the demise of the large catalogue houses, the Old Main Chicago Post Office and in 2016 it still stands but has been vacant for decades. The abandoned building has fallen into disrepair.  Its future has been debated but some clues have been gathered. In a construction update, the Chicago Architecture Blog reports there has been recent permit activity to set the stage for restoration in the near future.[1]