Fulton Market developments tend to be exciting news for us. Since 2015, a wide swath of the neighborhood has been protected as a Chicago Landmark District, preserving the area’s historic meatpacking structures and ensuring new construction fits in well with the 19th-century architecture of the area. This means lots of great masonry projects, from brick matching efforts to helping architects choose the perfect vintage-style brick to clad their contemporary designs!
Back in 2017, we were delighted to work with the talented team at Solomon Cordwell Buenz to select a custom Watsontown Brick for their new project at 210 N. Carpenter (you might know the building today as one of Google’s offices).
This classic red brick is made to look old: it’s tumbled, dented on the surface, and features occasional black bricks as if it were flashed in the kiln. Off the shelf, the color is called “Kent” — but bricklaying with its beat-up edges requires a little extra skill. When you’re talking about a 12-story mixed-use structure, those labor costs can add up! To simplify installation, we worked with the manufacturer to make a unique batch of this brick with straight edges rather than its standard, rugged profile. The result is a weather-worn look appropriate to the area… that could also be laid in nice, clean lines. Best of both worlds!
For the finishing, history-infused touch, we supplied authentic reclaimed Chicago common brick for interior accents. Turn-of-the-century warehouse aesthetic is our jam, and we can’t wait to see where the newest one will pop up!
LOCATION: 210 N Carpenter St, Chicago, IL 60607
ARCHITECT: Solomon Cordwell Buenz
GC: Leopardo
MASON: ALL Masonry
DEVELOPER: Sterling Bay
PRODUCTS SUPPLIED: Watsontown Brick, Reclaimed Chicago common brick
