The New Franklin Building

The New Franklin Building at seven hundred twenty South Dearborn Street rises thirteen stories as a brick testament to the era when this neighborhood anchored Chicago’s printing and publishing industry. Completed in nineteen sixteen, it replaced an earlier Franklin building nearby to house the heavy presses and operations of the Franklin Printing Company. Its east facade stands out for its polychrome terra cotta tiles, which feature artisans like engravers and typesetters, alongside a prominent mural above the entrance titled The First Impression. This work, designed by the Viennese artist Oskar Gross, captures men at a Gutenberg press.