Chick House - Architecture

Architecture

The Chick House's design is simple and utilitarian, reflecting its construction for use as a hotel. The three-story brick structure's 66 foot (20.1 m) east facade faces Main Street and its 149 foot (45.4 m) south facade faces toward Elm Street. The building incorporates elements from Greek Revival and Italianate styles and presents itself as an architectural "antithesis" to the adjacent Richardson Romanesque Stewart Building. The Chick House originally has an "L" shape but additions during the 1890s, 1900s and in 1932 partially filled in the rear of the building, which faces toward an alley.

The utilitarian design of the Chick House is accented by simple decorative touches in the Greek Revival style. The style is most overt in the building's symmetry which is particularly emphasized by certain elements. Those include the steeped parapet, its windows, horizontal stone sills and lintels, and dentil moldings.

The building's meshing of Greek Revival and Italianate styles illustrates the rising popularity of the Italianate style during the 1850s and the shift from Greek Revival to Italianate. The narrow front facade windows, and the brick corbel table frieze at the cornice are two elements of Italianate incorporated into the building. The Romanesque and Italianate detailing is emphasized within the front facade fenestration as well. The windows contain segmental arches and cast iron hood molds.