Building name: Illinois Bell Telephone Company Building

Ground Floor Use: Commercial

Upper Floor Use: Commercial

Current Occupant: Ameritech

Zoning: C-1

Number of Stories: 2

Property Index Number: 1116414003; 1116414014; 1116414015; 1116414017

Within Local District?: No

Local Dist Contrib/Non-Contrib?: C

Local Landmark?: No

Year: No

Local Landmark Eligible?: Yes

Criteria: H

NR District Contrib/Non-Contrib: C

Within District?: No

NR Landmark?: No

Year: No

NR Eligible?: No

Criteria: No

Alternate Address?: No

Category: Building

Condition: Good

Integrity: Minor alterations and additions

Current Use: Commerce/Trade

Historic Use: Commerce/Trade

Secondary Structure: Commerce/Trade

NR Second: Commerce/Trade

Architectural Classification: Midcentury Modern

Details: Midcentury Modern

Other Year: 1956, 1968

Date source: Illinois Digital Archives/Permits

Wall Material (Current): Brick

Wall Material 2 (Current): Brick

Plan: Rectangular

No of Stories: 2

Roof Type: Flat

Roof Material: Not Visible

Foundation: Concrete

Porch: Concrete

Window Material: Metal

Window Material 2: Aluminum/vinyl

Window Type: Casement

Window Configuration: 1-light

Significance: Building may be eligible for local landmark designation for its associations with the history and development of communications in the Village of Libertyville. The building replaced an earlier office erected at the same location in 1923.

Historic Features: Red brick exterior; ribbon windows connected with horizontal concrete surrounds; main entrance at ground level set within a slightly projecting overhang capped with concrete, with a row of casement windows stretching beside the doorway within a concrete-clad wall.

Alterations: Two story rear additions (1956 and 1968); front window east of entry bricked in

Old Address (city dir.year: Two story rear additions (1956 and 1968); front window east of entry bricked in

Building Moved?: Two story rear additions (1956 and 1968); front window east of entry bricked in

Moved From: Two story rear additions (1956 and 1968); front window east of entry bricked in

Original Owner: Two story rear additions (1956 and 1968); front window east of entry bricked in

Original Architect: Two story rear additions (1956 and 1968); front window east of entry bricked in

Architect Source: Two story rear additions (1956 and 1968); front window east of entry bricked in

Builder: Two story rear additions (1956 and 1968); front window east of entry bricked in

Surveyor: LR

Surveyor Organization: Ramsey Historic Consultants

Survey Date: May-June 2016

Survey Area: Downtown Libertyville

Old Address: Downtown Libertyville

Date of Construction: Downtown Libertyville

Moving Permit #: Downtown Libertyville

Date Moved: Downtown Libertyville

Building Permit #: Downtown Libertyville

Date: Downtown Libertyville

Building Permit Description: Downtown Libertyville

Cost: Downtown Libertyville

Original Owner Occupied?: Downtown Libertyville

Exterior Alteration Permits: 1445 (5/16/1956)--2nd story addition; JCR-11-0034 (2011)--replace door and walk; 4478 (3/25/1968)--2-story masonry addition

Other Permit Information: 1445 (5/16/1956)--2nd story addition; JCR-11-0034 (2011)--replace door and walk; 4478 (3/25/1968)--2-story masonry addition

COA Info: 1445 (5/16/1956)--2nd story addition; JCR-11-0034 (2011)--replace door and walk; 4478 (3/25/1968)--2-story masonry addition

Historic Info: Historic photograph and information on building at Illinois Digital Archives (in collection of Libertyville-Mundelein Historical Society and Cook Memorial Public Library): http://www.idaillinois.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/cookmemo11/id/2106/rec/9 "On November 30, 1943, ground was broken for the Illinois Bell Building pictured here at 117 East Church Street. Completion of this office building the following year allowed for expanded and modernized services, including conversion to dial service by the end of the decade. Growth continued in the 1950s, necessitating an addition to the original building in 1956. That year there were 164 Illinois Bell Employees working in Libertyville. Historical Note: Telephone service first came to Libertyville in 1897, when F. B. Lovell and Fletcher Clark formed the Lake County Telephone Company. Lovell used the back room of his drug store as the central office, where there was one operator."

Other Sources: Sanborn Maps: 1948 (Sheet 5)

Historic Info Compiler: LR

Volunteer: LR