The Rookery Photo from Library of Congress Show me a map! Why is it called The Rookery? Where is it located? Who designed it? When was it built? Why is it important? Why did the building attract birds?     Photo taken from inside the Rookery Photo by Doug Fogelson               Why is it called The Rookery? This beautiful building is called the Rookery because pigeons loved to roost on it. Return to Top         Where is it located? The magnificent Rookery building is located at 209 South LaSalle Street. Return to Top           Who designed it? The original structure of the Rookery was designed by Burnham and Root, and the lobby was done by Frank Lloyd Wright later. Return to Top           When was it built? The Rookery took from 1885 to 1888 to build, but the lobby was remodeled from 1905 to 1907. Return to Top         Why is it important? The Rookery is important because it was one of the first buildings nationwide to use a light area in its center, which filled offices with sunlight. It is also known for its ornaments, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, including grid work of the ceiling and designs in iron and marble. Return to Top         Why did the building attract birds? The building attracted birds because the city's largest water tank was there, which drew pigeons to roost on the tank. Return to Top    BUILDINGS | ARCHITECTS | BASICS | GAMES | LINKS | BIBLIOGRAPHY | ABOUT US | EMAIL | HOME