Laramie State Bank Building


The Laramie State Bank Building is an Art Deco building at 5200 W. Chicago Avenue, in Chicago's Austin community. It was designed by architects Meyer & Cook and was built in 1928. The terracotta ornamentation was produced by the Northwestern Terra Cotta Company. It is a Chicago Landmark.

History

The Laramie State Bank of Chicago closed on August 16, 1930. On August 31, 1936, the Federal Housing Administration opened offices in the building. In 1946, the Citizens National Bank began operating in the building. In 1991, the Citizens National Bank was declared insolvent and was seized by federal regulators.
On June 14, 1995, the Laramie State Bank Building was designated a Chicago Landmark. Most recently, the building has served as home to a restaurant and deli, a furniture store, and a banquet hall. However, the building was foreclosed in 2012, and has been vacant for many years. It has a number of deferred maintenance issues, which has led Preservation Chicago to list it as one of the most endangered buildings in Chicago.