Lincoln Park Station Post Office – Chicago IL

Description

The Lincoln Park Station post office was constructed in 1935-36.  The Treasury Department was in charge of building federal facilities and post offices at the time, but occasionally received funds for projects from the Public Works Administration (PWA), as in this instance.

The Moderne-style building clad in buff-colored brick and has three tall window openings on each side of the entrance, which is recessed with a convex window over the door.  The post office was still in operation in 2024, but, unfortunately, there appears to be no access to the interior beyond a cramped desk just inside the entrance.

A report on PWA projects had this to say about the Lincoln Park Station post office in 1939:  “This is one of the largest branch post offices in Chicago. It was constructed to provide for a 10-year growth in post office requirements, and the depth of the property makes possible a future enlargement of the building. The workroom is lighted by skylights and artificial light and has an area of 10,740 square feet. The lobby is 18 by 54 feet and has a terrazzo floor, marble base, and walnut wainscot. The construction is fireproof. The exterior walls are faced with brick, trimmed with limestone, have a granite base, and aluminum spandrels. It was completed in April 1936 at a construction cost of $108,224. The P.W.A. allotment was $184,170.93 and the site cost $51,200.” (Short & Stanley-Brown)