Brewster Apartments


The Brewster Apartments is a residential building in the Lake View neighborhood of Chicago.
Located at Diversey and Park, it was designed by architect Enock Hill Turnock for Norwegian-native Bjoerne Edwards, publisher of American Contractor, with construction started in 1893 and completed in 1896. Edwards would die from an eighth-floor fall at the construction site before the project was completed.
The building was designated a Chicago Landmark on October 6, 1982.

Architecture

The building features a pink Jasper granite exterior and employs skeleton-frame construction, which enabled the advent of skyscrapers at the end of the 19th century. Within the external masonry walls is an interior featuring open cast iron stairways, bridge walkways paved with glass blocks, and a massive skylight.

In popular culture

The Brewster Apartments has served as a set location for the movies Running Scared, Child's Play and Hoodlum.

Notable residents

Illinois Governor John Peter Altgeld lived in the building in 1897 after leaving the governorship.
Charlie Chaplin lived in the building in 1915–16 while employed by Chicago’s Essanay Studios. He would later move to the studio’s Niles, CA location. The penthouse owners have sworn by this tale of early film history.