Landmarks in Illinois

Three of Don’s lesser known buildings are recorded in the database created and maintained by the Illinois Landmark Society. (See Illinois Landmark Link under "Articles about the Architect." Search for architect, Don Erickson.)

All three buildings "reside" in Des Plaines, Illinois. One of the readers of this blog has chronicled some of the buildings that Don Erickson designed and built in Des Plaines; Des Plaines was home to EMMCO stairs and to Don’s architectural studio for many years.

This discovery of buildings recorded by the Illinois Landmark Society, and a recent discussion with Don's chief draftsperson, Richard Erickson, lead me to thinking about the Decorel Building. Designed as a factory for Mr. Scheyer in 1959, the building which was later featured in a 1966 article published by the Chicago Tribune and entitled, “Plant’s Dullness Vanishes.”

Don used Huewhite Glass procured from the American Saint-Gobain Corporation in a “crisp composition of uncluttered planes of brick, wood and glass.” See Saint-Gobain's trade advertisement in the photos attached.

The Decorel building was also featured on the cover of a trade magazine which centered around glass and its use in buildings; a hunt for the original publication has so far proven unsuccessful.

Decorel won a Citation of Merit award from the American Institute of Architects, Chicago Chapter and Chicago Association of Commerce and Industry in 1965. See "Plant's Dullness Vanishes," Chicago Tribune, Feb. 27, 1966.

The building is now owned by U.S. Music Corporation who retained Don to remodel Decorel. It seems fitting that some of the best acoustic and electric guitars are being crafted there...

For "building watchers," Decorel is located at: 444 W. Cortland Street, Mundelein, Illinois.

http://usa.saint-gobain-glass.com/b2c/default.asp?nav1=ac

http://www.usmusiccorp.com/