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Illinois Institute of Technology Academic Campus facts for kids

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Illinois Institute of Technology Academic Campus
IIT Machinery Hall.jpg
IIT Machinery Hall
Illinois Institute of Technology Academic Campus is located in Chicago metropolitan area
Illinois Institute of Technology Academic Campus
Location in Chicago metropolitan area
Illinois Institute of Technology Academic Campus is located in Illinois
Illinois Institute of Technology Academic Campus
Location in Illinois
Illinois Institute of Technology Academic Campus is located in the United States
Illinois Institute of Technology Academic Campus
Location in the United States
Location Roughly bounded by 31st St., State St., 35th St. and the Dan Ryan Expressway, Chicago, Illinois
Area 60 acres (24 ha)
Built 1893
Architect Mies van der Rohe, Ludwig; Patten & Fisher
Architectural style Romanesque, Miesian
NRHP reference No. 05000871
Added to NRHP August 12, 2005

The Illinois Institute of Technology Academic Campus, also known as the IIT Main Campus, is a big part of the Illinois Institute of Technology. It's one of five campuses for this university. You can find it in the Douglas area of Chicago.

The campus has an official address of 3300 South Federal Street. It is generally located between 31st Street, State Street, 35th Street, and the Dan Ryan Expressway. Two important buildings here, the Main Building and Machinery Hall, were named a Chicago Landmark on May 26, 2004. Later, on August 12, 2005, the entire Academic Campus was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's a very special and historic place!

Exploring the IIT Campus Buildings

The IIT Academic Campus is home to some really old and interesting buildings. Let's take a closer look at two of the most famous ones.

Historic Main Building and Machinery Hall

IIT Main Building
The historic Main Building at IIT.

Machinery Hall was built in 1901. The Main Building was constructed a bit earlier, between 1891 and 1893. These two buildings are right across the street from each other. You can find them near 33rd and Federal Streets. They are also close to where the old Comiskey Park used to be.

Both buildings are made of red brick and granite. They were designed in a style called Romanesque revival architecture. This style was popular during the Victorian era. The original architects were Patton & Fisher, and later their firm, Patton, Fisher & Miller, continued the work.

Who Helped Build Them?

A kind person named Philip D. Armour, Sr. helped pay for these buildings. He was a very generous supporter. Inside the Main Building, on the first landing of the main staircase, there's a beautiful stained-glass window. This window is dedicated to Philip D. Armour, Jr.

Seeing the Buildings from Afar

These historic buildings are easy to spot! They are right next to the Dan Ryan Expressway. They are also visible from the Chicago Transit Authority Red Line train.

How Much Did They Cost?

When the Main Building was built in 1892, it cost about $500,000. That would be like spending millions of dollars today! Machinery Hall, built in 1901, cost about $150,000. This also would be a lot of money in today's world.

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