Kluczynski Federal Building facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kluczynski Federal Building
The Chicago Federal Center designed by Mies van der Rohe, includes the Kluczynski Federal Building, at right.
General information
Type	government offices and courts
Location	230 South Dearborn Street Chicago, Illinois 60603
Coordinates	41°52′42″N 87°37′48″W / 41.8784°N 87.6299°W / 41.8784; -87.6299
Construction started	1960
Completed	1974
Owner	General Services Administration
Height
Roof	562 ft (171 m)
Technical details
Floor count	1 to 42
Floor area	1,135,743 sq ft (105,514.0 m2)
Design and construction
Architect	Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Schmidt, Garden and Erikson; C. F. Murphy Associates; A. Epstein and Sons

The Kluczynski Federal Building is a very tall building, called a skyscraper, in downtown Chicago. You can find it at 230 South Dearborn Street. This 45-story building was designed by a famous architect named Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. It was finished in 1974. It was the last part of a new area called the Federal Center.

The building is 562 feet (171 m) tall. It stands where an older building, the Chicago Federal Building, used to be. The building was named after John C. Kluczynski. He was a U.S. Congressman who represented Illinois's 5th congressional district from 1951 until he passed away in 1975. The Kluczynski Federal Building is one of three buildings designed by Mies van der Rohe in this area. The other two are the US Post Office (Loop Station) and the Everett McKinley Dirksen United States Courthouse.

Building Design and Features

The Kluczynski Building is made with a strong steel frame. It has about 1,200,000 sq ft (110,000 m²) of space inside. The outside of the building has bronze-colored glass. These windows are set into shiny aluminum frames. Below the windows, there are steel panels painted a flat black color. The windows are also separated by black horizontal lines.

Inside, the main lobby has walls and floors covered in granite stone. This granite also extends outside to the plaza area. The lobby has special plaques and tablets. These were moved from the old building that stood here before.

The Federal Center Plaza

The entire Federal Center complex, which includes the Kluczynski Building, is designed using a special pattern. It's based on a 28 ft (8.5 m) grid. This means that the lines of the granite stones in the plaza outside continue into the building lobbies. They even go up the sides of the buildings. This design helps make all three buildings look like one big, connected artwork.

The Center looks a lot like another building complex Mies van der Rohe designed, the Toronto-Dominion Centre. In 1991, the Federal Center grew bigger. The 28-story Metcalfe Federal Building was added to the south, across Jackson Boulevard.

Flamingo Sculpture

A large, bright red sculpture called Flamingo is in the plaza. It is 53-foot (16 m) tall and made of steel. The famous artist Alexander Calder created it. It was first shown to the public on October 24, 1974. The sculpture was cleaned and repaired in 1998 to keep it looking good.

The plaza is also a fun place for the community. During spring and summer, a farmers' market is held there every week.

Government Offices in the Building

Many important government offices are located in the Kluczynski Federal Building. These include:

• The Air Force Recruiting Service, which helps people join the Air Force.
• The Department of State Passport Agency, where you can get your passport.
• The Department of Labor.
• The Internal Revenue Service (IRS), which handles taxes.
• The Office of Personnel Management.
• The Consumer Product Safety Commission.
• The General Services Administration.
• Offices for Illinois's two U.S. senators, Richard "Dick" Durbin and Tammy Duckworth.

In 2008, after he was elected president, Barack Obama used offices in this building. These were his temporary offices while he prepared to become president. This led to extra security around the building at that time.

See also

In Spanish: Kluczynski Federal Building para niños