Ziock Building facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Ziock Building
|
|
 |
|
 Location in Illinois
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 416 S. Main St., Rockford, Illinois |
|---|---|
| Built | 1913–1950 |
| Built by | Majestic Construction Company, Holm-Page Company, Sjostrom & Sons |
| NRHP reference No. | 11000246 |
| Added to NRHP | May 4, 2011 |
The Ziock Building is a tall, historic building in Rockford, Illinois. It has also been known as the Amerock Building and the Tower Building over the years. This building was first used by several companies owned by William H. Ziock, Jr. Later, in the 1940s, it became the main office for a company called Amerock.
Contents
A Building with a Rich Past
The Ziock Family's Start
William H. Ziock, Sr. made woolen goods in Germany. He moved to St. Louis, Missouri in 1847. He became the boss of the St. Charles Textile Mill. In the 1880s, his company made yarn for the Rockford Mitten Company. Eventually, these two companies joined together. This brought Ziock to Rockford, Illinois.
After William Sr. passed away, his son, William Jr., took over the businesses. He made the company much bigger. He sold products under names like B-Z-B Knitting, Ziock Paper Box Company, and King Company.
Building a Landmark
In 1912, William Jr. planned to build a ten-story building for his B-Z-B Knitting operations. By 1913, he decided to put all four of his companies into this new building. This was done to help them work better together. The building opened in late 1913. It became the tallest building in Rockford.
By 1919, Ziock wanted to make the building even bigger. In 1920, a thirteen-story part was added. The businesses were doing very well. They even started three new companies in other states.
Challenges and Changes
Production for Ziock's companies slowed down during World War II. This was because Japan was their main supplier of silk. Also, there were not enough workers because of the war. This meant they could not make as many products. William Ziock died in 1957. His company, which was struggling, then closed down.
However, the building found a new purpose. In 1928, a company called Aldeen Company rented space there. They made hardware products. Gedor and Ruben Aldeen came from Sweden in 1907. They started their company in 1928.
In the 1930s, they changed their name to the American Cabinet Hardware Corporation. They did well even when times were tough for the economy. In 1940, they combined the words Rockford and American. This created the name Amerock, which they used for their products.
In 1946, Amerock bought the Ziock building. They used all thirteen floors for their work. In 1950, they built the last part of the building, which was six stories tall.
The Building's Quiet Years
By the 1950s, Amerock needed more parking for its workers. The downtown location did not have enough space. So, the company built a new building in 1953. Amerock sold the Ziock building to L. C. Miller & Associates. They continued to use some space there until 1956. When they moved out that year, the company officially changed its name to Amerock.
A few years later, Amerock bought the building back. They used it for storage. By 1977, Amerock made 70% of the kitchen products sold in stores across the country. But in the 1980s, the company faced tough competition from foreign companies. In 1987, a company called Newell Rubbermaid bought Amerock. The last of Amerock's operations in Rockford closed in the 2000s. They moved to other cities.
A New Beginning
On May 4, 2011, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This is a special list kept by the National Park Service. Being on this list meant the building could get money to help pay for its repair and new uses.
In May 2015, a company called Gorman & Co. bought the Amerock Building. They planned to give the building a new life. In April 2018, work began to turn the building into an Embassy Suites Hotel and Conference Center. It was expected to open in April 2020.
_Building_under_renovation_into_a_hotel.jpg)
On July 1, 2020, the hotel welcomed its first guests. It was a few months late because of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. The hotel has many cool features. These include a pool and hot tub on the ground floor. There is also an arcade, a fitness room, and a gift shop. It has a conference center and a restaurant on the top floor with a rooftop bar. There are 160 suite-style hotel rooms.
Also, Rockford Roasting Company opened its second coffee shop on the first floor of the building. On July 24, 2020, the rooftop bar and restaurant opened to everyone. Before that, it was only open to hotel guests.
