"Majestic" Building To Return Much More Majestic

The framed foundation for the upcoming Majestic Building

When the CTA dismantled the former Majestic Menswear Building (constructed as the H.W. Rubloff Building) the plan was always for the terracotta to be restored and return to the reconstructed "storefront." The shell of the building will be used to conceal the support columns for the new tracks overhead. Time had not been kind to the small storefront. It certainly was much more majestic in its early days.

Now work has begun on the reconstruction, at the NE corner of Broadway and Leland.

As you can see from the photo,
the foundation is framed and waiting to be poured. The CTA tells Uptown Update that over 80% of the original white and blue terracotta pieces were restored and the remaining 20% will be cast new to match what was there before. Black glazed brick will fill the former "windows" of the storefront. Plans are in place for art to be displayed, or to be used for neighborhood event announcements.