Sears, Roebuck and Co.'s former world headquarters complex in North Lawndale was approved as an official City of Chicago Landmark district by City Council today.

The Sears, Roebuck and Co. District includes the company’s former Administration Building, Printing/Merchandise Development and Laboratory (MDL) Building, Merchandise Building Tower, and Power House. An original park and pergola built for approximately 9,000 complex employees and nearby residents will also be included in the designation.

The four buildings and pergola were designed by the architectural firm of Nimmons & Fellows and constructed between 1905 and 1907. Located near the intersection of South Homan Avenue and West Arthington Street, they housed executive offices, financial and marketing operations, order processing, product manufacturing and shipping facilities for what was then the country’s premier mail-order company. Designed in the Classical style, the structures exemplify a rare, intact group of early 20th century corporate campus buildings and landscape design. They retain all of their historic features, including their entrances, windows, and decorative detailing with stone columns and terra-cotta masonry, friezes, medallions and belt courses.

Sears was founded in Chicago in 1894 as a mail-order retailer catering to rural America. It opened free-standing stores starting around 1925 and by the 1960s was the largest retailer in the world.

When Sears moved to the Sears Tower in 1973, most of the North Lawndale facility was vacated. Sears merged with Kmart, another national retailer, in 2005 and is today part of the Sears Holding Corp.

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