The former Schlitz brewery-tied house at 1393 W. Lake St. on the Near West Side was formally designated as an official Chicago landmark today by City Council.

The four-story, Queen Anne-style building was constructed in 1892 by the Schlitz Brewing Co. to exclusively sell Schlitz products within the first-floor saloon and to generate revenues from residential and commercial uses on the floors above. Clad in masonry and limestone with copper details, the building is among the largest of nearly 60 tied houses built by the brewer in Chicago and the 10th to be designated as an official Chicago landmark.

The saloon most recently operated as a restaurant for nearly 30 years prior to its closing in 2016. The building owner subsequently sought a demolition permit for the entire building, which was denied by the Commission on Chicago Landmarks earlier this year in anticipation of the structure’s formal landmark designation.

The designation will protect the building’s exterior and rooflines from significant alteration or demolition.

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