The Svoboda Building, 1430-1440 Miner

Today, the Svoboda building is probably best recognized as one of the handful of buildings downtown that received a 'modernization' in the 1970s that hasn't aged well at all. But underneath that skin, there's an attractive building.

If you click on that picture of the 1935 Centennial Parade, you can see that the original red brick facade is actually pretty well-detailed. The little things like consistent retractable awnings and signs that fit the building make a big difference. There were a handful of similar brick and limestone buildings downtown once upon a time, including the Sugar Bowl, but this is the only one left that's probably salvageable. It would probably not take a whole lot of work to peel back the 1970s mansard facade - the building still has its original windows, so I would bet they didn't make too many other change.

It was built in 1922 for the Svoboda family, which ran what was then called the Des Plaines Toggery. After a few years, they dropped that name in favor of F.J. Svoboda's Sons, and eventually just Svoboda's Men's Wear. In the early days, Svoboda's carried work clothes right alongside its pinstripe suits and hats. They became known for their tailoring and personal service. In 1994, Frank Svoboda, Jr. chose to close up shop while he was still ahead, rather than fight the tides; the former Svoboda store has housed an insurance agency and law office since.

With the choo-choo and Masonic Temple, the Svoboda building was targeted for a possible new Police Station site. Those plans have been shelved for the time being due to the economy, but the Masonic Temple is still under contract to be sold to the city (I wonder what's taking so long - the council moved to purchase it in May.) However, of the three, I think the Svoboda building is the most endangered - with its existing facade, it's the ugliest, it's directly adjacent to city hall, and if the small city hall parking garage is demolished in the future as planned, it would be possible to develop a new building going all the way back to Jefferson street, plus the city-owned parking lot between the choo-choo and Masonic Temple, assuming neither of those is demolished.

Except for one extension on the original Men's Wear Store, the Svoboda building only extends to half the depth of its lot. It would be possible to restore the front half and connect it to an all-new, probably high rise rear half (or even extending further), allowing attractive, historic, pedestrian-scaled storefronts on the front and new uses to the rear.

Partial Tenants List:

1440 Miner - Des Plaines Toggery, F.J. Svoboda's Sons, Svoboda's
Magnum Insurance

1438 -
1932 Wolff Shoe Repair
1947 Floyd h miller siding
1948 Northwest Stoker Sales-Service


1436 -
1924 Dyer & Dyer Chiropractors
1924-1933 Maria Shaefer Music
1946 Cramer's Motor Service
1948-1949 - Northwest Heating & Air Conditioning, Engineers Inc

1994- Roman's Kitchen and Deli
1999- Alice's Kitchen and Deli
Wally's Kitchen and Diner
-2007 Joey Tomatoes
2008- Dung Gia


1434 -
1934 J.M. Hannon Dentist
1941-1945 Otto's Wines & Liquors
2003 Polo Woods Sales Center

Paradise Flowers and Gifts
Noble Insurance Agency
2003-2004 J&Z's Card Zone
2005- Gabby's
Anna Wolski Insurance
2007- Allstate Insurance
Daniel Rhames Insurance

1432
George & Ivan Meyer, Optometrists
Dr. Robert Mahnich, Optometrist
1957- Sewing Machine City

1430
Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co.
-1959) Walter Johnson Realty
-1971) Kole Real Estate
(1986) - The Letter Box
Panaderia Valle
New Milieu
Cellular in Motion