You’re walking down State Street in Chicago, dodging commuters and tourists, when you hit the corner of Madison. Suddenly, the modern glass and steel of the Loop fade away. You’re staring at a swirling, dark green mass of cast iron that looks like it belongs in a dark fantasy novel.
This is the Carson Pirie Scott Building. Or, as locals call it now, the Sullivan Center.
Honestly, most people just know it as the "Goth Target." It’s a weird vibe. You go in to buy a $10 pack of socks and a gallon of milk, but you enter through a rotunda that looks like a cathedral dedicated to nature and industrialism.
But there’s a reason this building is a big deal. It’s not just about the cool metalwork. It represents a moment when architecture changed forever.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Design
If you look at the building, you’ll notice two very different styles. The bottom two floors are basically a metal explosion. It’s dense, ornate, and super detailed. Then, from the third floor up, it’s all white terra cotta and giant, simple windows.
A lot of people think the architect, Louis Sullivan, just ran out of steam or money.
Nope. That was the point.
Sullivan had this famous rule: "form follows function." It’s a phrase that’s been quoted to death, but he actually lived it. The bottom of the building was for shopping. He wanted to catch your eye. He wanted the entrance to feel like a high-end picture frame for the merchandise inside.
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The upper floors? Those were for offices and storage. They didn't need to be "fancy" in the same way. They needed light. So, he gave them the Chicago Window—a huge fixed pane of glass in the middle with two smaller windows on the side that actually opened.
It was practical. It was honest. And in 1899, it was revolutionary.
The Drama Behind the Construction
This building wasn't even built for Carson Pirie Scott originally. It was commissioned by a firm called Schlesinger & Mayer.
Construction happened in stages. Sullivan started the first bit in 1899. Then he did the big corner rotunda in 1903. But here’s the kicker: by the time it was finished, Schlesinger & Mayer were in financial trouble. They sold the building to Harry Selfridge (the guy who founded the famous London department store).
Selfridge owned it for... about two months.
He realized he didn't like the Chicago retail scene and flipped it to Carson Pirie Scott in 1904. For over a century, that name stuck. It became the flagship of the Loop. You could get your hair done, eat lunch, and buy a wedding dress all in one place. It was the heart of the city.
The Ornament: Is it Celtic? Goth?
The metalwork at the entrance is insane. If you look closely, you can see Sullivan’s initials—L.H.S.—hidden in the vines.
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Some people call it Art Nouveau. Others say it looks like the Celtic Book of Kells. Sullivan’s dad was an Irish dancing master, so that influence is definitely there. But Sullivan was mostly obsessed with Midwestern prairie plants. He wanted to create an American style that didn't just copy old European buildings.
He used cast iron that was electroplated with copper. Over time, it developed that deep, dark patina. It’s meant to look alive.
The "Goth Target" Era
In 2006, Carson Pirie Scott finally closed its doors. The building sat somewhat empty for a bit, which is always scary for a landmark.
Then came the renovation.
A massive $190 million project saved the place. They even spent a fortune recreating the original cornice (the "hat" of the building) that had been ripped off in the 1940s to save on maintenance.
Today, the main tenant is Target.
It’s a bit surreal. You walk past the intricate ironwork, under the massive "Target" bullseye, and you find yourself in a very modern retail space. But if you look up while you're shopping for detergent, you can still see the ornamental tops of the original columns.
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Other parts of the building are used by:
- Gensler (the architecture firm)
- The School of the Art Institute of Chicago
- Various tech offices
It’s a living building. It’s not a museum. People still work there. People still spill coffee on the floors. Sullivan would have probably liked that. He didn't build it to be a tomb; he built it to be used.
Why You Should Visit (Even if You Hate Shopping)
If you're in Chicago, you have to stand on that corner.
Most skyscrapers are designed to make you look up until your neck hurts. The Carson Pirie Scott building is different. It’s designed at human scale. The most beautiful parts are right at eye level.
It’s a reminder that even "business" buildings can be art.
Actionable Insights for Your Visit:
- Find the Initials: Walk to the main corner entrance at State and Madison. Look at the very top of the iron frames for the letters "LHS."
- Look at the Cornice: Step across the street and look at the very top of the building. That beautiful, projecting roofline is a modern recreation of Sullivan's original 1899 design.
- Check the Columns: If you go inside the Target, look at the columns in the pharmacy or toiletries section. You'll see the original decorative "caps" that were restored during the renovation.
- The Zero/Zero Point: This building sits at the exact center of Chicago’s street numbering system. Everything in the city is measured from this spot.
The Sullivan Center isn't just a relic of the past. It’s a masterclass in how to keep a historic building relevant without stripping away its soul. Whether you call it the Carson Pirie Scott building or just "the place with the cool Target," it remains the most beautiful corner in the Loop.