Blueprints for a home filed with ??? Department? (Chicago: real estate, apartment)

[SidewaysLS4]

I'm trying to do some digging on historical aspects of my building. I think it would be pretty cool to see the origional blueprints or whatnot from when it was built. Now since this place was built in the late 1920's...I'm scratching my head here.

Anyone know if some department in Chicago would have copies of such a thing? I figure with all the regulations in the city...maybe they kept records somewhere.

Ideas?

[Mr Downtown]

I don't think Chicago keeps any such records. The Chicago History Museum does have blueprint files from a couple of large firms.

As for history, you can check the building permit records to find the architect and the date. Learn how here. Armed with that, you can go though back issues of The Economist at Chicago Public Library, but that's tedious and time-consuming, and the only new info it will really yield for an ordinary small apartment building is the estimated cost and the developer.

Now if it's a large apartment building—especially one by a well-known architect—more info might be available in architectural magazines of the time or even the newspaper real estate sections. What's the address?

[AmosBanks]

We bought our house ten years ago. My wife and I had some time after our closing so we went to the recorder of deeds to try to find our blueprints. Our house was built in 1898 and we were told that there are no plans/specs for buildings before the 1950s. There is a room where you can look up every owner of your building all the way back to when the land was first subdivided. That's about all the history available in the public record.

[SidewaysLS4]

Thanks guys.

[ohare2013]

We bought our house in 1979.We would like to do some remolding and updates but we are in need of the blueprints, what is the procedure to obtain these blueprints? Where do i go?

[rparz]

If it's just a normal house, and the blueprints aren't with the house, it's unlikely the city has a copy.

Hire an architect in the area familiar with homes. Your home is most likely of a typical design (Chicago doesn't have THAT much variation) they should be accustomed to, and you're going to need an architect stamp when you file the prints for the permits anyway.

[Tenzo]

If it was built in the city they needed permits. Which require the submission of a blueprint.

Go to city hall
6th floor
(I think its room 605, but just ask the lady at the desk as you get off the elevator)
Fill out a 'Freedom of Information Act' for your home.
Bring proof it's your home.

No cost.
If you smile and be nice they will do it while you are waiting. But don't expect it.

[rpaz, why are you giving advice in the Chicago area if you live in the bay area?]

[rparz]

Originally Posted by Tenzo

If it was built in the city they needed permits. Which require the submission of a blueprint.

Go to city hall
6th floor
(I think its room 605, but just ask the lady at the desk as you get off the elevator)
Fill out a 'Freedom of Information Act' for your home.
Bring proof it's your home.

No cost.
If you smile and be nice they will do it while you are waiting. But don't expect it.

This is all stuff your local architect should know how to do -- who you'll need to prepare your new documents anyway. Besides, you never know if someone changed something over the years (and didnt file all the paperwork) or if the house has settled and shifted a bit.

Also, I thought I heard my dad talking about a fire years ago (sixties-seventies?) that burned a lot of the city records anyway. We're talking what -- 90 years ago the place was built, I don't think meticulous records were kept back then, but hey, worth a try.

[rpaz, why are you giving advice in the Chicago area if you live in the bay area?]

Well, you're right about my current location, but I'd hope that I haven't forgotten everything about the place I lived my whole life.