Arthur G. Levy real estate papers, 1910-1951

Descriptive Inventory for the Collection at Chicago History Museum, Research Center

By: Archie J. Motley, March 1960; revised.

Please address questions to:

Chicago History Museum, Research Center

1601 North Clark Street

Chicago, IL 60614-6038

Web-site: http://www.chicagohistory.org/research

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Main entry: Levy, Arthur Garfield, 1881-1964

Title: Arthur G. Levy real estate papers, 1910-1951

Inclusive dates: 1910-1951

Size: 1 linear foot (3 boxes)

Provenance statement: Gift of Arthur G. Levy in 1960.

Accession number: 1960.0224

This descriptive inventory contains the following sections:

Biographical note,

Description of the collection,

Description of some material related to the collection,

List of online catalog headings about the collection,

Description of contents of the folders.

Biographical note:

Chicago real estate investor, Arthur Garfield Levy, was in the meat and livestock business in Marion, Indiana, until 1900, when he came to Chicago, associating himself in the real estate business with the firm of H.O. Stone and Company. He remained with them until November 1, 1909, when he became a co-partner with his brother, Mark, in the real estate firm of Mark Levy and Brother. This firm was dissolved as of July 24, 1936, with Arthur forming the firm of Arthur G. Levy & Company, and his brother, the Mark Levy Realty Firm. Mark Levy died in Chicago, April 13, 1956; Arthur died in 1964.

Arthur G. Levy was the son of Charles and Rosa (Katz) Levy. He was born in Marion, Indiana, June 10, 1881. He attended grammar and high schools there and Marion Business College and also studied art at the Rochester (N.Y.) Athenaeum and Mechanics’ Institute. He married Raye Sloman, October 31, 1910, and they had two children: Arthur Garfield, Jr., and a daughter, Carol Lorraine, who died in childhood. The family resided in the Hyde Park community of Chicago. --Information from Who’s Who in Chicago and Illinois Volume 8, 1945.

Description of the collection:

Carbon copies of outgoing letters and other correspondence, primarily relating to the real estate business of Arthur G. Levy. Correspondence nearly all centers around real estate negotiations carried on by the Levy brothers although some personal correspondence is present as well. Includes a list of deals completed by the Levys, 1910-1935; appraisals on properties in Evanston (Ill.) and Chicago; and items on operation of Levy's farm in Marion, Indiana. Clients or business contacts include David Blum Properties, W.L. Douglas Shoe Company, Edgewater Beach Hotel, Marshall Field & Co., Ogden Building, Chicago; Studio Theatre in the Chicago Musical College; store sites or buidings for Lerners, Sears, and W.T. Grant & Company.

Includes real estate appraisals for these properties in Chicago: Drexel Square Apartments, 5042-5052 Drexel Boulevard; 838-840 Drexel Square; 838-840 East Hyde Park Blvd.; 3351-3369 West Madison Street; southeast corner 55th & Halsted Street; West & adjacent to the southwest corner of 71st & Jeffery Street. Appraisals for Evanston (Ill.) properties: 1100-1118 Davis Street; 1576-1598 Oak Avenue; 804 Davis Street.

Description of some material related to the collection:

Related collections at Chicago History Museum, Research Center, include Nathan Lerner collection of visual materials (2000.0200), Nathan Lerner Maxwell Street photograph collection (2000.0194.2-38), and a single exhibition photograph of the Maxwell Street area (1992.0248). There also is a published version of the Maxwell Street photographs.

List of online catalog headings about the collection:

Subjects:

Levy, Arthur G. (Arthur Garfield), 1881-1964.

Arthur G. Levy & Company (Chicago, Ill.)

Mark Levy & Brother (Chicago, Ill.)

Sears, Roebuck and Company

Real estate agents

Real property--Illinois--Chicago--20th century.

Real property--Illinois--Evanston--20th century.

Real estate investment--Illinois--Chicago--20th century.

Farms--Indiana--Marion--20th century.

Variety stores--Illinois--Chicago--20th century.

Marion (Ind.)--Social conditions--20th century.

Chicago (Ill.)--Commerce--20th century.

Roseland (Chicago, Ill.)

Appraisals.

Added entries:

Levy, Mark, 1879-1956.

Blum, David

Buehler, Ernst, 1884-

Fass, M. Monroe

Fisher, Thomas Hart

Ganz, Rudolph, 1877-

Goldblatt, Maurice, 1893-

Goodykoontz, Jane Eggleston

Harris, Milton J.

McCormick, Robert Rutherford, 1880-1955

Velaise, Robert

Vogelback, William B.

Arthur G. Levy & Company (Chicago, Ill.)

Lerner Stores Corporation.

Mark Levy & Brother (Chicago, Ill.)

W. L. Douglas Shoe Company (Chicago, Ill.)

W. T. Grant Company

Sears, Roebuck and Company

Form/genre:

Correspondence.

Patents).

Photographic prints.

Exhibition catalogs.

Design drawings.

Description of contents of the folders:

Box 1:

Folders:

1 David Blum Properties (1926-1936)--concerns the Levys’ handling of Blum’s Chicago real property (Blum was living in California at the time of the correspondence).

2 W. L. Douglas Shoe Company (1937-1938)--Negotiations for the securing a location for the company in Chicago.

3 Edgewater Beach Hotel (1948-1949)--concerns the efforts of a Florida realtor, Milton J. Harris, to negotiate a deal for ownership of the hotel. Harris was unhappy when ownership was secured by the Sonnabend group from Boston.

4 Marshall Field & Co. and the estate of Marshall Field (1925-1938)--Correspondence and many clippings, the majority of which pertain to the executive positions of the company.

5 Lerner Store Corporation (1927-1935)--concerns efforts of the corporation to secure a location in Chicago.

6 Marion, Indiana, Farm (1947-1951)--Correspondence pertinent to Arthur Levy’s dealings with the tenants on his farm in Marion.

Box 2

Folders:

1 Ogden Building, Chicago (1925-1940)--Negotiations for rental and/or purchase of the building.

2 Sears, Roebuck & co. (1927-1937)--Primarily concerned with tentative location of a store in Roseland (Chicago, Ill.). Sites around the country are also mentioned.

3 Studio Theater, Chicago (1945-1950)--Concerns negotiations for leasing of theater (Named the “Capri” in 1960) in the Chicago Musical College. Among the correspondents: Ernst Buehler, M. Monroe Fass, Thomas Hart Fisher, Rudolph Ganz, Robert Velaise, William E. Vogelback.

4-5 Listings of leases and sales made by the Levys from 1910-1935.

Box 3

Folders:

1 Miscellaneous personal and business correspondence. Negotiations for 23-29 W. Monroe Street, and with the W. T. Grant Co. are included. Among the correspondents are: Jane Eggleston Goodykoontz, Maurice Goldblatt, and Robert R. McCormick.

2 Real Estate appraisals for these properties:

Drexel Square Apartments, 5042-52 Drexel Boulevard, 838-40 Drexel Square

838-40 East Hyde Park Blvd

3351-69 West Madison Street.

3 Real Estate appraisals for these properties:

S. E. corner 55th & Halsted Sts.

West & adjacent to the S.W. corner of 71st & Jeffery Sts.

1100-1118 Davis Street, Evanston

1576-1598 Oak Avenue, Evanston

804 Davis Street, Evanston