Northbrook couple funds book, throws party, for little-known architect
If you've heard of architect Benjamin H. Marshall, you may owe that familiarity to Jane and Didier Lepauw of Northbrook. They say they've been trying to tell you about him for years.
If you haven't heard of him, you may know some of his buildings, like The Drake Hotel, and four others on Chicago's swanky East Lake Shore Drive: the now-demolished Edgewater Beach Hotel; its surviving sister, the Edgewater Beach Apartments; The Renaissance Blackstone Chicago Hotel; the Blackstone (now Merle Reskin) Theatre, and the Iroquois Theater, which burned in 1903, killing more than 600 people.
The couple, founders of the Benjamin Marshall Society and real estate agents, say they've tried for 14 years to boost Marshall's recognition. They've still got a long way to go until he's remembered as well as his buildings are, but Jane Lepauw said they're gaining.
"I think its going to turn out to be one of the biggest architectural societies in the U.S.," she said.
A few weeks ago, they achieved a long-sought goal, the publication of "Benjamin H. Marshall: Chicago Architect," backed by their years of fundraising, including, Jane Lepauw said, $100,000 from the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation.
An $80-per-plate "192nd birthday party" for Marshall, at the co-sponsoring Drake, is coming at 5 p.m. Sunday, May 15, at the hotel, to further the cause. Marshall was born May 5, 1874, and died in 1944, about 10 years after going bankrupt in the Great Depression.
Jane Lepauw said his buildings were among the most beloved entertainment venues in the city, with the Edgewater Beach Hotel being the principal North Side destination for big band and ballroom dancing for decades.
His Sheridan Road mansion in Wilmette was once known as an exciting party venue for his many friends, said John Zukowsky, author of the new book and former curator of architecture at the Art Institute of Chicago. He said that on at least one occasion, showgirls swam in the mansion's pool wearing dissolving bathing suits.
Part of the reason for Marshall's lack of fame, Zukowsky said, is the ornate design of his buildings, inside and out. While Louis Sullivan, also known for ornate embellishments, kept them largely to the tops and bottoms of his buildings, Marshall's buildings had them all over.
Critics complained that "he would just go bananas on the inside," Zurkowsky said.
Another reason for his lack of respect in the architectural community, Zukowsky said, was likely that he was a self-taught architect, never having gone to college.
The Lepauws' interest in Marshall started in 2002, when they first got a commission to sell one of the suburban mansions designed by the architect, according to Pioneer Press archives.
Jane Lepauw said they've never tried one of the easier ways to drive interest in a public figure. As of Monday, there is no Wikipedia page devoted to Benjamin Marshall.
"I'm going to get on that tomorrow," she said. "That could really help for the weekend."
Twitter: @Irv Leavitt