Schmidt Lithograph building

The Schmidt Lithograph building is defined by its iconic clock tower, which stands one hundred seventy feet above the South Beach neighborhood. This tower was not originally intended to be a residential penthouse but rather a functional industrial beacon and water storage facility. When it was built in nineteen twenty-one, the company founder, Max Schmidt, insisted on adding the clock to compete with the prominent tower at the Ghirardelli Chocolate Company. He even famously defied his own board of directors to ensure a massive outdoor thermometer was installed on the exterior, making it a reliable reference point for locals and commuters throughout the city.