Sullivan Center

The Sullivan Center stands out on State Street because of the intricate, cast iron ornamentation wrapping its lower levels. Louis Sullivan designed the facade in eighteen ninety-nine to draw shoppers into the Schlesinger and Mayer department store. He covered the corner entrance in a dense, swirling pattern of organic metal leaves and vines. When the store opened, local critics complained that the building looked unfinished, but Sullivan insisted the ironwork was his way of welcoming the public into a modern commercial space.