The Northwestern folks commissioned architect Phillip Merz to design a monumentally impressive bank building that would stand out on a corner that already boasted such great architecture as the Lorraine Hotel, Park Theatre, and American Trust Loan and Guarantee Investment Company. Following the trend of neoclassical architecture that was so popular at the time–new money must look old, now isn’t that the story here?–Merz gave them a 50′ x 90′ stone monolith. It was built in 1918 and boasted Anti-Hydro, a high tech waterproofing concrete, for its foundation. It cost $200,000–over $2 million today.