DUNNING, Nelson Max (1873-1945) was active in Chicago for much of his career, and specialized in the design of large scale industrial, commercial and educational buildings there. Born in Kenosha, Ill., he studied at the Univ. of Wisconsin and served an apprenticeship in the Chicago office of Solon S. Beman, and with Joseph C. Llewellyn from 1894 onward. He won a travelling scholarship offered by the Chicago Architectural Sketch Club in 1900, and after his return to the United States he opened his own office in Chicago in 1903.
In Canada, his most notable work is the colossal mail order warehouse building for the Robert Simpson Department Store Co. Ltd. in Toronto, Ontario. Measuring 280 feet x 115 feet in plan, and rising 11 stories, it was one of the largest reinforced concrete fireproof structures in Canada at the time of its completion in late 1916. The long and narrow floor plate, combined with high ceilings and extensive use of glass and glass block, allowed natural light to penetrate to all of the work areas on each floor. The exterior facades of the building incorporate ornamental blocks of pre-cast coloured concrete placed within panels below the continuous strip windows. A complete record of the development of the Robert Simpson Ltd. Warehouse in Toronto, later called The Merchandise Building, can be found in a privately printed book by Greg Lindberg, entitled The Merchandise Building: Original Lofts, Original Story, published in 2002. This Toronto warehouse appears to have served as the template for a virtually identical 8 storey warehouse for the Robert Simpson Co.at Regina, Saskatchewan, built 1915-16, which served as the distribution centre for the company in Western Canada.
In Chicago, the best known works by Dunning include the American Book Co. Building (1912), the 14th Church of Christ Scientist (1920-21), Immanuel Baptist Church (1923), and the sprawling The American Furniture Mart Block (1924-26) which, at the time of its completion, was said to the largest commercial warehouse building in the world, and it held that title until an even larger complex for the Chicago Merchandise Mart was completed in 1930. Dunning was one of the organizers of the Architectural League of America in 1899, and served as its first president. He was nominated as a Fellow of the American Inst. of Architects in 1919. Dunning died in Washington, D.C. on 19 April 1945 (obit. New York Times, 20 April 1945, 19; obit. Washington Post, 20 April 1945; biog. The Book of Chicagoans, 1917, 201; biog. H. Withey, Biographical Dictionary of American Architects, 1956, 184-85). An illustrated essay on the works of N. Max Dunning was published in the American Architect [New York], cxix, 2 February 1921, 111-116, illus., with 6 full page plates, and 16 February, 1921, with 7 additional full page plates. A photographic portrait of Dunning can be found in the Inland Architect [Chicago], xlv, April 1905.
(works in Canada)
(with Burke, Horwood & White) TORONTO, ONT., Robert J. Simpson Co. Mail Order Warehouse, Mutual Street at Gould Street, 1916; stables and wagon shed, 1916; later warehouse additions 1940 by Frank Corley (Const., ix, Feb. 1916, 67; March 1916, 89, illus.; Sept. 1916, 316; Oct. 1916, 361; xi, Jan. 1918, 2-13, illus. & descrip.; C.R., xxxii, 26 April 1916, 400-01, illus. & descrip.; American Architect [New York], cxix, 2 Feb. 1921, 111-13, illus. & descrip.; Greg Lindberg, The Merchandise Building: Original Lofts, Original Story, 2002, 9-19, illus. & descrip.; dwgs. City of Toronto Archives)
REGINA, SASK., Robert J. Simpson Co. Mail Order Warehouse, Broad Street at 4th Avenue, 1915-16; still standing 2016 (American Architect [New York], cxix, 2 Feb. 1921, 113, illus.; blueprints at the Regina City Archives, Acc. CRP - 1 - 639; inf. Frank Korvemaker, Regina)
TORONTO, ONT., The Sherbourne Street Club, Sherbourne Street near Wellesley Street East, a home and residence for girls and women employed by the Robert J. Simpson Co., with a new four storey residence hall connected to the former mansion of Senator George A. Cox, 1916-17 (C.R., xxxi, 14 Feb. 1917, 139-40, illus. & descrip.; American Architect [New York], cxix, 2 Feb. 1921, 111, illus.)
TORONTO, ONT., William Davies Co. Ltd., Front Street East at Overend Street, adjacent to the Don River, meat packing plant and abattoir complex, a group of 8 to 10 buildings in reinforced concrete construction, 1916; demol. (C.R., xxx, 12 July 1916, 45-6)
TORONTO, ONT., office and manufacturing building for S. Frank Wilson & Sons, Adelaide Street West near Bay Street, 1919; demol. (C.R., xxxiii, 18 June 1919, 44)
CLARKSON, ONT., facing Lake Ontario, “Barrymede”, a country estate for Harris H. Fudger, c. 1920-25 (C.H.G., v, Dec. 1928, 37-39, illus.; Canadian Homes & Gardens Book of Houses, 1930, 39, illus. & descrip.)
HALIFAX, N.S., Robert J. Simpson Co. Mail Order Warehouse, Chebucto Road near Mumford Road, (now part of the West End Mall), 1918-19 (C.R., xxxiv, 14 Jan. 1920, 28-29, illus. & descrip.; American Architect [New York], cxix, 2 Feb. 1921, 113, illus.; Greg Lindberg, The Merchandise Building: Original Lofts, Original Story, 2002, 77 illus. & descrip.; inf. Garry Shutlak, PANS, Halifax)
(works elsewhere)
KENOSHA, WISC., Henry C. Simmons Memorial Church, 8th Avenue at 59th Street, 1907 (Daily Inter Ocean [Chicago], 2 June 1907, Section C, 1, descrip.). This church still stands and is now called Bradford Community Church.
KENOSHA, WISC., Simmons Manufacturing Co., office building, c. 1912 (American Architect [New York], cxix, 2 Feb. 1921, 116, illus., and two full page Plate illus.)
CHICAGO, ILL., The American Book Company Building, East Cermak Road, 1912 (American Architectural Review [Boston], xxi, Oct. 1916, 187, illus.; American Architect [New York], cxix, 16 Feb. 1921, and two full page Plate illus.; A.I.A. Guide to Chicago, 1993, 165)
KENOSHA, WISC., Newell Memorial Chapel, for the Kenosha Cemetery Assoc., c. 1914 (American Architect [New York], cxix,16 Feb. 1921, illus.)
KENOSHA, WISC., Kenosha Hospital, c. 1916 (American Architect [New York], cxix, 16 Feb. 1921, illus.)
DIXON, ILL., Dixon Home Telephone Exchange, c. 1916 (American Architect [New York], cxix, 16 Feb. 1921, illus.)
DIXON, ILL., Dixon National Bank Block, c. 1916 (American Architect [New York], cxix, 16 Feb. 1921, illus.)
KANSAS CITY, MO., National Cloak & Suit Co. Warehouse, Hardisty Avenue at Independence Avenue, 1918-19 (American Architect [New York], cxix, 2 Feb. 1921, 114, illus. and full page Plate illus.)
CHICAGO, ILL., Bethany Bible School, Van Buren Street, 1918-19 (American Architect [New York], cxix, 2 Feb. 1921, 115, illus., and two full page Plate illus.)
CHICAGO, ILL., Stromberg Motor Device Building, c. 1918 (American Architect [New York], cxix, 16 Feb. 1921, illus.)
OAK PARK, CHICAGO, ILL., First Baptist Church, Ontario Street near Oak Park Avenue, 1921 (Chicago Tribune, 21 Aug. 1921, Part Two, 10, illus. & descrip.)
RAVENSWOOD, CHICAGO, ILL., Fourteenth Church of Christ Scientist, Sunnyside Avenue at North Paulina Street, 1921 (Chicago Tribune, 25 Sept. 1921, Part Ten, 24, illus. & descrip.)
CHICAGO, ILL., Hayes Hotel, 64th Street at Woodlawn Avenue, major addition of 250 rooms, facing University Avenue, 1922 (Chicago Tribune, 18 June 1922, Section Two, 16, descrip.)
(with Henry Reader and George C. Nimmons) CHICAGO, ILL., The American Furniture Mart, North Lake Shore Drive at Huron Street, 1924; addition 1926 (Architecture [New York], li, March 1925, 83, 85-88, descrip. and illus. plates; Western Architect [Chicago], xxxiv, April 1925, 36-39 and illus. plates; Frank Randall, History of Chicago Buildings, 1949, 260, descrip.; Ira J. Bach, Chicago on Foot: An Architectural Walking Tour, 1969, 75; A.I.A. Guide to Chicago, 1993, 116, illus. & descrip.)
CHICAGO, ILL., Standard National Bank, Ashland Avenue near West 79th Street, 1930 (Southtown Economist [Southtown, Chicago], 27 May 1930, 3, illus. & descrip.; 19 Dec. 1930, 1 & 13, illus. & descrip.)
CHICAGO, ILL., Chicago Federation of Musicians, West Washington Street, 1933 (A.I.A. Guide to Chicago, 1993, 84)