Karl M. Vitzthum

Karl Martin Vitzthum (1880–1967)^[1] was an American architect.

Karl M. Vitzthum
Born	1880 (1880) Tutzing
Died	1967 (aged 86–87)
Occupation	Architect

He was born in Tutzing, near Munich, in Germany^[2] and attended Munich's Royal School of Architecture (Technical University of Munich or University of Munich?). He came to the U.S. in 1902 and to Chicago in 1914.^[3] He worked at Burnham & Co., at that firm's successor Graham, Anderson, Probst & White, and at Jarvis Hunt. He also worked with Fredrick J. Teich before partnering with John J. Burns (1886-1956) in 1919 in firm Karl M. Vitzthum & Co.^[4] Burns was the junior partner.^[5] At some point Vitzthum & Burns became the firm name.^[2] After Burns died the firm became Vitzthum & Kill, and specialized in churches, schools, high-rise residential, and penal institutions.^[3]

He designed more than 50 bank buildings.^[5][3]

He self-reportedly proposed that Comiskey Park be built with cantilevering, avoiding use of posts and allowing unobstructed views, but Comiskey balked at the extra cost.^[6]

He served on the Chicago Zoning Board of Appeals from 1958 until his death in 1967.^[5]

Several of his works are listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP).

Works

Works by Vitzthum or the firms include:

• All American Bank Building (1924), South Bend, Indiana, (Vitzthum & Burns), NRHP-listed
• Old Republic Building (1925), Chicago (Vitzthum & Burns)^[2]
• Lerner Theatre (1924), 410 S. Main st., Elkhart, Indiana
• Home Bank and Trust Company (1926), 1200 N. Ashland Ave., Chicago, NRHP-listed
• Granada Theater (1927) South Bend, Indiana
• State Bank of Hammond Building (1927), 5444-5446 Calumet Ave., Hammond, Indiana, NRHP-listed
• Steuben Club Building (1929), later known as Randolph Tower, 188 West Randolph Street, Chicago^[4] (K.M. Vitzthum & Co.), NRHP-listed
• One LaSalle Street Building (1930 or 1939?), also known as One North LaSalle Building, at 1 N LaSalle St., Chicago, (Vitzthum & Burns),^[2] NRHP-listed
• Sheboygan County Courthouse (1933–34), 615 N. 6th St., Sheboygan, Wisconsin, (with W.C. Weeks, of Sheboygan), NRHP-listed
• St. Peter's in the Loop (1953), (Vitzthum & Burns)^[2]