When their previous headquarters burned down in 1912, The Equitable Life Insurance Company hired Chicago architect Ernest Graham to design a forty story building that would fill the entire block of land.  The resulting building blocked so much light from surrounding buildings that the City passed the 1916 zoning law which created setback requirements for new tall buildings.  The Equitable Building still has some of the E hardware inside today. Click on each photo below to view additional images and information.