Chicago Landmark Pittsfield Building Went viral on tiktok. Meet the man who made it.

Millions of Other folks Online Obtain hobby within the Pittsfield Building – A Ancient Skescraper within the Loop That’s Long Been NegleCted, with half of the inside of in disrepair. Nonetheless the property is poised for a Main renovation, and one deschloper ha takeen to tiktok to file Its transformation.

Tom Liravongsa – or Social Media Is aware of Him, Tom the Skescraper Guy – is figuring out to expose the building’s worn flooring into swish apartments, while keping itsic gothic and art work deco structure intact.

One video that netted 8 million views on tiktok confirmed liravongsa, 42, The instruct of the Building’s Outmoded-College Mail Chute to Sign Why the 142-Yaar-Outmoded Invention became unhurried banned. The Retort? Fireplace Safety.

Below the Yarn @theskyscraperguyOne other video play off a tiktok fashion exploining what “random issues” obtain sense. It has virtually 5 million views, collectively with extra on Instagram, the set up he has 320,000 followers.

“Random Issues in My 100-Yaar-Outmoded skyscraper that correct obtain sense,” he mentioned within the video, while Carrying what peek cherish Gold Gothic-Syle Lamp. Fowl Shows off Functions of the Building Like “A Hidden Room that isn’t on the unique blueprints” and “A Speakeasy from Chicago Prohibion ​​Days.”

Within the relieve of the videos are a social media crew of 15, Serving to Liravongsa Story His Adventures Remodeling the 38-Storery Chicago Landmark Into a Residetal Property. Nonetheless it’s miles extra than Producing Social Media Views for the Pittsfield Building. The video gIive him a chance to trap capability renters. And it’s paying off.

The home mission has a watering checklist, accorting to liravongsa, who declined to half the resolve.

“That’s all from social,” he mentioned. “It’s doubtless you’ll presumably pay for that stuff, nonetheless wager what, i’ve correct saved how Grand? Tens of Thousands, by no longer doing adverts.”

The Pittsfield Building Was Chicago’s Tallest Building when it became Completed in 1927, Acciting to A 2001 File Recommark Designation by the Division of Planning and Building. IT LOOKED THE PART AS A CLASSIC 1920S SKYSCRAART WITH ITS “LUXURIOUS BUILDING MATERIALS, FINELY DETAILED ART DECO AND Gothic Revival ornamentation,” Accounting to the File.

Gray Terra Cotta, Polished Sad Granite and Bronze Detailing Take Heart Stage With The Building’s Exterior. Interior is a 5-memoir atrium with a broad chandelier, hand-carved copper ceilings with Spanish Gothic Revival-Trend Detailing and brass-palated Elevator doors.

Commissioned by the estate of marshal Fields, it became basically used as an home of job budilding for jeweleers, Clinical and dental specialists, with about a flooring saved for retail.

A checkered previous

Grand of the Building’s Architecture and Interior Assemble Obtain Remained Unchanged Over It Its 98 Years. Nonetheless the Tower has Modified Hands Several Times, and It ‘Been the Heart of Complaints and Forecloves that created a periodty duration of neglect.

Morgan Reed Personnel, A Florida-Based mostly fully fully Funding Personnel, Offered the Building in 2000, Crain’s Chicago Industry Reported, and Offered A Half of the Chicago-Based mostly fully fully Marc Realty. The Real Estate Firm Offered Floors 13-21, Turning it into the Pittsfield apartments, which has 228 objects.

In 2017, Morgan Reed Filed for Chapter 11 Chapter, Leaving Its Half of the Skescraper Up for Grabs. That we can Chinese-Canadian Industry Multi-millionaire Xia Hua “Edward” Gong Bought The Building At some stage in a Chapter Public sale. Nonetheless the ontario securities commission charged gong in december 2017 with Prison Securities Fraud in Canada. A settlement became Reached Closing Year with regulators.

Gong’s Half of the Building Fell into Disrepair, and It Went Into Brief Receivership. Nonetheless unpaid repairs and Repairs Funds Pushed The Appointed Receiver to File a Foreclosure Lawsuit in 2022, crain’s reported at the time. Liravongsa foquired Gong’s Half of the Building in a Foreclosure Sale that Closed in 2023. Gong TRIED to Sue Over the Foreclosure Sale, Accusing the Receiver of Fraud, Nonetheless Dropped the Case in 2023, In step with the Real Deal.

Liravongsa declined to touch upon the Complaints, other than to emphasize that the possibility is beneath unique management.

“The Allure of Rehabbing Stuff cherish this is enthralling to with Because they delight in to enact the work in any other case, no longer cherish a normal repair and flip as Other folks would imagine,” he mentioned. “THIS REQUIRES DIFFERENT CRAFTSMANSHIP, More Ingenuity and that, I Assume, Is Very Rewarding.”

Liravongsa, Who Splits HIS BETWEEN CHICAGO AND Michigan as Managing Director of Large Rapids-Based mostly fully fully Funding Firm l’Cre Worldwide, Stated and Has Rehabbed Mixed-Exhaust residency for 5 years, nonetheless the pittsfield building marks His first and social media.

“What”d in fact imported is getting the budilding to a term that discovered no longer too prolonged ago – a Residing Landmark. Oftentems Other folks Assume (it) is correct a home you (to) and nothing, nonetheless within the crash, it’s miles shoulded be one thing is experiencing is experienced and other folks are and Makes it a Residing Landmark, ”he Stated.

He plans to rework the home of job property into 214 apartments, accorting to a zoning Utility, with some retail spaces and services and products. The unit obtain-up is unclear, and liravongsa mentioned mission valuable formulation are mild being finalized, collectively with the total series of objects.

He Expects to Commence up Building within the Next Year, and is Composed Attempting to search out Traders for the Venture That Stated May possibly perhaps well perhaps additionally Reach “Into the Nudels of Millions” Becauses of the Restoration Work.

He Stated the City has haen worthwhile in expeditting the plot, especilly to address the deteriorating terra cotta that haen crumbling for years. Scaffolding became installed in 2020 to train pedesrians from Falling Debr.

“The City Is aware of Quite a Bit ABout the Building, and They Know Its in Disrepair. And we’ve been active to obtain it fixed and buckle down and do (Building Code) … they are’re very helpoful they delight in got building. to enact one thing, ”he mentioned.

‘Within the relieve of the scenes Entry’

Tom the skyscaper Guy, who dons a White laborious hat in his videos, leans into proudly owning a skyscraper. The Caption of One Video Describes His Venture As an “Impulsive” Buy.

HIS Movies Consist of Onles Titled: Day within the Lifetime of a Skyscraper Owner; What’s that this Factor From 1927?; Systems to Attempting to search out an Outmoded Building and How to Buy a Skescraper.

Liravongsa Stated He’s Infamous Among Chums for Making Astronomical Choices and “Doing Loopy Stuff.” Nonetheless he Stated with the Pittsfield Building, his huge crew is there to abet.

“I’m arund so many Licensed These that it dosesn’t so dauting. Becuses will you’re round essentially the most absorbing Other folks, it offers you comfort,” he mentioned.

He Also Stated Giving Viewers “Within the relieve of the scenes Entry is Thrilling.”

“Most skyscraper home owners on the entire don’t peek cherish, and they don’t act cherish in a mode of ideas. “Coming into into this exchange, I didn’t delight in someone to in truth point out with the ropes. I must go away plenty. … You’ve to in truth Work your potential in a mode of ideas.”

He Also Stated Tiktok Lets Him Lag Along the KnowLEDGE he wished any individual shared with Him, Which “Will Resonate with Other folks.”

Nonetheless he’s sura that branding Himself As “The SkyScraper Guy” Will Support His Firm Enact “More Deals within the Future You’re Reaching Tens of Other folks.”

“If i owing this lane – skyscraper guy -… this would possibly presumably obtain it simpler to lift athects that need athening. This building desires at all kinds of ideas, each in a Supportive potential as an attraction, the set up it’s miles culd be a creep set up.”