 Built by the Freemasons of Chicago in 1892, at a time when the Masons was a fast-growing social community, the lavish tall skyscraper had 19 stories, the bottom ten holding shops and the higher levels containing the Masons' private suites and meeting halls, some able to hold up to 1,300 people.At the top was a roof garden and observation gallery.The Freemasons were competing with their local rivals the Odd Fellows, who intended to build a much higher skyscraper, tall, that they announced would be the tallest building in the world.