Republic Building, 209 South State Street, Chicago, Cook County, ILRepublic Building, 209 South State Street, Chicago, Cook County, IL. The Republic Building was designed by the architectural firm of Holabird and Roche and built in 1905 by the Wells Bros. Company, General Contractors Henry Strong, the original owner, and his son Gordon Strong, the manager, conceived the building as a location for smaller retailing merchants on State Street. The building was demolished in 1961. Photoagrphed by Ricahrd Nickel in large