Height: 517 ft
Floor count: 47
Location: East Roosevelt and South Michigan
Construction end: 2007
Architect: DeStefano + Partners, Ltd.
Developer: Neighborhood Rejuvenation Partners, LP

Website (http://www.thecolumbianchicago.com/home.asp)

http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/1107/columbian2jt9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img250.imageshack.us/img250/2881/columbianac4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Does anybody know when construction is supposed to start on this building planned for South Michigan Avenue?

Here's a rendering of The Columbian I was able to obtain. I don't think that you should replace the other rendering, but put the 2 side-by-side. This easeter elevation alows you to get a better idea of the roof profile.

https://extranet.emporis.com/files/transfer/6/2005/12/424655.jpg

Do we know what the official height of the Columbian will be? I recall 48 stories?

According to the boom thread, 46 floors and 517 ft.

^ Looks pretty cookie-cutter to me.

The Columbian construction site on Christmas Day from the east:

http://images.snapfish.com/3459499%3C3%7Ffp338%3Enu%3D3248%3E9%3A9%3E937%3EWSNRCG%3D323342%3C4%3B%3B838nu0mrj

Thanks a lot!

Here's a cool construction cam kayosthery posted:

http://www.constructioncam.com/columbian.htm

That cam is awesome! I've never seen them give so much control w/ a webcam before! For those of you that can't be here in Chicago with us... play with this cam for a few mins, you'll get your fix :)

^Wow, that is pretty amazing.

That camera is insane. Best on I have seen yet.

From the webcam and photos on emporis, it looks like there is something else under construction next to the Columbian... west of it. Anyone know what that is?

There is a two story building that is being rehabed for commercial space at Wabash and Roosevelt.

This is from last weekend
http://images.snapfish.com/346686%3A45%7Ffp346%3Enu%3D3279%3E%3A85%3E266%3EWSNRCG%3D32335%3A85778%3B8nu0mrj

Hot shit! That thing is moving in a hurry!!!

I just passed by it today and was surprised by how quickly it has been going up. It seems like it started late and has caught up in a hurry and maybe even gotten ahead.

There's per-cast going up on the base of The Columbian (04-12-06)
https://extranet.emporis.com/files/transfer/6/2006/04/450206.jpg

Doesnt seem a little early in the construction phase to be putting the precast fascade on the building? I watched them bringing it in on Sunday and cant believe it will make it with out being damaged.

Columbian is at 9 floors. Looks to be going up at about a floor a week.
Looking East from Wabash
http://images.snapfish.com/3468%3B65%3B3%7Ffp345%3Enu%3D3279%3E%3A85%3E266%3EWSNRCG%3D323367%3A566834nu0mrj

http://images.snapfish.com/3468%3B65%3B3%7Ffp33%3B%3Enu%3D3279%3E%3A85%3E266%3EWSNRCG%3D323367%3A586979nu0mrj

Detail of facade
http://images.snapfish.com/3468%3B65%3B3%7Ffp345%3Enu%3D3279%3E%3A85%3E266%3EWSNRCG%3D323367%3A565836nu0mrj

Corner of Michigan and Roosevelt
http://images.snapfish.com/3468%3B65%3B3%7Ffp33%3A%3Enu%3D3279%3E%3A85%3E266%3EWSNRCG%3D323367%3A593%3B6%3Anu0mrj

Looking West from Indiana Ave.

http://images.snapfish.com/3468%3B65%3B3%7Ffp33%3A%3Enu%3D3279%3E%3A85%3E266%3EWSNRCG%3D323367%3A59543%3Anu0mrj

Nice photos. I don't get why they decided to put the facade on now...

Here's a cool construction cam kayosthery posted:

http://www.constructioncam.com/columbian.htm

Thanks so much spyguy for the lovely live cam!
Now, I can be the Columbian stalker now! :)

There's per-cast going up on the base of The Columbian (04-12-06)
https://extranet.emporis.com/files/transfer/6/2006/04/450206.jpg

Something big is going on! Two traffic officers in one intersection! Way to go Columbian! :cheers:

There is always a lot of traffic officers in this general area during rush hour just cuz the traffic is so mucked up here.

Took this from my balony tonight 6/8/06

http://images1.snapfish.com/346%3C%3A4658%7Ffp346%3Enu%3D3279%3E%3A85%3E266%3EWSNRCG%3D323382474%3A%3A3%3Anu0mrj

Nice updates- seems to have doubled in about 1.5 months.

The Columbian is rising fast. Thanks for the updates, Chicagotom.

From MP Tower 3
http://images1.snapfish.com/3474932%3C6%7Ffp346%3Enu%3D3233%3E794%3E57%3A%3E232479466%3B739ot1lsi

Looking NE from 14th and State
http://images1.snapfish.com/3474932%3C6%7Ffp342%3Enu%3D3279%3E%3A85%3E266%3EWSNRCG%3D3233885563974nu0mrj


Looking East Roosevelt and Wabash
http://images1.snapfish.com/3474932%3C6%7Ffp342%3Enu%3D3233%3E794%3E567%3E2324794658656ot1lsi

Detail of rehabbed white terra cotta 2 story
http://images1.snapfish.com/3474932%3C6%7Ffp342%3Enu%3D3279%3E%3A85%3E266%3EWSNRCG%3D32338894%3C%3A338nu0mrj
Anyone have the address of this one?

Detail of Columbian brickwork
http://images1.snapfish.com/3474932%3C6%7Ffp33%3A%3Enu%3D3279%3E%3A85%3E266%3EWSNRCG%3D3233885555%3C6%3Cnu0mrj

^ Thanks for the pics. Wow, the Columbian is shooting up like a rocket. Oh, and I love the rehab work that they are doing with that 2 story building. It's nice to know some historical buildings in the area are being returned to their former glory instead of being smashed to pieces. So is that little building just being redeveloped into a retail center or what?

..

Speaking of which - Trader Joe's is moving into the former Sports Authority space on Ontario at Wabash if anyone is interested :)

Speaking of which - Trader Joe's is moving into the former Sports Authority space on Ontario at Wabash if anyone is interested :)

:( still not close enough to hyde park for me to access one without needing (or mooching) a car. SOUTH SIDE NEEDS MORE LOVE.

Does anyone have any information on what retail is going to be in the two story building on Roosevelt and Wabash?

Taken yesterday by Pherek on SSP (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showpost.php?p=2207646&postcount=1701)

http://img467.imageshack.us/img467/2010/200607260872zb7.jpg
http://img67.imageshack.us/img67/3071/200607260874sj1.jpg
http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/7046/200607260876qt4.jpg

Wow there really building that thing fast.

I did a quick construction photo/render merge of the Columbian - just to give an idea of how tall it is, and how much is left. Thanks to Pherek from SSP for the construction photo.
http://img47.imageshack.us/img47/8937/jul28constructionrender1od1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

These merges are cool. Keep it up.

I did a quick construction photo/render merge of the Columbian - just to give an idea of how tall it is, and how much is left. Thanks to Pherek from SSP for the construction photo.
http://img47.imageshack.us/img47/8937/jul28constructionrender1od1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Thank you, it looks great! :cheers:

http://images1.snapfish.com/34787%3A759%7Ffp34%3B%3Enu%3D3279%3E%3A85%3E266%3EWSNRCG%3D3233%3A5%3C%3B%3C%3A4%3A%3Anu0mrj

http://images1.snapfish.com/34787%3A759%7Ffp352%3Enu%3D3279%3E%3A85%3E266%3EWSNRCG%3D3233%3A63235%3C3%3Bnu0mrj

..

Just to the right of the Columbian is an early Loewenberg monstrosity known as 1130 South Michigan.

They are in the process of replacing all of the windows in the building with dark glass and dark frames. I'm not sure how much better it will look, given the white glazed brick.

It should turn out something like this I suppose:
http://www.1130smichigan.com/images/tower.jpg

not sure why so many people are anti sixties - seventies era high rises,
that is actually a pretty cool white building, and im not sure if they really need to change it, but it will be okay, there is alot of monotonous shit going up right now that aint that great as well, the columbian itself doesnt look so hot,

we have to have buildings from each era of architecture to be a truly interesting city, it seems that if alot of people had there way we would be destroying a whole era of perfectly good buildings,

^ I agree, although some of the auto-oriented stuff built in the 60's and 70's just doesn't belong in a city like Chicago.

Some of the drive-in motels, for example, in River North, are just so cheap that they have no business still existing on such prime real estate

not sure why so many people are anti sixties - seventies era high rises,
that is actually a pretty cool white building, and im not sure if they really need to change it, but it will be okay, there is alot of monotonous shit going up right now that aint that great as well, the columbian itself doesnt look so hot,

we have to have buildings from each era of architecture to be a truly interesting city, it seems that if alot of people had there way we would be destroying a whole era of perfectly good buildings,

While I kinda sorta have an appreciation for 60s/70s highrises, this puppy doesn't belong on Michigan Avenue. Too bad they can't pull a Doral and cover this up, too...

^ I agree, although some of the auto-oriented stuff built in the 60's and 70's just doesn't belong in a city like Chicago.

Some of the drive-in motels, for example, in River North, are just so cheap that they have no business still existing on such prime real estate


though i enjoyed stopping at hojo and getting breakfast once, nice and run down as hell, is that still there on lasalle i believe?

they are living on borrowed time, but i would like to see one or two survive,
there is a hilarious one on ohio i believe, what is it the ohio house or motel or something?

These things have no place, whatsoever, in downtown Chicago and they need to go sooner rather than later.

though i enjoyed stopping at hojo and getting breakfast once, nice and run down as hell, is that still there on lasalle i believe?

they are living on borrowed time, but i would like to see one or two survive,
there is a hilarious one on ohio i believe, what is it the ohio house or motel or something?

The auto-oriented kitsch of the west side of LaSalle Street in River North had a reason for its appearance. That reason lay in the timing of the availability of land close to the Loop. The west side of LaSalle was hit hard by the demolitions necessitated by the widening of LaSalle Street in the 1930's.

Some buildngs had their facades shaved off and then reconstructed after the street was widened. The Sportmart building (for years operating as "Morrie Mages")had this done to its LaSalle Street facade.

On other sites along the west side of LaSalle, new low-rise buildings went up, since this area was kind of run-down, relatively unwanted, and no large buildings were needed.

Non-descript buildings (e.g., the LaSalle-Ohio Garage, an auto repair buisiness )went up on some of the demolition sites cleared for the street-widening. By the 1950's, the Ohio House Hotel and Howard Johnsons were built, both character-filled auto-havens of their time. They are likely in their last years. The "borrowed time" comment above seems perfect.

While I kinda sorta have an appreciation for 60s/70s highrises, this puppy doesn't belong on Michigan Avenue. Too bad they can't pull a Doral and cover this up, too...

doral?
but every building cant be a landmark,
personally though i think this is a good example for its period,
its like the jeffersons, movin on up!
lots of nondescript buildings like this in newyork that are far far worse,

michigan avenue i dont think is that special that it cant have a nice variety of buildings from ALL eras, too much hate on any era is wrong,

and the bias now is against brutalism, sixties and seventies stuff,
look at how they are defacing the lollipop building in newyork, people will never learn it seems.

The auto-oriented kitsch of the west side of LaSalle Street in River North had a reason for its appearance. That reason lay in the timing of the availability of land close to the Loop. The west side of LaSalle was hit hard by the demolitions necessitated by the widening of LaSalle Street in the 1930's.

Some buildngs had their facades shaved off and then reconstructed after the street was widened. The Sportmart building (for years operating as "Morrie Mages")had this done to its LaSalle Street facade.

On other sites along the west side of LaSalle, new low-rise buildings went up, since this area was kind of run-down, relatively unwanted, and no large buildings were needed.

Non-descript buildings (e.g., the LaSalle-Ohio Garage, an auto repair buisiness )went up on some of the demolition sites cleared for the street-widening. By the 1950's, the Ohio House Hotel and Howard Johnsons were built, both character-filled auto-havens of their time. They are likely in their last years. The "borrowed time" comment above seems perfect.
I swear... you come up with some of the best shit on this board! Teach me more wise one!!!

michigan avenue i dont think is that special
This comment has me dumbfounded. You're right - I mean it's just the most historically significant collection of skyscrapers on the face of the planet.

doral?
but every building cant be a landmark,
personally though i think this is a good example for its period,
its like the jeffersons, movin on up!
lots of nondescript buildings like this in newyork that are far far worse,

michigan avenue i dont think is that special that it cant have a nice variety of buildings from ALL eras, too much hate on any era is wrong,

and the bias now is against brutalism, sixties and seventies stuff,
look at how they are defacing the lollipop building in newyork, people will never learn it seems.

Hmm...Michigan Avenue along Grant Park IS a landmark district, lined with suuperb examples of late 19th/early 20th century architecture. While not bad on its own, in the context of the beauties around it, this Lowenberg doesn't stack up. Plus, it kills the streetwall with its "T" shape.

And by Doral I'm referring to the proposed expansion of the Doral building @ the NE corner of Michigan & Randolph with a glass facade that will cover the horrible south side and give a proper "face" to Millenium Park.

Hmm...Michigan Avenue along Grant Park IS a landmark district, lined with suuperb examples of late 19th/early 20th century architecture. While not bad on its own, in the context of the beauties around it, this Lowenberg doesn't stack up. Plus, it kills the streetwall with its "T" shape.

And by Doral I'm referring to the proposed expansion of the Doral building @ the NE corner of Michigan & Randolph with a glass facade that will cover the horrible south side and give a proper "face" to Millenium Park.

^ I'm afraid our friend Wong is not aware of the new development proposed for the NE corner of Michigan and Randolph which will cover the Doral. He is too busy taking care of sick & dying patients to be in touch with every new development ;)

This comment has me dumbfounded. You're right - I mean it's just the most historically significant collection of skyscrapers on the face of the planet.


yeah it could dumfound if taken out of context,

lots of nice shit has been destroyed on michigan avenue,
somehow the new bannana republic building is so awesome?
charmets was in a nice building on michigan, my point is much senseless destruction happened on michigan to the extent that the michigan avenue of my childhood is a distant memory and in many places michigan avenue is unrecognizable, so i believe that many new developments on michigan are worse than this nice horrible t shaped building,
it is not a landmark district otherwise why were all the nice old buildings and mansions on michigan destroyed, some of the new development is nice and ofcourse there are many great landmarks left like the union carbide building, wrigley, and tribune and many others, john hancock, et. al.
but there will never be a commission that sits down and says well,
this buidling isnt a landmark so we destroy it and put a landmark up,
if every building were a landmark the city would look like a monster that could only be realized in sim city

but my point is, is that chicago is an amalgamation of good and bad decisions some better and some worse, and this white building by far is not even close to be being a super bad decision, there are many worse blah buildings on michigan, the neiman marcus monstrosity needs to be destroyed, the virgin record store buiding in super retarded, basically any building that was built on michigan to be exclusively retail is a stupid stupid waste

this white building is housing alot of people and is antisprawl and it reminds us of days gone by, call me crazy but i like it, many more sixties highrises that are worse, especially on lsd and sheridan

^ I'm afraid our friend Wong is not aware of the new development proposed for the NE corner of Michigan and Randolph which will cover the Doral. He is too busy taking care of sick & dying patients to be in touch with every new development ;)


i will look into it though, sorry, i really need to keep myself more abreast of whats going on in chicago,

which btw will get alot easier once i move back down to shytown,
my job in wisconsin finishes up the end of sept, so i will be out of milwaukee, doing locum tenens in wausau most likely for three months, then ill finally be back in chicago!!!!!!

i will look into it though, sorry, i really need to keep myself more abreast of whats going on in chicago,

which btw will get alot easier once i move back down to shytown,
my job in wisconsin finishes up the end of sept, so i will be out of milwaukee, doing locum tenens in wausau most likely for three months, then ill finally be back in chicago!!!!!!

^ Ahhh, Locums! I quit my fellowship, so I may also be doing Locums for a while. It's hard to find Locum jobs in big cities, though. Anyway, this thread has drifted too far off topic...

The problem, Mohammed, is that you're talking about two very different parts of Michigan Avenue. If you want to talk about how much Banana Republic sucks, then keep the arguments north of the River. But, to say that "so much has been destroyed" on the historic Michigan Avenue Streetwall (south of the river) is simply fallacious. This stretch of Michigan that we all hold so dear is, for the most part, completely intact. It's sort of irrelevant since 1130 S. Michigan (the building in question) is basically outside of the streetwall anyway because it's so far south.

^^^Yes absolutely, these are completely distinct areas of Mich Ave.

Looking over the Field Museum
http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l221/Mansmith_2006/DSCN2098.jpg
West from the Field Museum
http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l221/Mansmith_2006/DSCN2099.jpg

From the deck of Tower 4
http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l221/Mansmith_2006/DSCN2119-2.jpg

Close up between the gap at Sky55
http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l221/Mansmith_2006/DSCN2124.jpg

West from Tower 3
http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l221/Mansmith_2006/DSCN2094.jpg

Nice pics. The South Loop is still building. I just hope that interest rates don't keep climbing because from what I hear, sales of new construction and recently completed building have slowed considerably. Michigan Ave Towers II is has had their sales office open for almost a year and a half and have just recently cracked 50%.

Michigan Ave Towers II is has had their sales office open for almost a year and a half and have just recently cracked 50%.

From what I remember, Tower II is over 80% sold.

From what I remember, Tower II is over 80% sold.


My info was based on a friend who lives in Tower I. Maybe you are right.

^^^Yeah. I saw in the Trib ad last week it said it was 80% (supposedly).

Have I mentioned how much I hate this tower?

I think that this is either toped out or its very close to being TO. They have finished pouring the 2 elevator cores. It looks like all that's left is the mansard roof.

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l221/Mansmith_2006/DSCN2235.jpg

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l221/Mansmith_2006/DSCN2239.jpg

Rendering
http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l221/Mansmith_2006/6324the_columbian.jpg

Still can't believe how fast this thing went up. That's how you know it's quality!!! *sense the sarcasm*

True it is going up rather quickly. I don't hate it, but I don't love it either.

Meh, just another filler building.

It's not beautiful, but it already has a big impact on the skyline, especially from the Museum Campus.

I live in the area, and compared to the other stuff they are putting up like State Place and Vision on State this thing is in improvement.

I consider any building down here a success, so long as it is better than 1130 South Michigan up there. (Which, I just learned, is a Loewenberg building. Figures.)

The Columbian, unlike 1130 South, doesn't say "fuck you" to the most beautiful streetscape in the city. It has height appropriate for the Michigan streetwall; it fits the intersection of Roosevelt and Michigan, which is promising to become one of the most prominent in the city; and it maintains a cornice height with the building next to it.

However, it could engage the intersection more, since it IS so promising, rather than treating it just like any other in the city.

From Saturday

http://img295.imageshack.us/img295/3227/dsc06366fu1.jpg


http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/4305/dsc06394ad5.jpg


http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/9440/dsc06392pe9.jpg

what retail is going to be in the two story building on Roosevelt and Wabash?

Sunflower Market is taking 40,000 sf. The total building is supposedly 80,000 sf, but I suspect Sunflower will take nearly the entire ground floor, leaving upstairs for one of the endless number of day spas or beauty salons, maybe a chiropractor or something.

I also don't know whether they will have any parking in the Columbian garage for shoppers. Sunflower is owned by Supervalu, same as Jewel, but the Jewel lot across the street is already overwhelmed.

Sunflower Market is taking 40,000 sf. The total building is supposedly 80,000 sf, but I suspect Sunflower will take nearly the entire ground floor, leaving upstairs for one of the endless number of day spas or beauty salons, maybe a chiropractor or something.

I also don't know whether they will have any parking in the Columbian garage for shoppers. Sunflower is owned by Supervalu, same as Jewel, but the Jewel lot across the street is already overwhelmed.

The Columbian garage is totally private for residents only. There won't even be any guest parking spots.

^ Good.

The idea that every single store needs a parking lot is becoming increasingly ludicrous. That premise is getting old and needs to die, especially downtown

..

Today:

http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/8207/columbianhy0.jpg

3-11

http://img136.imageshack.us/img136/4259/dsc07353nv7.jpg

http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/4347/dsc07356il8.jpg

http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/1381/dsc07365lr1.jpg

Different rendering
http://img451.imageshack.us/img451/6527/columbian1jf9.jpg

Different rendering. Same ugly-ass building.

They're both butt-ugly, and the 'holy glow' emanating from the roof in that pic isn't making me think any different. Perhaps that works for some people.

At least it wasn't built in river north; it looks kinda like a reject from there. While it isn't the greatest, it does provide some height and adds depth to the south part of skyline.

At the very least, I'm a fan of the brick exterior.

Taken today:

http://img78.imageshack.us/img78/7840/columbianrl4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Ah, this building is ok. The top isn't bad. IMO, the skyline is better with this tower.

Ah, this building is ok. The top isn't bad. IMO, the skyline is better with this tower.


Yes, I agree and the brick is great.

Come on the location needs a building like this.

Just wait for Park Michigan.

While there is certainly nothing spectacular about this building, I think that it is a solid building...and will provide a little variety once tall, glassy buildings such as OMP, OMPW, and Park Michigan (and possibly the two more tall Museum Park buildings on Roosevelt) go up nearby.

..

^Don't forget Park 1000 which is supposed to break ground in early May according to the sales office.

http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=102143
Park 1000 has a real lower Manhattan feel to it with its solid massing. Hopefully it will look as substantial after its execution.

4-14-07

http://img381.imageshack.us/img381/8830/dsc07470jm6.jpg

Saw last night that the tower crane is comming down.

^ You think that tower crane could possibly go to OMP west next?

^^ No unfortunately there along way away from putting up another crane. I had an extended conversation with one of the Bovis supervisors. Their at least a month away before they begin drilling real caissons. I'll post the rest in OMPW thread.

5-13-07

http://img379.imageshack.us/img379/251/dsc07768fj7.jpg

I think this building is a nice addition to the area. The color of it is refreshing where everything else in the area is basically white/beige or glass. The top is a nice design element as well as I am glad it is not just a flat roof. The red bricks look really nice as the sun is setting. Nothing too special, but a nice filler building IMO. I like it.

6-9-2007

http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/8382/dsc08055af3.jpg

I agree Chi649 here are some morning sun shots.

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l221/Mansmith_2006/DSC_0229.jpg

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l221/Mansmith_2006/DSC_0230.jpg

Looking at these pictures one can see that 1130 S. Micihigan is under-going a transformation. The new windows are changing the architectural character of the original building. I think it looks much better with the new "tinted" windows.


Another case in-point is the Elm Street Plaza 1130 N. Dearborn St. It was recently fitted with new windows too, and looks a lot better than the original building.

I was at Michigan and Balbo the other night looking south and I thought something looked awry with 1130 - something looked... improved. I wasn't aware that this was happening to the tower, but, it is a huge upgrade! Good catch MWR.

I have to admit. They look great!. So it's even more competition in the South Loop for 1250 S Michigan (my unit is on the 12th floor).:)

I was at Michigan and Balbo the other night looking south and I thought something looked awry with 1130 - something looked... improved. I wasn't aware that this was happening to the tower, but, it is a huge upgrade! Good catch MWR.

They need to do the same thing to River Plaza by TTC and also a few places in the Gold Coast.

They need to do the same thing to River Plaza by TTC and also a few places in the Gold Coast.


Sandburg Village!

While there is certainly nothing spectacular about this building, I think that it is a solid building...and will provide a little variety once tall, glassy buildings such as OMP, OMPW, and Park Michigan (and possibly the two more tall Museum Park buildings on Roosevelt) go up nearby.

Help me here, this appears to be a fine building, material, etc. But I am not sure why folks seem disappointed; so what completed buildings or under construction in the South Loop will even match the whole package from size, location, architecture, quality of material, etc.? For discussion sakes, let's exclude One Museum Tower. The new rental tower to the south looks nice, but it does not stand out for some reason. The Columbian blows doors on anything thus far on Michigan ave, especially the cheapened Vue stuff.

Well, 1720 springs to mind... but, that might be further south than you have in mind. It doesn't matter if we're not gettinga anything "better" than the Columbian, we still shouldn't have to settle for neo-classical garbage.

Would you have been happier without the pyramid roof?

Very little about this building is neo-classical per se. Its facades are organized traditionally, but that could encompass gothic, classical, prairie, deco, or several other styles. Columbian lacks defining ornamentation, which is a trait associated with modernism. The building is kind of boring, but it IS competent and makes no "what the hell were they thinking?" decisions like other buildings on Mich Ave (1130 South, Jet/Ebony).

I didn't necessarily mean classical in the defined stylistic sense - but rather in the "come live in ye olde town square" sense.

But, to go ahead and defend a point that I wasn't really making anyway, I will point out that the tower employs a very classical approach in terms of ordering - a well defined base, middle and crown. And yes, the hipped roof is the biggest offender.

It's just not forward thinking architecture. It's not even laterally-thinking, for that matter.

July 6, 2007

http://img184.imageshack.us/img184/7896/dsc0412eh6.jpg

http://img393.imageshack.us/img393/1763/dsc0446zu5.jpg

http://img456.imageshack.us/img456/1563/dsc0456hg8.jpg

Taken today:
http://img468.imageshack.us/img468/1170/columbian91xb9.jpg

Does anyone know why this is called the columbian?

The red brick bulding reminds me of the condo buildings they build in colombia, except they don't make anything anywhere near as tall in colombia as this building.

The World's Columbian Exposition, held in Chicago in 1893, was the last and the greatest of the nineteenth century's World's Fairs. Nominally a celebration of Columbus' voyages 400 years prior, the Exposition was in actuality a reflection and celebration of American culture and society--for fun, edification, and profit--and a blueprint for life in modern and postmodern America.

The building at 547 S. Clark, now Harrison Street Lofts, was known as the Columbian Building until the conversion in the mid-90s.

Photos by DaveLeritz on flickr
http://img466.imageshack.us/img466/8693/154940234085d5a4cfcabia3.jpg
http://img466.imageshack.us/img466/2496/15493879163c8b246170brl8.jpg

I like it.... it's a bit different but it is nice.