...For those of us who have something to say about Chicago, but don't think it's quite important enough to start a thread about.

I can understand why some people might not like a thread like this, so feel free to lock it if you want to.

------------
http://www.cjtripnewton.com/images/chicago-skyline.jpg

What neighborhood is this in?!!!

Wicker Park.

The building at the center of the picture is a collection of artist's studios (I live six blocks south of it).

Is it North and Milwaukee, by any chance?

... and Damen.

I wish that Chicago Mile High building, by Frank Lloyd Wright I believe, was built.

Oh and um, I want something large and iconic. Something like, I dunno, a statue(?) on lake michigan. Could be called Lady of the Lake. A total rip off from New York, I know, but I needed to say it.

make a waterfall... elevate the lake, when it empties into the river like a waterfall, an urban waterfall is iconic..(and make the canal somewhere else like.. near 22nd ST).

Is the Chicago river natural or just a canal, I been wondering that all my life, is the river's bottom cement/steel or soil?

- 2100 N Elston was an industrial wasteland; quite literally, as it is a brownfield with extensive contamination from a prior use. so was North/Clybourn once upon a time--it was part of the halo of abandoned factories that surrounded Cabrini-Green, once providing plenty of jobs but in later years just cutting it off from the rest of town. the retail development along Clybourn wasn't planned, per se; no one realized what was going on until too late. the Clybourn corridor straddles two wards and is outside the purview of any one community group except the LEED Council, a group of industrial employers along the river. their main mandate was to prevent residential encroachment within the riverside industrial corridor; the compromise with the first few developers was that big-box retail was okay. no one, least of all the retailers (many of whom entered only hesitantly), expected that the retail would be anywhere near that successful in drawing traffic--hence the expansion of the corridor to Elston.

This was in the Chicago mistakes thread in response to talk about Kohls and Bestbuy going up around that part of town, including a parking lot. I was really suprised to hear how close it is too neighborhoods like Wicker Park or Lincoln Park..or isnt it?
Does this area look like a suburban interstate or something?

aion26--How do you like living in Wicker Park/Bucktown/wherever? That seems like an awesome place to live. Very urban--active streetscape, solid stock of old buildings and houses with generally good infill. Distance to amenities--coffee shops/restaurants/pharmacies/shops/grocery walkable. IS this actually true or just my fantasy? How does it compare with Lincoln Park or Lakeview?

Wicker Park
http://www.cjtripnewton.com/images/chicago-skyline.jpg

Lakeview:
http://wilthe3rd.smugmug.com/photos/3115447-L.jpg

aion26--How do you like living in Wicker Park/Bucktown/wherever? That seems like an awesome place to live. Very urban--active streetscape, solid stock of old buildings and houses with generally good infill. Distance to amenities--coffee shops/restaurants/pharmacies/shops/grocery walkable. IS this actually true or just my fantasy? How does it compare with Lincoln Park or Lakeview?

I love it. I live a bit south of wicker park actually, about 6 blocks south of the Damen "L" stop and really like my area. It is a good mix of the old and new, I still hear loads of Polish and Ukranian on the street but also am able to walk a bit north to the eclectic resturants on Division ave. There is a crappy grocery story near by (Edmars) but some good eastern european deli's/groceries and excellant inexpensive mexican places. It really has a different feel from Lakeview (which almost has more of a sports/frat feel ... don't get me wrong, I don't dislike the area, I spent my teenage years at the Metro) and Lincoln Park (which seems to have been taken over by the chains and very scrubbed). But if the truth be known, I'd prefer to life in Old Town over those two areas. I've lived in many areas of chicago (from old town to albany park) and I think this is my favorite.

My only complaint is that I wish I lived closer to the "L", but the #66 bus runs (albeit sometimes poorly) 24/7. My only concern is that the Damen bus is on the chopping block except for rush hour service if the CTA goes through with their cuts.

how tall is the sears tower if you counted the antennas toward the height?

The total height of the structure including the two television antennas on top was 1,707 feet (520 m), until these were later extended to 1,729 feet (527 m) to outstrip the World Trade Center antenna.

My only complaint is that I wish I lived closer to the "L", but the #66 bus runs (albeit sometimes poorly) 24/7. My only concern is that the Damen bus is on the chopping block except for rush hour service if the CTA goes through with their cuts.

Is the Damen bus the same as the #66? Will you still be able to get around okay if those specific cuts go through?

Damen is either #48 or #50. Bus # 66 is Chicago(avenue)

I just thought of something that I always wanted, well ever since I saw I, Robot. Damn, I WANT THOSE LED SCREENS IN THE CITY. ahh, feels good to get that off my chest.

So yeah. Do something about the Daley.

I think Chicago needs a giant indoor amusement park downtown.:D

I think Chicago needs a giant indoor amusement park downtown.:D


we had one of those, and it fail miserably(Disney Quest)

^Oh yeah, I remember that.:(

I just thought of something that I always wanted, well ever since I saw I, Robot. Damn, I WANT THOSE LED SCREENS IN THE CITY. ahh, feels good to get that off my chest.

So yeah. Do something about the Daley.
I'd single handly tear down every one of those screens if that were to ever happen, this isn't NYC! or some tacky Asian city.

i'd want them, plus id think daley could do a good job of doing it tastefully. i've seen one up in lincoln park already.

it would be a good thing. just don't go ape nuts about it like some asian city or nyc.

^at the intersection of Broadway, Diversey and Clark?

What exactly are this LED screens you're talking about?

I'd single handly tear down every one of those screens if that were to ever happen, this isn't NYC! or some tacky Asian city.


NYC doesn't own rights to LED screens, and in the movie they didn't look tacky at all. They don't have to be flashing bright with reds and greens. Just regular TV-lookin screens. IMO that would be cool.

Here's a shot of what I'm talking about.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/simjim/ledscreens.jpg

hydrogen::

i think so i'm not quite sure. it was a big flat panel on a corner of a building. i also seen a few led baseball type screens around. but i like the flat panels better.

make a waterfall... elevate the lake, when it empties into the river like a waterfall, an urban waterfall is iconic..(and make the canal somewhere else like.. near 22nd ST).

Is the Chicago river natural or just a canal, I been wondering that all my life, is the river's bottom cement/steel or soil?

The Chicago River existed before Europeans settled in this area. In fact, it was the reason Europeans settled in this area. They realized that the south branch of the Chicago River was only a short portage (carrying your boat and/or freight over land) from the Des Plaines River, which connects to the Illinois River, which connects to the Mississippi River. They also realized that a short canal could be built connecting the Chicago River to the Illinois River system, and that's what was done: the Illinois & Michigan Canal opened around 1848, but was overshadowed within 20 years by the coming of the railroads.

The Chicago River as it exists now is different from its natural state. It looks like a canal downtown because it was artificially straightened out and dredged for navigation and flood control purposes long ago. On its northern and southern branches, it looks more like it may have in its natural state, with actual soil and plant life on its banks. But the original river was twisty and lined with swampland, and neither is true at any point in its course now.

The bottom is soil. In fact, it's known that the soil at the bottom is highly contaminated with heavy metals and other toxic pollutants from the days when the river was essentially an industrial sewer. Clean up would be costly and since the river isn't used by heavy commercial traffic anymore, the contaminated soil isn't stirred up much.

you know i feel that NY, as much as i love the place is in my opinion very simular to an old lady who is wearing alot of makup. nyc is an old broken down dirty crap hole , the streets dirty as hell and could use some seriouse rehab(pot holes) not to meantion all the trash on the streets . most of the buildings around the city and the five boroughs are old and falling apart. but what they do instead of puting money into rehab they turn there city into a big carnival in order to attract people back into the city with all the flashy lights and signs and big LED screens (thats the makeup on the old lady part). chicago doesent need to use things like flashy lights and big screen tv's to lure people to its downtown. our city prides itself in being a clean as hell beautiful cultural city that has enought of its own character and personality to lure people into its downtown area. (btw dont get me wrong , i do love ny also)

^pretty hott for an old lady ;)


http://www.philipmalenfant.com/chi2251

Where's this shot taken from? Lakeview?


http://www.philipmalenfant.com/chi2252
Where's this one from? River north area? Looks amazing in the picture!

The Chicago River existed before Europeans settled in this area. In fact, it was the reason Europeans settled in this area. They realized that the south branch of the Chicago River was only a short portage (carrying your boat and/or freight over land) from the Des Plaines River, which connects to the Illinois River, which connects to the Mississippi River. They also realized that a short canal could be built connecting the Chicago River to the Illinois River system, and that's what was done: the Illinois & Michigan Canal opened around 1848, but was overshadowed within 20 years by the coming of the railroads.

The Chicago River as it exists now is different from its natural state. It looks like a canal downtown because it was artificially straightened out and dredged for navigation and flood control purposes long ago. On its northern and southern branches, it looks more like it may have in its natural state, with actual soil and plant life on its banks. But the original river was twisty and lined with swampland, and neither is true at any point in its course now.

The bottom is soil. In fact, it's known that the soil at the bottom is highly contaminated with heavy metals and other toxic pollutants from the days when the river was essentially an industrial sewer. Clean up would be costly and since the river isn't used by heavy commercial traffic anymore, the contaminated soil isn't stirred up much.


Thank you for answering my question. :)

Some of my favorites:

http://img218.exs.cx/img218/9454/chi0152nk.jpg

http://img218.exs.cx/img218/7/chi0189am.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/i_am_hydrogen/ChicagoDensityfromAbove.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/i_am_hydrogen/Chicagobacksidepanoramic.jpg

Pottebaum - both of those pics you asked about were taken from Lakeview.

Even the second one? Hmmm..It seemed too far west to me. And isn't the second picture that you posted from the Gold Coast area?

If you look closely at the pictures you asked about, you'll notice that they're both the same basic shot, except the second one is zoomed in.

The first two pictures I posted are also from Lakeview, on Irving Park (4000N). I actually know which building it is because my friends used to live in it (it's like 54 stories tall and they lived on the highest floor), and I distinctly remember the view. The Gold Coast is much, much close to the Hancock.

Lakeview look like a great place to take Chicago's skyline

http://img218.exs.cx/img218/7/chi0189am.jpg
I had always thought of Lakeview starting where the Lincoln Park ends. I'm probably just looking at it wrong, but to me it looks like that's farther south of Lincoln Park.

Oh, or is it just zoomed in again?

Some things I would love to see happen within the next decade in Chicago:

-Chicago Wi-Fi (perhaps a public venture with private interests)
-An existent CTA

These previous two are hopeful, but municipal politics leave me cynical.

-Beautification of highway overpasses

The roads that go over the Dan Ryan are hideous and very not friendly for those waiting to make connections from the Red Line onto busses. At least Sox/35th has better lighting and a somewhat wind-shield. Heat lamps would be a blessing, and maybe something like what Sox/35th has put on every Red Line stop would be very nice. And also vegetation. Chicago should be trying to dampen the moat effect highways have and encourage crossing the bridges for use. The overpasses in the West Loop (is that the Eisenhower? Not really having driven in Chitown, I don't really know the highways very well) have very nice red railing, but hell, DALLAS does a better job of making highways appealling. 75 (or Central Expressway as it is known) has colorful pavers, potted vegetation, and art. Too bad no one walks in Dallas, but walking on Mockingbird Ave. across the highway is an actual pleasant experience.

-Continuous urban beautification

How is the Mayor's greenery project coming along? Cause I would really like to see his tree-planting/planter-placing extended to lots of urban-jungle-neighborhood. Science has shown a correlation to vegetational presence and mental acuity (theory is that looking upon natural objects may do something to the brain, although imo I think it's more of an indicator of social situation, but whatever, can't hurt).

-Some new development in rapid transit employed

Whether this be a full deployment of Hydrogen-powered buses (Chicago was one of the testing cities for a Hydrogen-powered bus, 6 of them were rolled out in Chicago) or the development of light rail or expansion of the L or hell, maybe dedicated ROW BRT for heavy areas like the 55 (although getting dedicated ROW there would be next to impossible).

-Further expansion of the skyline into the South Loop and West Loop, preferably South Loop.

Already seeing positive signs of this with Museum Park and the development centered around the whole Roosevelt area. I don't get it, the infrastructure should be pretty solid for intense development of this area. I'm just getting tired of North Side developmental bias :).

-Hydrogen infrastructure

The "Hydrogen Highway" on I-90 (methinks) is I believe under way, but as commercially viable fuel cell and affordable non-fuel cell cars being promise of arriving in around 2010, I would like to see Chicago to be one of the few cities that can easily and promptly support the deployment of these cars.

I believe that all my hopeful dreams have an actual chance of happening, and I'm cautiously optimistic. One thing Chicago has that alot of other cities don't is a corrupt machine-politik mayor who loves his city, which can help cut through alot of bureaucratic red tape.

pottebaum -

Yes, Lakeview begins where LP ends, at least with respect to LP's NORTHERN border. LP's northern border is Diversey (2800N), which is Lakeview's southern border. Both of those night pics were taken in deep northern Lakeview, almost where Lakeview becomes Uptown (4000N).

Take a look at this photograph of Lakeview.
http://ohioskylines.com/OtherStates/Illinois/Chicago/Northside/ChiNorthside40.JPG
Look at the two really tall buildings that are right next to each other in the center of the photo. The one on the left (with the black strip in its center) is from where these night pics were taken (4000N). Now take a look at the brownish tall building right of that building (it's about as tall). You'll notice that building is in the foreground of the night pictures I've posted.

See, here's that brown building right smack in the middle foreground blocking everything:
http://img218.exs.cx/img218/9454/chi0152nk.jpg

And here it is again, only it's off to the lower right corner of the photo now:
http://img218.exs.cx/img218/7/chi0189am.jpg

So, in essence, you're looking toward downtown from extreme northern Lakeview. I hope this makes sense.

Aren't the city currently doing something with the Dan Ryan, because I saw that the local lanes only have one lane, and its a horrible mess. At least they are reducing the number of exits to reduce less accidents. There are like no shoulder lanes anymore..

Thanks, Hydrogen! So, those pics look farther south, or closer to the Hancock, because of the zoom? Im still a little puzzled..but that's not too uncommon ;)
http://www.philipmalenfant.com/chi2251
Was this picture also taken from that building? See, I had always thought that is what the skyline or distance from the loop area looked like from Lakeview.

Aren't the city currently doing something with the Dan Ryan, because I saw that the local lanes only have one lane, and its a horrible mess. At least they are reducing the number of exits to reduce less accidents. There are like no shoulder lanes anymore..

I've been wondering about this myself... anyone know what's up? It doesn't severely impact my life (go Red Line!) but I'm just highly curious.

Thanks, Hydrogen! So, those pics look farther south, or closer to the Hancock, because of the zoom? Im still a little puzzled..but that's not too uncommon ;)
http://www.philipmalenfant.com/chi2251
Was this picture also taken from that building? See, I had always thought that is what the skyline or distance from the loop area looked like from Lakeview.

Why are you argueing with him. Not only has he gone beyond the call of duty to explain and show where the picture was taken from ....but if you look...look close you can find many of the buildings on this new picture you have presented.....

It is a zoom lense.

I was not arguing with him. I was just a little confused because the look of the distances confused me, and he explained it well for me. I just didn't understand how the zoom lense works with the picture. I'm sorry if it sounded like I was ever trying to start an argument, Chicago3rd, but please don't try to make it sound like I don't appreciate his answers to my questions.

Guys - no worries. Chicago3rd, thanks for having my back, but I actually didn't think pottebaum was being argumentative. He/she's genuinely curious about Chicago. It was just a miscommunication.

pottebaum - by the way, since you seem interested in Chicago, I recently added threads of pictures from the Gold Coast and Lincoln Park.

LP: http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=196434
GC: http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=196403

Woah----thanks for posting those Hydrogen! I actually remember a few of those GC buildings from my trip to Chicago last summer :D

No problem - Glad you liked them.

I dont want to make another thread, so I am going to reuse this one.

I found this thingy thaat the people over at
skyscraperpage (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/) .

I thought this was overdramaticm anybody see the BIG mistake, lol.

http://members.cox.net/yafro/chicago.htm

I find this thing funny with those big things(spoiler.. I wont tell you unless you see it yourself).

hills in the background?

you got it, lol.. hills in chicago...

There is a hill in Beverly, really a hill. It is quite impressive.

I do want to go to Beverly sometime and see this Hill about which everyone talks. (The highest natural elevation in Chicagoland I hear?)

the height of the hill in that video look 250-450 feet.

http://www.606mag.com/main.php?id=70

ackward architecture :: chicago

There are actually plenty of hills around the Chicagoland area. They are part of a ring of morraines around Lake Michigan. Morraines are hills that are formed from the debris that is left behind the edges of the glaciers when they receded. These glaciers formed the Great Lakes at the end of the last ice age and the morraines are the extents of their ancient shorelines.

Don't think that I'm especially smart or anything for knowing this. I just happened to grow up in sw suburban Cook Co. in Palos Hills, and the hills in the name is definitely not a misnomer. It's a great place to go toboganing in the winter and mountain biking in the summer btw. Anyway, hope that helps.

all this talk about hills is all well and good but... a picture of the chicago skyline with hills in the background? c'mon. it's not right.

What's the Uptown neighborhood like? Is it pretty safe?

Out of curiosity, I read something on this forum that State Street used to be closed to traffic as part of a 'State Street Mall' until recently. How did that work? Only busses were allowed to travel on State Street for numerous years? How did traffic heading East or West on various streets handle that intersection and what parts of State Street were effected?

Look for it here,

http://www.chipublib.org/004chicago/timeline/statemall.html (Be sure to click on the 1979 thingy too)


All I know is that, it didnt work. Thats why State Street is back to a road now. I think the east west roads terminates at Wabash and begins again at dearborn. Wabash, Michigan, Dearborn, and clark were probably all crowded because state was close for cars.

When I first arrived in Chicago in 1996, State Street was still in its so-called "mall" phase. What I recall is an almost vacant road, save the accordion buses. It was not even landscaped for pedestrian use, but rather simply blocked off from private vehicles. Maybe I caught it during its transition from "mall" to vehicular street (?) Maybe this is merely Monday morning quarterbacking, but as I recall it did seem rather silly. Unless the street is fully dedicated to pedestrian traffic, what was the point of limiting it to bus lanes? What was the original rationale--hard to fathom..

What's the Uptown neighborhood like? Is it pretty safe?

It is now, it recall it being a bit sketchy back in the 1980's.

State St. Mall really fail

I have never inserted and image in a post. Can anyone explain how this is done? Thank you

You have the URL or address to the image, right?
If you do, here's how it would go:

Your pictures URL

The photos are only on my computer. Is there a way to insert a picture from my pc? Sorry for the trouble.

It's not a problem at all. With all the questions I ask on this forum, it feels sort of nice to actually contribute something :p

You need to upload them to an image host.
I'd suggest www.imageshack.us.

Go the the Club Forum, there are several posts on how to do things. Here is the post for how to do pics:

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=59844

Do any of you use the sedgwick station often? I was looking at some pictures, and Im interested to hear what that area's like. Seemed like there were a few big parking lots...or are those garages? ( i was looking at the areals)

http://w28.cityofchicago.org/output/mapsplats_aerials_DCDS2KSRV2413242684508.jpg

"What's the Uptown neighborhood like? Is it pretty safe?"

Pottebaum, I urge you to look into moving to Uptown if and when you get to Chicago. It is one of the densest residential neighborhoods in the city, has easy Red Line access and offers nearly everything that's great about this city. It's the most diverse neighborhood in the city, with sizeable black and white populations, including many, many immigrants in both groups, a sizeable Latino population and its own Chinatown (which is actually composed mostly of Vietnamese and other southeast Asians). On top of that, it is one of the biggest theater/live-performance spots in the city and is right on the lake, close to Montrose Harbor, which is one of the most gorgeous lakefront areas in the city.

^ As to the safe thing, it's not one of the neighborhoods in which you don't even have to think about crime, but it's also not one where you have to worry too much. I wouldn't spend a lot of time in empty areas late at night, but the main streets are busy pretty late because of all the entertainment venues there. The crime issue is not prohibitive.

Do any of you use the sedgwick station often? I was looking at some pictures, and Im interested to hear what that area's like. Seemed like there were a few big parking lots...or are those garages? ( i was looking at the areals)

http://w28.cityofchicago.org/output/mapsplats_aerials_DCDS2KSRV2413242684508.jpg


The Sedgwick Brown Line station is just south of the intersection of North Ave (1600N) and Sedgwick. The neighborhood it's in is called "Old Town." Old Town is south of Lincoln Park and north and (mainly) west of the Gold Coast. It's pretty expensive to live there. The houses are really nice, including cottages, rowhouses, townhouses, some brownstones, etc. Many of the streets are narrow, quiet, tree-lined, even cobblestone, and have an "olde towne" feel to them (which might be where the name came from). North/Wells is the commercial hub of the neighborhood. Wells Street is completely packed with bars, restaurants, and some shopping for about four or five blocks. It's quite different from Uptown (which I also like) in that it doesn't have much grit or an edge to it, nor is it very diverse as a whole.

Hmmm--Uptown sounds cool. I'm gonna have to look for some pictures.

The crime thing sort of bothers me, though. I've never lived in an area where I had to worry about that before.

Do you think things will improve even more in 3-5 years?

"The crime thing sort of bothers me, though. I've never lived in an area where I had to worry about that before.

Do you think things will improve even more in 3-5 years?"

It probably will become more gentrified as time goes on, although there is a bulwark of anti-gentrification in the large number of homeless shelters and such in the area. That said, you're not going to find a place in Chicago (outside of the far Northwest Side) where you don't even have to think about crime. Like I said, I definitely wouldn't avoid it because of safety issues unless you really like hanging around empty areas late at night.

I got sunburned today. I'm excited, warmer weather is here! Time to break out the Aloe Vera.

I hate Spring. Everyone's like "ooo, go outside and have fun" and i'm like "but I don't like sneezing 10 times in a row." Fall and winter are my favorites, summer is always too intense for me (i love cold). And fall in chicago is beautiful.

I was looking at some apartments (just for fun), and I came across the term "pet fees". It was around $250.. Is this monthly or just a one time deal?

^ Its generally just a one time deal. It is basically a deposit against the damage your pet might cause in the buidling.

Took a trip to uptown last weekend for Paul Van Dyk. Gotta say, I love the neighborhood.

People have mentioned before that Lakeview (is it lakeview? i forget if that's the one, or maybe it was edgewater) has a "frat boy" feel to it. Anyone care to elaborate?

http://wilthe3rd.smugmug.com/photos/19464470-M.jpg

http://wilthe3rd.smugmug.com/photos/19464473-M.jpg

Lake & Clinton
http://wilthe3rd.smugmug.com/photos/19638296-M.jpg

http://wilthe3rd.smugmug.com/photos/19638298-L.jpg

http://wilthe3rd.smugmug.com/photos/19638312-M.jpg

This view will be gone by next year!
http://wilthe3rd.smugmug.com/photos/19638314-M.jpg

http://wilthe3rd.smugmug.com/photos/19638336-M.jpg

http://wilthe3rd.smugmug.com/photos/19638360-M.jpg

http://wilthe3rd.smugmug.com/photos/19638364-L.jpg

http://wilthe3rd.smugmug.com/photos/19638385-M.jpg

http://wilthe3rd.smugmug.com/photos/19638442-L.jpg

http://wilthe3rd.smugmug.com/photos/19638459-L.jpg

http://wilthe3rd.smugmug.com/photos/19638451-L.jpg

http://wilthe3rd.smugmug.com/photos/19638507-M.jpg

The last spring in our lifetime that we will be able to see the sun set down E IBM Plaza from the Michigan Avenue Bridge.
http://wilthe3rd.smugmug.com/photos/19638528-M.jpg

http://wilthe3rd.smugmug.com/photos/19638538-L.jpg

http://wilthe3rd.smugmug.com/photos/19639747-M.jpg

http://wilthe3rd.smugmug.com/photos/19464470-M.jpg

Love that picture.

333 W Wacker is one of my favorite buildings ever.

I never notice those heads before

I actually know someone who works in 333 Wacker! I'll have to get up there sometime :D

"People have mentioned before that Lakeview (is it lakeview? i forget if that's the one, or maybe it was edgewater) has a "frat boy" feel to it. Anyone care to elaborate?"

It depends on where in Lakeview. Some parts, yeah. I'd maybe avoid Lakeview, frankly, unless you get really close to the lake (virtually anywhere really close to the lake is wonderful) or in the extreme northern or southern bits, closer to Lincoln Park or Uptown.

It's mostly the area know as Wrigleyville around the corner of Clark and Addison. And even then it really only bad in the summer during baseball season.

what building is at 222 North LaSalle?

222 N LASalle I believe is the Builders Building.

Built: 1927
Designed by: Graham, Anderson, Probst, and White
Renovated: 1986 by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill

I was reading this article on how the CTA is selling some land to developers in Uptown--and they're building a target. What's this part of uptown like? I'm having a hard time finding the location on a map.

Will this be like some sort of big parking lot store?

*EDIT* I think I found it--Is it right by the Graceland cemetary?

Good idea, I'll sticky this thread.

I was reading this article on how the CTA is selling some land to developers in Uptown--and they're building a target. What's this part of uptown like? I'm having a hard time finding the location on a map.

Will this be like some sort of big parking lot store?

*EDIT* I think I found it--Is it right by the Graceland cemetary?

Yes, the plot of land is northeast of Graceland, and due east of Truman College.

No, it will not be a 1-story building surrounded by an acre of asphalt. Although the plans are still under development and negotiation, the most recent proposal included at least 1 and maybe 2 residential structures (9 stories was the planned height for one of them)and a multi-story building (perhaps 2 separate buildings) that would house the Target, parking, and a multi-plex movie theater on the upper floors.

This is along a commercial stretch of Broadway that is depressed, but slowly turning around, due mostly to an explosion of residential construction and rehabilitation nearby. 10 years ago, there was drug dealing going on in broad daylight nearby, but not any longer. Just a few blocks south at Broadway and Montrose, an 11-story condo building opened a few years back. Less than half a mile north on Broadway is a block with new condos, a Borders store, and other street-level retail spaces that are slowly being filled (T-Mobile store, etc.) In 10 years, this area is going to be just as gentrified as Lakeview to the south is now.

does anybody know of any one bedroom/two bedroom apartments available in greektown, ukrainian village, wicker park area?

if so can you email me at frank[at]mypetrobot.net i'm looking for a place in those areas. i've been searching craigslist but i thought maybe i could get some other place that are being advertised from you guys.

thanks in advanced.

Does this pic look fake or what? If this is real, the photographer is a good photographer, looks to cartoony. I think this was in a commerical once. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v342/Spartanburger/Detroit-Chicago/cityChicagoIL09.jpg

I like how you can see Gary, IN in the far background across the lake.

I like how you can see Gary, IN in the far background across the lake.

I lived at 3130 N. Lakeshore drive and could see Gary and further. Got half a crescent of light...

the shadows in that picture are weird, and the sky is way to clear.

accualy chicago has some unusualy clear almost lucid skys during the summer months.

That picture could definitely be real (I'd say 99.999% chance it's real). Maybe certain filters on the lens or camera to give it that vibrancy of color (not terribly well versed in photography... well, at all) along with a bit of touching up in say Photoshop.

Fake or real, it's nice.

accualy chicago has some unusualy clear almost lucid skys during the summer months.

And it was after it rained...jugding by the pavement being wet and the large shadow (perhaps a passing shower) in the lower portion of the picture. The picture is old enough....judging by the buildings missing...that it should have been easy for us to see any fake sky supper imposed like they use to for post cards.

so its fake??

I notice that most post cards of chicago's sky is fake..

REAL I SAY REAL!!!!! MAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAH!

Yep, I think the photographer used a polarized lens which filters out glare and brightens shadows. It also makes sky and water look really blue. Cool picture!

Which neighborhood is this?
http://ohioskylines.com/OtherStates/Illinois/Chicago/Northside/ChiNorthside39.JPG
Looks sort of like Lakeview or Uptown.

Lakeview..

If anyone's interested, I took this picture of 35 East Wacker a month or two ago. Heres the link. I supposed you could vote on it too if you wanted. :D

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=210831

Slightly off topic, this was a great idea to start this thread. This thread kinda save space, for being some topic, not that important for its own thread... like the pic that I post up before.

w00t! Go me ;)

Does anyone have pictures of the following neighborhoods? (And I want lots!):

Andersonville
Buena Park
Uptown*
Old Town
Ravenswood*
Chatham
Wicker Park*

*My explorations here have occured, but have been so limited (sushi mirai in wicker park is amazing) that I want some chances to see more of the neighborhood (and I'm not staying in chicago this summer, so I won't get too much of a chance to :().

My other submitted picture, Wrigley Tower.

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=211194

Any Loop residents rudely awaken by that terrible thunderstorm we had this morning around 7AM? I swear, I almost never think bad thoughts, but the sound was so loud and right over me that it didn't even sound like a thunderstorm, and I began to think something bad had happened. Never heard thunder that loud in my life....

yup , , it woke me up , but imember about a year ago we had a realy bad storm , i think there were like 3 or 4 in a row every night , that was worse . i woke up that time thinking the world was ending . anyways were long overdue for some rain

I believe the black and white tower with the 1960s squiggle on top is 3150 N. Lake Shore Drive. If that is correct, this is a photo of Lakeview.

Any of you seen this site: http://savechicagotransit.com/

" Chicago has suffered before, but what could happen if funding for transit isn't fixed is downright terrifying.

People would be forced to move out of the dense neighborhoods, downtown business would falter, and Chicago would cease to attract new talent from other cities to benefit the workforce.

The entire region is at severe risk of stagnancy, at best, and depression, at worst."

I think that's really exagerated, but it still worries the hell out of me!

The thunder andlighting thiis morning, was so loud and flashy.

That website is awesome, and for a great cause...

First time, I ever saw that website.

That thunderstorm was the best thing that has happened during my Hyde Park residency.

I'll have to admit... there's ONE thing that I really miss about Texas, and that's the spring/fall torrential thunderstorms. I find thunderstorms to be deeply soothing and calming, and waking up at around 7 AM to a torrential downpour was an amazing joy. I slept blissfully after that to the sound of rain and wind.

I love thunder storms, this mornings was fantastic!

Check out Chicago Tonight. There is a great segment about the wonderful new view of the IBM Building afforded us due to the Sun-Times being demolished. If you missed the first showing, catch one of the 50 reruns tonight. :)

Nice blog photos, Intheloop.

Where is this??

http://tigger.uic.edu/depts/ahaa/imagebase/maclean/aerials2/031.JPEG

http://tigger.uic.edu/depts/ahaa/imagebase/maclean/aerials2/038.JPEG

Very suburban in Chicago, but where is this? http://tigger.uic.edu/depts/ahaa/imagebase/maclean/aerials2/042.JPEG

http://tigger.uic.edu/depts/ahaa/imagebase/maclean/aerials2/043.JPEG

http://tigger.uic.edu/depts/ahaa/imagebase/maclean/aerials2/070.JPEG

Help? I got these pics of off http://www.angelfire.com/nv/207/chicagolink.html


Talks about many cities urban decays.. including Chicago, Gary and other rust belts.

That's Washington Park with Hyde Park beyond and then the lake.

"Suburban" you say? If you mean lots of open space, ie vacant lots and dilapidated buildings.

Washington Park has such huge potential... but it's in such bad form. Maybe the park itself is to blame for its stubborn resistance to the flourishing that Kenwood, Hyde Park, and Woodlawn are enjoying.

Nice blog photos, Intheloop.

Why thank you.... I keep thinkin I need to do a really long photo post on SSC of "Nothin but Loop", but haven't gotten to it yet.

Where is this??
Very suburban in Chicago, but where is this? http://tigger.uic.edu/depts/ahaa/imagebase/maclean/aerials2/042.JPEG

http://tigger.uic.edu/depts/ahaa/imagebase/maclean/aerials2/043.JPEG

http://tigger.uic.edu/depts/ahaa/imagebase/maclean/aerials2/070.JPEG


My best guess is that those arials are of the west side. Once an area that was lined with nothing but graystones, there isn't much left after the riots of the late 60's. Sad, very sad indeed...

I think Chicago needs a giant indoor amusement park downtown.:D
Chicago does not need any thing like that; maybe South Bend does.

Chicago does not need any thing like that; maybe South Bend does.
Chicago had one and it closed. Disneyquest.

Azn_chi_boi, based on that first aerial, I would say that's Englewood.

Azn_chi_boi, based on that first aerial, I would say that's Englewood.

No, Englewood is further west. That's definitely Washington Park. No El goes through Englewood, however the Greenline definitely does go through Washington Park.

EDIT: Argh, people, I'm 99.999999999999999999% sure that all of those pictures were of Washington Park. It's my neck of the woods. Aside from the fact that Washington Park the park itself is quite easily identifiable and the fact that I see the University of Chicago in the first arial, the coincision of an El line, the boulevard (Garfield), and the fact that I've been around Washington Park makes me almost positive that's what the area is.

^Make it 100% sure, Simulcra. You identified every landmark in the panorama photo correctly. You can also clearly see the Midway on the U of C campus in the upper right corner.

The foreground of that picture stretches from 53rd Street on the left to 57th Street on the right. The background widens out to around 47th Street on the left to around 63rd Street on the right.

No, Englewood is further west. That's definitely Washington Park. No El goes through Englewood, however the Greenline definitely does go through Washington Park.

EDIT: Argh, people, I'm 99.999999999999999999% sure that all of those pictures were of Washington Park. It's my neck of the woods. Aside from the fact that Washington Park the park itself is quite easily identifiable and the fact that I see the University of Chicago in the first arial, the coincision of an El line, the boulevard (Garfield), and the fact that I've been around Washington Park makes me almost positive that's what the area is.
You forget that the green line splits at 63rd street and also goes west through engelwood to ashland.

Chicago does not need any thing like that; maybe South Bend does.
Funny :sleepy:

I didn't really mean it needed it, but it would be cool. It's not like it's going to happen, so chill.

Thanks for locating the area, the area looks deserted.

Results of todays City of Chicago Plan Commission Meeting

Well there is great news to report, 5 buildings were approved overwhelming by the commissioners:

#1. A resolution in support of a proposed site plan submitted by 110 W. Superior, LLC for the property commonly known as 110 West Superior Street and located within Planned Development No. 946. The applicant has proposed the construction of a 26-story building containing 77 residential units and 85 parking spaces. (42nd Ward) (Nori Greenstein)
http://img264.echo.cx/img264/1204/p10001393vb.jpg

http://img264.echo.cx/img264/7139/p10001406jl.jpg


#3. A proposed Residential Business Planned Development application and Lake Michigan and Chicago Lakefront Protection application submitted by Monroe/Wabash Development, LLC for the property commonly known as 21-39 South Wabash Avenue and 52-64 East Monroe Street. The applicant has proposed the construction of a 71-story mixed use development including 353 dwelling units, 428 parking spaces, and retail and institutional uses. (42nd Ward) (Madeleine Doering)
http://img267.echo.cx/img267/6401/p10001423pm.jpg


#7. A proposed Residential Planned Development submitted by Woodland Development, LLC for the property commonly known as 301-331 West Ohio Street. The applicant has proposed the construction of 240 dwelling units, the renovation of an existing 7-story retail/commercial building and the creation of 335 parking spaces. (42nd Ward) (Patti Scudiero)
http://img267.echo.cx/img267/593/p10001448ki.jpg

http://img267.echo.cx/img267/5885/p10001454lo.jpg


#8. A proposed Downtown Mixed-Use Planned Development submitted by 150 East Ontario, LLC for the property commonly known as 148-158 East Ontario Street. The applicant has proposed the construction of a 51-story residential tower with retail and commercial space at the first and second floors, 165 dwelling units and 189 parking spaces. (42nd Ward) (Kathy Caisley)
http://img265.echo.cx/img265/3801/p10001487vj.jpg


#12. A proposed Residential Business Planned Development submitted by 13th & State LLC for the property commonly known as 1255 South State Street. The applicant has proposed the construction of a 19-story mixed use building containing 14,000 square feet of commercial/retail space at grade, 253 dwelling units above grade and 326 on-site parking spaces. (2nd Ward) (Madeleine Doering)
http://img265.echo.cx/img265/7083/p10001502ip.jpg


THE HEIGHTS

110 West Superior: 300' (estimated; height reported in the plan commission meeting)

Monroe-Wabash Tower: 822' 3" (top of wedge) 792' 3" (top of roof 73rd floor) Shawn and myself saw the elevations on the presentation boards.

301-331 West Ohio Street: 455' (estimated; height reported in the plan commission meeting)

148-158 East Ontario Street: 587' 6" (the same height is given on the planned development document as well as reported in the plan commission meeting).

1255 South State Street: 210' (estimated; height reported in the plan commission meeting.)

I'm tired now, and I will let Shawn tell you about some of the other developments that occures with these projects at the plan commission meeting. I will respond again after him, possible before, we'll have to see. I took my digital camera along with, sorry if the images aren't 100% clear, but I was standing about 35' back and had to zoom in.

Enjoy :)

^ Yeah, Simulcra is right, that's Washington Park.

pottebaum -

Yes, Lakeview begins where LP ends, at least with respect to LP's NORTHERN border. LP's northern border is Diversey (2800N), which is Lakeview's southern border. Both of those night pics were taken in deep northern Lakeview, almost where Lakeview becomes Uptown (4000N).

Take a look at this photograph of Lakeview.
http://ohioskylines.com/OtherStates/Illinois/Chicago/Northside/ChiNorthside40.JPG
Look at the two really tall buildings that are right next to each other in the center of the photo. The one on the left (with the black strip in its center) is from where these night pics were taken (4000N). Now take a look at the brownish tall building right of that building (it's about as tall). You'll notice that building is in the foreground of the night pictures I've posted.

See, here's that brown building right smack in the middle foreground blocking everything:
http://img218.exs.cx/img218/9454/chi0152nk.jpg

And here it is again, only it's off to the lower right corner of the photo now:
http://img218.exs.cx/img218/7/chi0189am.jpg

So, in essence, you're looking toward downtown from extreme northern Lakeview. I hope this makes sense.
The Brown Building is called the New Yorker, and the one at extreme north is the Park Place; the biggest condo in the city with over 900 units.

More new buildings into the pipeline! Yay! Like I commented elsewhere, #1 and 4 (not actual numbers, but number in which buildings show up) are my favorites, with #4 being the supreme king.

Will the boom never end?

wow more 800 footers...

The skyline is going to be filled in more.

Thanks for confirming that the pics are Washington park

wow more 800 footers...

The skyline is going to be filled in more.

Thanks for confirming that the pics are Washington park

yeah, that's Washington Park. I recognize the fieldhouse, and I also see my sisters building. I only live a few blocks from here. the area needs serious help!!!

Wow, #8 looks amazing.

Given the quality of recently proposed projects, and the relative quality of building under construction now, it seems Chicago may have turned the corner architecturally.

How much does an apartment at marina city cost?

The Chicago forum have more post than the NYC forum or if you combind LA with the Florida Forum!... lol..

Because Chicago is the best :yes:

The Chicago forum have more post than the NYC forum or if you combind LA with the Florida Forum!... lol..

:applause:

I just noticed this the other day, it's great. Months ago, this forum was dead, literally, the mods would have discussions on what to do with it and I remember some forumers even fearing we would take it away. What a turn around it has done, all credit owed to the great Chicago forumers here. There's rarely a fight or any troubles, it has been one of the easiest forums to moderate, except when that certain place is mentioned of course. :D

^I know, but we rarely talk about Wisconsin anymore! lol

The only trouble the chicago forum has is the Rockford posts.

I had read some old threads, that have a post like every week only.

How much does an apartment at marina city cost?

To rent: My boyfriend just rented a 38th floor studio for $800 a month. One bedrooms begin at about $1050 a month, and two bedrooms start at about $1800.
To buy: you can pick up a studio starting at about 160k, one bedroom 210k, and two bedroom units start at about 360k.
Check out Marina Management (http://www.marina-city.com/), they have info on units. (The site is a bit cheezy, but better than nothing.)

http://lojjic.net/gallery/1000words/20040522-chicago-lakes-view.jpg

a mountain in colordao butthe area is Chicago creek or something like that. The mountain name is Mt. EVans.

I thought that was pretty interesting. Anyother things is name after chicago.
I heard of a suburb in Milwaukee is name Chicago, wisconsin.

I believe the black and white tower with the 1960s squiggle on top is 3150 N. Lake Shore Drive. If that is correct, this is a photo of Lakeview.
Your right that's east lake view, and this building's twin tower is by lake shore and North ave.
If you look at the bottom of the photo on the right, you will see that orange brick 1920's apartment with the penthouse; that is on the corner of Broadway and Surf. Al capone had that penthouse as he did all over the city at one point.

My best guess is that those arials are of the west side. Once an area that was lined with nothing but graystones, there isn't much left after the riots of the late 60's. Sad, very sad indeed...
Are you feeling okay! How could the west side be next to the lake.
These are south side pics by washington park with Hyde Park neighborhood in the background.

Conservative Chicago *Memorial Day Celebrations

http://wilthe3rd.smugmug.com/photos/23190036-L.jpg

http://www.glbears.com/bp/
Over 1,000 people attend from all over the country.

http://wilthe3rd.smugmug.com/photos/23190557-L.jpg

INTERNATIONAL MR. LEATHER 2005
The world’s hottest leathermen will come together to compete for the title of International Mr. Leather 2005, as IML celebrates its 27th Anniversary, Thursday, May 26 through Monday, May 30, 2005 (Memorial Day Weekend) in Chicago. The Hyatt Regency Chicago, 151 East Wacker Drive in Chicago, is the official host hotel for IML 2004. Weekend event packages and hotel packages for International Mr. Leather 2005 are currently on sale.

About 400 gay leathermen gathered in Chicago in 1979 for the first International Mr. Leather contest. Today, the event has grown to be an annual tradition for thousands in the leather community – drawing contestants and attendees from around the globe. Once an event for “hardcore” leathermen, IML has expanded in recent years to include a more diverse crowd – from the experienced to the curious.

For the complete weekend events listing

Out of Town Guests yesterday. Only had a few hours to give them a slight taste of Chicago. Fantastic weather yesterday:
http://wilthe3rd.smugmug.com/photos/23545789-M.jpg

http://wilthe3rd.smugmug.com/photos/23545809-M.jpg

http://wilthe3rd.smugmug.com/photos/23545803-M.jpg

http://wilthe3rd.smugmug.com/photos/23545812-M.jpg

http://wilthe3rd.smugmug.com/photos/23545823-L.jpg

http://wilthe3rd.smugmug.com/photos/23545830-L.jpg

http://wilthe3rd.smugmug.com/photos/23545836-M.jpg

http://wilthe3rd.smugmug.com/photos/23545843-M.jpg

http://wilthe3rd.smugmug.com/photos/23545857-M.jpg

http://wilthe3rd.smugmug.com/photos/23545860-M.jpg

http://wilthe3rd.smugmug.com/photos/23545868-M.jpg

http://wilthe3rd.smugmug.com/photos/23545874-L.jpg

http://wilthe3rd.smugmug.com/photos/23545876-L.jpg

http://wilthe3rd.smugmug.com/photos/23545877-L.jpg

http://wilthe3rd.smugmug.com/photos/23545891-M.jpg

http://wilthe3rd.smugmug.com/photos/23545885-M.jpg

http://wilthe3rd.smugmug.com/photos/23545888-M.jpg

http://wilthe3rd.smugmug.com/photos/23545904-M.jpg

http://wilthe3rd.smugmug.com/photos/23545938-M.jpg

I would just love one of the enterprising Chicagoans to take some shots of the South Loop. I am extremely curious to see how it is developing. Although I drove through there several months ago, a pedestrian's point of view is what I'm after. Given all the buildings being constructed on, or proposed for, South Michigan Avenue, that street will be utterly transformed in the next several years, if all goes according to plan. What does South Mich look like now? Are the storefronts from 600 South to 1200 South occupied? Last time I was in teh city, I noticed that the formerly dowdy Essex Inn had been freshened, and no longer looked so pathetic relative to the Hilton next door. And what about the stretch from Roosevelt to Cermak--does it just seem like a construction zone or is it already taking shape? Will it be a desirable streetscape, with restaurants and cafes -- streetlife -- to add to the residential highrises?

Prairie Ave would be promising save for the Dearborn Parkesque cul-de-sac near Cermak.. I wish the city would remove that... anyone know about when that was put in place and whether there are any plans to remove it?

I went to the Loop yesterday too. I thought the Bean wouldnt be open, I guess it was. The future Trump tower area, right now is constructioning well. Very crowded at the beach too. One more day until JUNE!

I would just love one of the enterprising Chicagoans to take some shots of the South Loop. I am extremely curious to see how it is developing. Although I drove through there several months ago, a pedestrian's point of view is what I'm after. Given all the buildings being constructed on, or proposed for, South Michigan Avenue, that street will be utterly transformed in the next several years, if all goes according to plan. What does South Mich look like now? Are the storefronts from 600 South to 1200 South occupied? Last time I was in teh city, I noticed that the formerly dowdy Essex Inn had been freshened, and no longer looked so pathetic relative to the Hilton next door. And what about the stretch from Roosevelt to Cermak--does it just seem like a construction zone or is it already taking shape? Will it be a desirable streetscape, with restaurants and cafes -- streetlife -- to add to the residential highrises?

Prairie Ave would be promising save for the Dearborn Parkesque cul-de-sac near Cermak.. I wish the city would remove that... anyone know about when that was put in place and whether there are any plans to remove it?

^Interesting points you're making. Every time I visit Chicago, the place I'm most excited to see are the South Loop, near south, and University Village. Why? Because, in all of Chicago, these are the only places where brand new hoods are being built from scratch. Everywhere else there's just infill.

Thus, these are the places where one can see true new urbanism at work. One can see the potential ability of a post-suburban auto-driven society to still create completely new urban places. It is in these hoods that the greatest transformation is occurring, and every time I visit I'm always astounded.

Regarding your issue about the cul-de-sac, I really can't answer. However, I just posted an article in the thread "da South Side" in the Development subforum related to the developers of the future Roosevelt/Clark Avenue retail corridor. In the article they discuss Dearborn Park and how they want to pressure them to improve the connectivity of their neighborhood. According to the Near South Community Plan, possible east-west connections between State and Clark are 9th and 11th streets, right through the Dearborn Park neighborhood. I really hope they succeed in making those changes...

http://chicago.craigslist.org/bar/76690697.html

i found this today and thought i would share it in case someone wanted to buy.

Frank Gehry's millennium park based on one of Frank Gehry's sketches of the millenium park music pavillion in chicago this sculpture, illuminated from within by a self-contained power and light source, consists of a deep wooden frame faced with a laser cut plate of the same stainless steel used to clad the Concert Hall. Frank Gehry has signed and numbered each work. it comes in a very nice display box and also a cert of auth

im open to all offer's or trade offer's or cash

http://b.im.craigslist.org/I1/6L/Wpag1vxAVWVuFvf4awV7TBseebwn.jpg
http://a.im.craigslist.org/Pf/qQ/Mra4K9RgLN7jAlaiTkp9CMVhx6HM.jpg
http://a.im.craigslist.org/jL/EN/0cXcOcoIVcLQQUCDVeoMBn2XwJVt.jpg

90 degrees plus for 3 days already, how are Chicagoans feeling? Ready for summer or still wanting Winter back?

Loving every degree of it!!!! Hope we have a long hot summer! Followed by a fantastically colorful fall and above normal snow for the winter! Love these 4 seasons!!!

I saw today hitting 100 degrees on my dad's car themomter!!!!

Loving every degree of it!!!! Hope we have a long hot summer! Followed by a fantastically colorful fall and above normal snow for the winter! Love these 4 seasons!!!
Well, I agreed with the first part. :D

Don't even mention fall and winter. Let's keep it hot.

yeh , its about time we got a good long hot summer like i remember getting when i was a kid here in chicago

^ how can you weirdos enjoy this 90 degree bull shit, and the fucking humidity, FUCK! why is it so goddamn humid already.

suicide........ suicide...... suicide......

i want to live somewhere where it's 70 degrees for months and months. in chicago it seems like it's 50 degrees all spring, then there's 3 days of 70's at the end and then BAM, 90 fucking degrees and jungle-like humidity.

why is this place so rarely normal? why can't it just be 70 degrees for a long time? well, if this shit keeps up, i know what my plans are for the next 3 months - sitting naked on my couch with the window air unit cranked up to "meat locker", only leaving the house for work. humidity is the worst thing ever, even genocide is preferable.

^ how can you weirdos enjoy this 90 degree bull shit, and the fucking humidity, FUCK! why is it so goddamn humid already.

suicide........ suicide...... suicide......

i want to live somewhere where it's 70 degrees for months and months. in chicago it seems like it's 50 degrees all spring, then there's 3 days of 70's at the end and then BAM, 90 fucking degrees and jungle-like humidity.

why is this place so rarely normal? why can't it just be 70 degrees for a long time? well, if this shit keeps up, i know what my plans are for the next 3 months - sitting naked on my couch with the window air unit cranked up to "meat locker", only leaving the house for work. humidity is the worst thing ever, even genocide is preferable.

Hate to break it to you but it isn't even that humid yet (roughly 40%). Wait until that humidity jumps and the heat index reaches 110+. Those days are the worst.

It seems like there has been more wild temperature swings this year than usual. Just a few weeks ago it was near 20 degrees below normal. Now it is nearly 20 degrees above normal. So goes weather in the midwest.

But that's why we like it here, right? If we wanted the weather to more or less be the same year round, we would all be living in California.

Oh, and congrats on the new position. :cheers:

Hate to break it to you but it isn't even that humid yet (roughly 40%). Wait until that humidity jumps and the heat index reaches 110+. Those days are the worst.

It seems like there has been more wild temperature swings this year than usual. Just a few weeks ago it was near 20 degrees below normal. Now it is nearly 20 degrees above normal. So goes weather in the midwest.

But that's why we like it here, right? If we wanted the weather to more or less be the same year round, we would all be living in California.

Oh, and congrats on the new position. :cheers:

Exactly. Chicago has never been normal....
Our average is just that...an average....and it is all extremes averaged into the formula.

Face it....we only get a few hot spells like this a year. Most of the summer is fantastic. 90's though are fantastic! Love the 90's! Love the 0's. Love CHICAGO!!!!

I love this weather. sort of.

I'm 16, just starting summer break. Today was actually the day we got out & finished exams. The heat was brutal downtown but when we got back and went swimming it felt like paradise. It's all about how you choose to cope w/ the heat. Sitting naked on a couch is fun and everything, but I'll take suicide hot weather & a pool/beach anyday.


Viva el verano.

Hate to break it to you but it isn't even that humid yet (roughly 40%). Wait until that humidity jumps and the heat index reaches 110+. Those days are the worst.

It seems like there has been more wild temperature swings this year than usual. Just a few weeks ago it was near 20 degrees below normal. Now it is nearly 20 degrees above normal. So goes weather in the midwest.

But that's why we like it here, right? If we wanted the weather to more or less be the same year round, we would all be living in California.

Oh, and congrats on the new position. :cheers:

You should have followed New Englands weather this past month. They had the 4th coldest May on record, with temps in the 50s and upper 40s all month followed by 90 degree temps the last few days

Totally random of course:

Wacker Drive be called River Drive? We got a lake shore drive, wacker seems the only street worthy to be called river drive right? Unfortunately the only other river street is that damn river road out by rosemont, in honor of the mighty des plaines river.

i like wacker better

^ how can you weirdos enjoy this 90 degree bull shit, and the fucking humidity, FUCK! why is it so goddamn humid already.

suicide........ suicide...... suicide......

i want to live somewhere where it's 70 degrees for months and months. in chicago it seems like it's 50 degrees all spring, then there's 3 days of 70's at the end and then BAM, 90 fucking degrees and jungle-like humidity.

why is this place so rarely normal? why can't it just be 70 degrees for a long time? well, if this shit keeps up, i know what my plans are for the next 3 months - sitting naked on my couch with the window air unit cranked up to "meat locker", only leaving the house for work. humidity is the worst thing ever, even genocide is preferable.

Well said, I couldn't agree more. It is too f*cking early for this crap.

i like wacker better

It sounds more professional IMO. I have high hopes for Wacker in the future.

hi guys! i'm from italy and im going to spend august in barrington! im soooo excited!!!

does anybody have some pics or information about there? :)

hi guys! i'm from italy and im going to spend august in barrington! im soooo excited!!!

does anybody have some pics or information about there? :)

Used to live in Palatine, which borders Barrington, have a bunch of friends there. Its about 35 miles from Chicago, kinda on the fringe of the NW Suburbs (although everyday it gets closer and closer into the metro area due to enormous sprawl in that area). Socioeconomically, the town on average is very well off, and in the unincorporated (or is it incorporated?) South Barrington, you will see some very nice homes.

Other then a few main roads (NW Highway, Barrington Road) there isn't a lot of commercial activity from what I remember, but it is relatively close (20 minutes) from Woodfield Mall, which has the 9th largest retail space in North America.

Hope that helps

And yes, I know way too much about the suburbs.

Wacker drive is better...

I never been on lower wacker drive, is it nesscarry to have both named wacker?

Isnt it global wearming that chicago got 4 days in a row that Chicago got 90 + weather?

Wacker drive is better...

I never been on lower wacker drive, is it nesscarry to have both named wacker?

Isnt it global wearming that chicago got 4 days in a row that Chicago got 90 + weather?

You would probably freak to know there is an upper, lower and middle Columbus.
Seem practical. All three run the exact same routes. Thought it was smart for Chicago to put its service roads below a level. But try telling a Cab driver about where you want to be dropped off!!!!

I've never liked the name "Wacker," sounds like a slander I would have used in junior high.

Isnt it global wearming that chicago got 4 days in a row that Chicago got 90 + weather?

No, Chicago's weather was f'ed up long before global warming.

I'm going to chicago on july... which building offers the best views? is it worth to go to sears or john hancock?

The Hancock is absolutely worth it. The view is spectacular.

The Sears Tower, while a little taller, has a nice view, but just doesn't have as great a view as the Hancock in my opinion.

But if I take pictures of the skyline I'll miss john Hancock :cry: I have a dilemma. I hope they build an observation deck in trump tower so I can take pictures of both together :cool:

look what I just foundhttp://www.buildyourownchicago.com/index.html

doesnt the AON building or 2 pru have an observation deck?

look what I just foundhttp://www.buildyourownchicago.com/index.html

I never realized the Picasso was as tall as Marina City! :bleh:

Hi guys, new to the forum. I do highrise construction downtown and I've been lurking on this and SSP.com for a few months after one of your regulars told me about them while taking pictures at my construction site. I have worked on Wells Street Tower, Skybridge, The Heritage, Target South Loop, The Sterling, Fairfield Inn, Deep Tunnel Project, and currently 345 E. Ohio. Skybridge was my favorite and most challenging so far and from what I've gathered through reading everyone's remarks many people liked that building as well. I have a couple nice pictures of Skybridge I would like to post. Can someone tell me how that works?

^If the pictures are saved on your computer:
1. Go to a hosting site like www.photobucket.com or www.imageshack.us

2. Upload the photos to the site.

3. Type this in your message box: URLofthephotohere for each photo to post them here at SSC.

Here is two pictures of Skybridge I took. Skybridge has been my favorite building so far that I have worked on.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a295/kayosthery/100_0201.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a295/kayosthery/100_0200.jpg

read this:

http://chicago.metblogs.com/photos/chinatown01.jpg
http://chicago.metblogs.com/photos/chinatown02.jpg

a good way to learn about Chicago's chinatown

This was from Monday's Sun-Times editorial.

June 13, 2005

Keep 'lock' off downtown growth

Kids playing ball sometimes "lock" their game -- agreeing not to let anybody else play. It's selfish and mean, and a good parent will tell them fairness demands others be included in the fun.

What works on the playground works in cities. People are drawn to live in downtown Chicago because of the dynamic, exciting place it is. A few look around and decide, now that they are here, the city has reached its ideal limits, and they would like to "lock'' the city to new residents. The neighbors around the Fourth Presbyterian Church at Michigan and Delaware are doing just that by opposing the elegant 64-story tower proposed for the church's property -- it would block views, congest traffic and push the city beyond its maximum density, which was reached, coincidentally, with the construction of their own buildings. Ald. Burt Natarus, bowing to constituent pressure, backs them.

The city typically respects aldermanic will in granting zoning variances. But we hope the Chicago Plan Commission ignores it in this case. Not only for the benefit of this project, but for the sake of predictability in downtown development. The proposed project fits easily within the city's own guidelines, and rejecting it for arbitrary and selfish reasons will have a chilling effect on anyone rash enough to try to build a project downtown.

:cheers1: Apparently not a Sun Times neighborhood.

Yeah, I guess not. lol I would've posted it sooner but I figured someone would've beaten me to it. I guess you guys don't read the editorials. hahaha :jk: I just hope that the Chicago Plan Commission reads them and that this influences them if they happened to be leaning toward rejecting the project.

Cool pbase gallery called "Living in Chicago, ca. 2005" I found while searching around. Check it out:

http://www.pbase.com/macastat/chicago&page=all

Billy Corgan's old house. Lived on Greenview until a few years ago.

http://wilthe3rd.smugmug.com/photos/25221815-M.jpg
http://wilthe3rd.smugmug.com/photos/25221812-M.jpg

Renewed speculation on Carson's Loop site

June 21, 2005

BY SANDRA GUY Business Reporter





Carson Pirie Scott's parent company, Saks Inc., took new steps Monday to hold off its debtors, and speculation bubbled about the future of the Carson's store on State Street.

Saks is trying to sell the Carson's department store chain, and that could open up new possibilities for the historic Carson building at 1 S. State.

The building's owner, Joseph Freed and Associates LLC, has built a reputation as a developer of mixed-use projects such as the Arlington Town Square with Ann Taylor Lofts, Jos. A. Bank Clothiers, California Pizza Kitchen and a six-screen movie theater.

"There's unlimited numbers of things you could do [with the Carson's store on State Street]," although condos would never work, said Jeff Renkert, Freed's vice president of marketing.

The space is too cumbersome and the building's landmark designation too restrictive for condos, he said.

The building, a masterwork designed by Louis Sullivan, could keep a scaled-down Carson's store and open up space for specialty boutiques, or it could house a new retailer altogether, even a big-box retailer such as Target.

Other possible tenants include a grocery store to serve the many new residents living downtown, and a student center for the 55,000 college students who attend classes in the State Street corridor, said Ty Tabing, executive director of the Chicago Loop Alliance, formerly the Greater State Street Council.

A $17 million upgrade of the 600,000-square-foot Carson's store heightens the possibility that new tenants will move in. The building's original cornice is being replaced, and the floors, elevator banks, communications systems and heating-and-air-conditioning systems upgraded. Another 400,000 square feet is occupied by offices.

Retail experts have argued that State Street required three "anchor" department stores to attract shoppers, and those anchors are Carson's, Marshall Field's and Sears, Tabing said.

"With Block 37 coming, a new anchor could emerge," he said, referring to retailers that will be part of the planned redevelopment of the long-vacant parcel between Field's and the Daley Center.

Furthermore, new retail could better serve the residential development springing up around the Carson's building: A 33-story condo building is going up on the Walgreens site at State and Randolph, a condo tower is proposed behind buildings at 21-39 S. Wabash, and people already live above H&M, Nordstrom Rack and the Children's Place on State Street.

Retail analyst Lois Huff said a private-equity firm such as Bain Capital, which is rumored to be a potential bidder for the Carson Pirie Scott chain, would look to make money from Carson's real estate.

"The downtown store is, at best, a store that could stand some reinvention, but it is great real estate," said Huff, senior vice president of Retail Forward, a Columbus, Ohio-based retail strategy consulting firm.

Carson's, along with other mid-tier department stores, is stuck in an untenable position between discounters such as Target and Wal-Mart and fashionable luxury stores such as Bloomingdale's, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue, Huff said.

"The Carson's [on State Street] would be extremely vulnerable for Carson Pirie Scott, but extremely attractive" for a new owner looking to profit from its real estate, she said.

Meanwhile, Saks Inc. announced Thursday that it would offer its bondholders a special payment to persuade them not to force Saks to default on $1.22 billion in debt.

Saks now wants another two months, until Oct. 31, to file its financial statements with federal regulators. Saks is being investigated by federal authorities for allegedly improperly collecting $20 million in vendor markdowns in its 1999-2003 fiscal years. Stores take markdowns when goods don't sell at full price, and they ask their suppliers to eat some of the cost.

Pritzkers seek Hyatt Center loan that would value building at top

THOMAS A. CORFMAN
Published June 22, 2005


The real estate arm of the billionaire Pritzker family is talking to large commercial mortgage lenders about obtaining a $400 million loan on Hyatt Center, making the new 47-story tower the most valuable office building in Chicago.

The loan would be about 65 percent of the value of the 1.5 million-square-foot tower at 71 S. Wacker Drive, sources said. If so, the transaction would value the building in excess of $600 million, or more than $400 a square foot.

Penny Pritzker, president and chief executive of Pritzker Realty Group LP, could not be reached for comment.

In addition to the namesake hotel company, the building is 80 percent leased to prime tenants such as law firm Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw LLP and investment firm Goldman Sachs & Co.

It was built by borrowing up to $465 million from an affiliate of the Marmon Group Inc., a Pritzker holding company, property records show.

Sears Tower leases: MarketerNet LLC has leased about 20,000 square feet in Sears Tower, the skyscraper's newest tenant, said Barbara Carley, director with CB Richard Ellis Inc., which manages the 110-story building.

MarketerNet, which specializes in mortgage companies and credit unions, is moving from the Near West Side. With that lease and others, Sears Tower has about 100,000 square feet of deals, despite the slow leasing market.

Carley said the Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission, which signed a 15-year lease in March, is doubling its space, to about 50,000 square feet, after its merger with another agency, the Chicago Area Transportation Study.

And Deutsche Bourse, which previously subleased nearly 19,000 square feet of space, is negotiating a direct, five-year lease, she confirmed.

Block 37 marketer: At Block 37, developer Mills Corp. has hired brokerage boutique J.F. McKinney & Associates Ltd. to market the office space above the CBS Studios, 2 W. Washington St.

Mills, which expects to start building this year, has proposed 200,000 to 450,000 square feet of office space above the TV station, which is leasing about 100,000 square feet on the first five floors.

Meanwhile, McKinney is also taking over leasing of the Lakeside Technology Center, 350 E. Cermak Rd. The 1.1 million-square-foot data center has about 275,000 square feet available. Jack McKinney, president of the firm that bears his name, confirmed both assignments.

Rent reversal: The average net effective rent for downtown tenants declined in 2004 for the fifth straight year, to $23.52 a square foot, according to a study of Class A office space by Julien J. Studley Inc.

The annual study by the tenant representative firm examines effective rents, factoring in the value of concessions, such as free rent and office construction allowances, which reduce the amount landlords actually take home.

Tenants' effective rents also include operating expenses and property taxes, which raise the occupancy cost.

Effective rents also fell in the suburbs, particularly in Lake and DuPage Counties, where landlords did so-called negative rent deals, in which the value of concessions exceeds the rental income.

Amata takes space: For its third location, Chicago-based Amata Executive Suites has signed a long-term lease for almost 18,000 square feet of space at 161 N. Clark St., said Trammell Crow Co., which represented the fledgling firm. Amata's other locations also are in Chicago.

----------

tcorfman@tribune.com

- - -

Space gets cheaper

The average rent landlords actually received last year for downtown Class A office space fell to its lowest level since 1996, according to a study of effective rents, which factors in the value of concessions, such as free rent. In Lake and DuPage Counties, landlords on average were doing negative rent deals, meaning upfront concessions exceeded rent payments.


2004 2003 2004 2003 Landlord Change Tenant Change Downtown $4.76 -17.2% $23.52 -2.2% Suburban Counties - Cook $2.42 -28.8% $17.49 -3.5% - Lake/DuPage $-0.77 -125.0% $10.21 -27.6% *Rents are per square foot Source: Studley Inc.

Billy Corgan's old house. Lived on Greenview until a few years ago.


Very cool, thank you! I used to be a huge Pumpkins fan in high school. Where does he live now?

City's population falls for fourth straight year

June 30, 2005

BY ART GOLAB Staff Reporter


Chicago lost more than 13,000 residents between July 2003 and July 2004, a decline of nearly half a percent, according to population estimates to be released by the Census Bureau today.

The decline, roughly equal to the population of north suburban Winnetka, was the largest in four years of consecutive population downturns since the 2000 census.

During that period, Chicago lost nearly 38,000 people -- or 1.17 percent of its residents -- bringing the population down to 2.86 million.

Whites, blacks, Hispanics leaving

It appears to reverse a trend during the 1990s in which the city gained more than 100,000 people.

While the census estimates do not account for race or ethnicity, research by Loyola University Chicago demographer and sociologist Kenneth Johnson indicates the city is continuing to lose white population, as it did through most of the 1990s.

"Since the 2000 census, the city is continuing to lose whites, the outflow of blacks has accelerated a bit, and I think the city is experiencing a net outflow of Hispanics, which would be new," said Johnson.

"But despite the fact that Chicago's population is down a bit, it has held its population a lot better than a lot of other Midwestern cities," Johnson said. "It's still a very viable city, and it will remain a very significant part of the metropolitan area."

One reason why more Hispanics may be going than coming is that immigrants are moving directly to the suburbs, where job opportunities have increased, Johnson said. And Hispanic families with children are leaving Chicago for the same reason families from other groups are leaving: better schools

Joliet gains 4.35%

Joliet posted the highest percentage increase in population for 2004 among cities of more than 100,000 population, 4.35 percent. It also had the greatest four-year total, 21.4 percent.

Of Illinois cities between 10,000 and 100,000, Round Lake Village grew the fastest, increasing 26 percent to 12,166. Its four-year growth rate was 108 percent. Huntley, Plainfield, Montgomery, Oswego, Shorewood and Crest Hill also posted double-digit growth rates for 2004.

Nationally, large cities gained the most population in California, followed by Texas, Arizona, Florida and Nevada. Cities in those states are growing because they not only attract immigrants from Mexico, they also draw domestic migrants, Johnson said.

The Census Bureau population estimates are based on birth and death records, building permits, Internal Revenue Service migration data and other information.

City's population falls for fourth straight year

June 30, 2005

BY ART GOLAB Staff Reporter




"But despite the fact that Chicago's population is down a bit, it has held its population a lot better than a lot of other Midwestern cities," Johnson said. "It's still a very viable city, and it will remain a very significant part of the metropolitan area."




WHAT.. THE... FUCK... Someone shoot that dumb son of a bitch for writing something so retarded.

Well, perhaps this is all true.

Chicago may trickle out its population, but I actually think its tax base will increase or stay the same with higher income couples moving in, a higher proportion of its population as working taxpayers (not as many children), higher property taxes with fewer vacant lots, etc.

My big fear is that the traditional jobs that have drawn immigrants (ie industry) are steeply declining. Many educated immigrants come for service and white-collar jobs (doctors, software, tech, etc) but they are clearly outweighed in volume by the exodus of factory jobs. How will Chicago continue to draw immigrants, which is vital to its population? My only guess is that the greater population of well-to-do individuals setting up shop in the central city will need services (ie taxi-drivers, housekeepers, restaurant workers, etc etc) that are likely to be filled by immigrants (not to sound insensitive). I hope I'm right....

So this is the same Census Buereu who all during the 1990's estimated Chicago's population was dropping? So why now should we believe them?

at least there is still azns..... even maybe some move to shaumburg... or the suburbs along I-290, west of I-294.

I hate these estimates...

Why... is chicago losing population?

Even though if everyone leave chicago, I would still live here with vacant skyscrapers...

a green sign that say :

Chicago population:1 lol....

So this is the same Census Buereu who all during the 1990's estimated Chicago's population was dropping? So why now should we believe them?

^Good question. In one of the articles I read, supposedly the Census Bureau claims that their current counting methods are much better than they were before.... whatever that's worth

Missing almost entirely from the USA Today article I read this morning is the fact that two contradictory trends are occurring simultaneously. The back-to-the-city movement is separate from all of this and has been seemingly continuous through the 1990s and 2000s. I hope, as TUP says, that the effect of the back-to-the-city movement on the city budget is not as negligible as its effect on overall population change.

Also: did anyone see anywhere mention or discussion of relative *METRO* population growth? How is Chicago doing in *that* respect?

What if what we are witnessing is a sea change in big cities, a change of character where its population size is no longer to be the critical factor, but its quality of life is. The Industrial Age ended two or three decades ago, and a new style of Chicago is coming into being.

I have two questions.....

What was the change made to the final design of River East? This occured before I started paying attention to highrise construction and I would like to see an original rendering if possible.

Also, is there even the slightest chance that 7 S. Dearborn or The Sky Needle could ever be built or are the proposals gone for good?

InTheLoop - I have one of your Marina City photos set as my desktop. Some kids showed up at my place before the Cubs-Brewers game and saw my monitor and were like "That photo is amazing."

a great way to start the 11th page...

How about the fire works.. and happy early independence day...

Does anyone know what's going on at the US Courthouse right now? There are sidewalk canopies installed around the perimeter as well as climbing work platforms. Window replacement?

Boeing's McNerney awarded $25M in stock
CEO also to receive $1.75M annual salary and bonus of at least $2.98M

OK, can one of you business types tell me why CEOs get this kind of cash before they even show up for the first day? How could anyone be worth this much?

The new CEO of Boeing, James McNerney, is receiving $25 million in stock.

The kind of thinking that allows this sort of thing is the similar to the type of thinking that goes into the ideas behind "the Bush recession" or the "Clinton boom." Just because something happened on the chief executive's watch doesn't mean the chief executive was responsible for it. In Business Week, McNerney is credited with "expand[ing] the company's operating margins for seven consecutive quarters, to 22.3% in the third quarter of 2003." Single-handedly, eh? I think its an absurd waste of money; its a case of robbing the shareholders to pay managers more than they deserve.





By Julie Jargon
James McNerney has landed at Boeing Co. with a lofty pay package.
The new CEO of the Chicago-based aerospace company will receive an annual base salary of $1.75 million and collect a yearly bonus of at least $2.98 million. In lieu of the unvested equity awards that he would have received had he remained at Minnesota-based 3M, where he was previously CEO, Mr. McNerney, 55, will get 391,000 shares of restricted Boeing stock currently valued at $25.3 million.

He also is also eligible for a supplemental pension worth $11 million. In addition to such standard relocation expenses as moving and temporary housing, Boeing also will pay for the closing costs on the house Mr. McNerney is selling in Minnesota as well as the closing costs on whatever new home he purchases in Chicago.
If Mr. McNerney is terminated without cause or leaves on his own before he turns 62, he will collect twice his annual base salary and his target bonus amount as well as two years’ worth of health benefits.

i'm not exactly a business man but i am guessing they give him the 25million in stock and he has the "proper" motivation to make the company do well so the stock goes up.

because most likely he has to hold the stock probably till he leaves at the earliest.

so if he does well his 25 million could double or triple but it could also shrink by that much. some would say well he probably already has enough money that he wouldn't care about how the company does but come on what ceo would admit to having enough money?

Why is Toronto building more highrises than Chicago--is there any obvious reason?

^Toronto's highrises are spread throughout the city, in many, many clusters centered around public transit nodes. Chicago's highrises are clustered in the downtown core, as well as along the lakefront. All of the new high-rise construction is now taking place downtown, although a couple of proposals have poped up in the lakefront hoods, although nothing too significant, the tallest being the 18 story Park view East in Lakeview. This is not to say that there is no growth in those neighborhoods, there is tons of it all over the place, but it mostly constrained to 3-7 story buildings that are poping up in city neighborhoods like wild mushrooms.

Toronto's infill is comming mostly in the form of high-rises all over the city, while Chicago's infill is mostly low and mid-rise, unless it is downtown. That is why Toronto is building more high-rises over Chicago.

I saw Jennifer Anniston a few days ago while they were preparing to shoot a scene on a double decker tour bus, for "The Break Up". It was early in the morning and I was eating breakfast at The Cambridge House. The bus was parked outside and all the extras were sitting in it. She was on top of the bus rehearsing the scene with them, at least I think it was her.

Search:




chicagotribune.com >> Local news
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wrigley Building is seen in new light
High-tech bulbs will go on later this month

By John McCormick
Tribune staff reporter
Published July 10, 2005


The stately Wrigley Building, whose white terra cotta facade has made it a Chicago landmark for decades, will soon be lit at night by more focused beams, reducing what some consider light pollution in an area that will eventually include Donald Trump's hotel and condominium tower.

In a move that could change the look of the Magnificent Mile's southern sky, the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. says it will turn on a high-tech set of new lights later this month, replacing a massive bank of stadium-strength bulbs that have lit the structure from across the Chicago River since 1971.

The new illumination will come from Popsicle-shaped lampposts that are already drawing some strange looks from passersby.

"It's just hideous," said Elizabeth Richard, a Michigan Avenue resident who walks by the light posts daily. "But it's like anything. Your eyesight eventually gets used to the obstruction."

From Michigan Avenue, the new tan-colored posts block some of the building's sight lines and clash with its white walls. But company representatives say the new lighting will bring many benefits.

"The change is being made to enhance the appearance of the building and to minimize any lighting spillover," said Wrigley spokesman Christopher Perille. "It is also going to be more energy efficient and cost effective."

Like the crown of light atop the Merchandise Mart and the antenna spires on the Sears Tower, the white glow on the Wrigley Building's two Spanish Revival-style towers is a trademark of nighttime Chicago. So any modifications at 400-410 N. Michigan Ave. offer the possibility for controversy.

Wrigley representatives, who are providing few details about the new system, promise the changes will not harm the architectural gem's appearance.

The modification comes at a time when the company is studying its long-term real estate needs and a possible move from its historic headquarters, a development that has prompted some real estate speculators to suggest that the building could someday be turned into luxury condominiums.

If the building ever goes condo, the conversion could be complicated by its nighttime illumination, real estate experts have suggested. While the lighting poses few problems for office workers who leave at dusk, it could be an issue for residents trying to sleep.

The gum and candy company first mentioned replacement of the current lights in 2002, as part of an unfulfilled redevelopment plan that was to bring shops and upscale boutiques to the historic structure.

That was after Trump announced plans for the Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago, a mixed-use building on the former site of the Chicago Sun-Times that is scheduled to be completed in 2007.

But Perille said the new lights have nothing to do with Trump.

"It had zero to do with any other developments in the area," he said. "But [Trump residents] will benefit to the extent that any other building neighbor benefits."

Jill Cremer, vice president of development for the Trump organization, said the Wrigley Building's lighting never came up during site negotiations.

"Their current lighting scheme was never an issue," she said. "It's a great asset the way it is."

Lee Bey, a spokesman for Trump's architects, the Chicago firm of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, said the old lights would have cast "some spillage" onto non-housing floors of the structure, but it was never factored into the building's design.

But Wrigley's bright lights have long bothered south-facing residents in the nearby 54-story River Plaza tower at 405 N. Wabash Ave., a building that combines condos and offices.

"With the new lights, we hope it won't be as bright," said Winston Tsao, who since 2001 has lived in a unit on the 45th floor that faces south. "It's like any other inconvenience, like sirens. But you get used to it."

The new lights are atop poles about the height of streetlights. They have metal shades that wrap around two-thirds of their bulb area. Two have been erected on the west side of Michigan Avenue near the Wrigley Building and three more are on the east side of the street.


Behind the building, two additional lights have been placed on a Rush Street sidewalk, near a restaurant entrance. Perille said the lights behind the building have already been tested on recent nights.

The new system was designed by Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabaum (HOK) in St. Louis. But a lighting architect for the firm who worked on the project declined to answer any questions about the lights, saying Wrigley had sworn him to secrecy.

Wrigley has agreed to pay the city $15,471 annually for the right to place the structures on public sidewalks.

Ald. Burton Natarus (42nd), who represents the area, said he likes the new light posts.

"They are attractive," he said. "But I want them pointed in the right direction, and they will be."

John Maxson, president of the Greater North Michigan Avenue Association, said he has heard no complaints about the look of the new lights, though nearby residents have long beefed about the existing lights shining in their windows, especially when it is foggy.

"The residents were complaining about light coming from the old system and it was probably only going to get worse with the Trump Tower," he said.

The change in lighting isn't the first for the building, which has been illuminated by various methods since its completion in the early 1920s.

When the Michigan Avenue bridge was opened in 1920, more than 100 floodlights were installed on the roof of a nearby soap factory.

By the early 1930s, a red brick warehouse east of the Michigan Avenue bridge held the lights. They remained there for nearly 40 years, until the warehouse was demolished.

The lights were then moved to a 180-foot, billboard-like structure between the upper and lower levels of East Wacker Drive, on the south side of the river and east of the Michigan Avenue Bridge.

There have been periods of darkness. During World War II, Wrigley donated its lights for use at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center. And during the energy crisis of late 1973 and early 1974, the 218,000 watts of light were shut down as a conservation measure.

Besides the lights on the river, Wrigley has also used 16 1,000-watt lights west of the building, according to its Web site. To help create the effect of gradual brightness toward the top, 62 lights were installed on the building itself.

David Bahlman, executive director of the Landmarks Preservation Council of Illinois, said he has only a few concerns about the new lighting arrangement, mostly with the aesthetics of the light posts on what he considers an already overly crowded and commercialized North Michigan Avenue.

"My opinion is that it is not a preservation issue," he said.

i thought this was a cute article


Mr. Map gets shown the way
July 11, 2005

BY TOM McNAMEE SUN-TIMES COLUMNIST Advertisement










Mr. Map knows Chicago like the back of his hand. In fact, as he types this column, Mr. Map looks down at his hands and imagines the Sears Tower just below his left index finger, the Hancock above the scar on his right hand and the Chicago River sloshing through his veins.



This being a fine Friday morning, Mr. Map takes to the streets of Chicago, like Batman from his cave, prepared to single-handedly save Chicago tourism. Wherever a woman from France is crying because she can't find Millennium Park, wherever a man from Japan is about to crumble because he can't find Navy Pier, Mr. Map, ever ready, will step in and point the way.

Disguised, of course, as a mild-mannered reporter.

Mr. Map spots a young man in Millennium Park studying a Chicago guidebook -- a sure sign of trouble.

Mr. Map strolls up: "Looking for something? Huh? Can I help? Huh?"

The young man instinctively recoils. But then, no doubt deciding Mr. Map is too pudgy and weak to be dangerous, explains his predicament. His name is Stijn Boelens. He is a photography student from Belgium. He wants to photograph the most amazing interiors in the city. What can he do? Where should he go?

"The Rookery Building!" says Mr. Map instantly, puffing out his chest. "And after that, the Thompson Center. It's pathetic on the outside, but fascinating on the inside."

Talk about a slam dunk. Mr. Map knows his town. He has, once again, saved Chicago tourism.

But now, much to Mr. Map's surprise, somebody else pipes up: "You might try the Cultural Center first. I mean, hey, it's right across the street."

The speaker is Brian Jackson, who is not Mr. Map's faithful companion, like Batman's Robin. He is his own guy. He is a Sun-Times photographer, working this column.

"Right!" says Mr. Map. "Precisely what I was about to say."

"Check out the mosaics," says Brian.

"Right!" says Mr. Map. "The mosaics."

'Walk to the river and over'



Mr. Map and his Not-So-Faithful Companion continue on their way.

A young woman from Iowa cannot find Union Station. Mr. Map points west and says, "Walk to the river and over."

A young woman from Los Angeles is all turned around. Mr. Map points to a red star on a map in her guidebook and says, "That's the Cultural Center -- the building right across the street."

Mr. Map considers telling her about the mosaics, the way his Not-So-Faithful Companion did, but lets it go.

A happy but hungry couple from Montpelier, Vt., Brad and Mary Aldrich, are looking for a place to eat.

"Um, yeah ... let me think," says Mr. Map.

"The Park Grill," his Not-So-Faithful Companion tosses in, pointing to a restaurant right in Millennium Park. "You can eat outside."

Mr. Map and his Not-So-Faithful Companion wander up a path in the park. They spot a couple on a bench looking at what appears to be a map. Sure enough, they're tourists, Marshell and Marie Brown, from Atlanta. They're here for a meeting of a social organization, CARATS Inc.

"Are you lost?" asks Mr. Map.

"Yes, we are lost," admits Marie Brown.

"And what can we do for you?" asks Mr. Map.

"What one thing can't we miss while we're in town?" she asks.

A Chicago quiz!

"Millennium Park, where you are now," says Mr. Map. "Go see the children get all wet when the big faces spout water. You'll love Chicago forever."

"And what's the one thing we have to eat?" she asks.

"Deep dish pizza," says Mr. Map. "Uno's or Due's would do it."

"And where is the Fairmont Hotel?" she asks.

The Fairmont. Hmm.

Mr. Map can't say exactly. He knows it's in that mess of buildings southeast of Michigan and Wacker, but can't be more precise. Whenever Mr. Map goes to the Fairmont, he climbs in a cab and says, "Fairmont."

"Oh, that's easy," says the Not-So-Faithful Companion, pointing up the street. "Up two blocks and take a right, it's on Columbus."

Looking for a Fannie May



This goes on and on. Mr. Map thinks he's a walking MapQuest. He thinks he knows Chicago like Batman knows Gotham.

But his Not-So-Faithful Companion knows it better.

"Do you know much about this area?" an older woman in a baseball cap asks.

"Yes!" says Mr. Map.

"Do you know if there's a Fannie May candy store around here?" she asks.

"Fannie May ... well, I know there's one or two nearby," says Mr. Map.

"Straight up three blocks," says the Not-So-Faithful Companion. "Wacker and Michigan, on the corner, on the right."

But Mr. Map knows he shouldn't get down. This is the way of the world: The best newspaper photographers are absolute geniuses of urban geography.

They spend their lives on the streets. They never cover a story by phone, as reporters do. They go wherever there is news and, over time, everywhere there is news. They make cops sound like conventioneers. They make cabbies look like homebodies.

After a couple of hours of this, the Not-So-Faithful Companion heads back to the newsroom, and Mr. Map trudges on alone.

He buys a sandwich and coffee at a White Hen and sits outside a bank at State and Wacker.

He watches the passing scene, and it all looks familiar.

Across the river, construction workers are putting up Trump Tower. Coming up the street is Walking Man, a lanky sad sack in a shabby suit who walks the Loop aimlessly. Across Wacker, on a bench, is Bible Man, a homeless man with a refined air who marks up an old Bible all day.

But as he eats his sandwich, Mr. Map considers retiring his cape. Not that he wears a cape, of course, but metaphorically speaking, you know?

Because now he knows: He cannot single-handedly save Chicago tourism.

That's a job for greater super heroes.

That's a job for the Not-So-Faithful Companion.


Tom McNamee's "The Chicago Way" column runs Mondays in the Sun-Times.

HSBC N. America looking for new HQ
Financial services company has about 6 Chicago suburban locations on short list

By Michael McHugh
HSBC North America Holdings is launching a search for a new Chicago area headquarters, looking for about 400,000 to 450,000 square feet to consolidate current operations in Prospect Heights and Mount Prospect.
The company has a short list of about six potential sites, all of which are in the north and northwest suburbs – the farthest being about 10 miles away from its current Prospect Heights head office. At the present time, the company is not looking at any locations in downtown Chicago but that may change if its other options fall through, a company spokesman said.
“We think it makes sense to stay in this general area,” said Rahsaan Johnson, HSBC North America spokesman. The new location would be slightly smaller than the company’s current facilities, but the goal would be to use the space more efficiently to still allow room for expansion, said Mr. Johnson.
“HSBC North America Holdings has proudly called Chicagoland home for more than a century, and will continue to do so for years to come,” said Steve Gonabe, executive vice president of administration for the Prospect Heights-based company, in a statement.

The goal is to move the roughly 2,100 employees at its three suburban sites into one location. Throughout the Chicago area, the company has 6,100 employees.

HSBC is represented by Jones Lang LaSalle. The financial services firm expects to have a site picked by the end of the year, and be operational mid-2008.

I didn't know HSBC North America had called Chicagoland home for more than a century. I thought the HSBC site in Prospect Heights was the site of the former Household International, a mortgage company that was bought out by HSBC.

10th Anniversary Celebration - 10¢ Ferris wheel rides

I went on there. Pics coming up soon.

I went on the ferris wheel with my 2 friends for 3 times. So 9 tickets. Today, it cxost only $.90, while regulare price is $45. A huge difference!!!!!! I thought there was like a very small line... beside at 3. The lines before 3 were short, too Short.

I wish they'd look for a downtown location instead!

Hi fellas, Manchester UK here, just a pic I took while in your fantastic city a couple of years back, stayed at the Allerton Crown Plaza just on the right here in the pic. I took many many pics but this one is one of my favs,

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y139/rolybling/chicago052.jpg

Obviously the full size version is much more impressive....LOL :bash:

I like the picture, nice touch with the B&W.

I walked to work from Delaware Place down Michigan at 7 this morning. I must have saw a record number of beggars, more around Chicago Ave. A couple of them were very aggressive too. This one idiot was jumping around Chicago Ave, getting in front of anyone he saw and using this new line "Come, on let me see a smile". This one woman did, and I heard "Can you spare a couple of dollars?". :evil:

^ This might be aggressive bum central in Chicago, I work in the area and the beggars constantly follow people and pressure them for money. It's mostly the tourists who give in, but my spare change budget is tied up for newspaper and gum.

Hey, how's the office situation in the city? I know there's an office-space glut, but are more jobs moving into the Loop than moving out of it--like to the suburbs?

^Short of having actual statistics, I can only give you observations. On the one hand, some suburban-based companies have moved into the Loop or opened offices downtown. On the other hand, Sara Lee just announced it is moving its headquarters to the burbs. So it seems like every gain for the Loop is balanced by losses.

The core office employment sectors in the Loop--government, professional services (law, accounting, consulting, etc.) and finance--are stable and all growing at moderate rates. The office glut is much more connected to new contruction than job losses, in my observation.

But remember that job growth in the Chicago area in the last year has been anemic. And I think also there may be something to the idea that companies are learning to use less space than they used to.

John M. Smyth to close its stores

July 21, 2005

BY SANDRA GUY Business Reporter
Advertisement


Chicago's 140-year-old John M. Smyth's Homemakers furniture stores are going out of business at month's end, doomed by fierce competition and a series of struggling owners.

Rich and Vanessa Mussatto of southwest suburban Darien were surprised to get a phone call Wednesday from a Homemakers salesperson, who told them they won't receive the two Queen Anne chairs they custom-ordered on June 6 for their new home.

"I think it's really poor of them, if they knew there was a chance the store would be closing," said Rich Mussatto, who paid $1,500 for the chairs, a sofa and fabric protection for the furniture at John M. Smyth's Homemakers store in Downers Grove.

Mussatto said the salesperson offered to let the family take the sofa, which is in stock, and use the value of the chairs and the fabric protection as a store credit; take the sofa and get a refund check in four to six weeks, or use the entire order value as a store credit.

The Mussattos, parents of daughters ages 1 and 3-1/2, are moving into their new house in Bolingbrook this weekend, and have no time or extra money to buy furniture, said Rich, who, with his wife, took a vacation day from work to select the furniture for the living room.

A Downers Grove store employee who asked not to be identified said 53 employees, including eight in the regional corporate office housed in the same building, were told a few days ago that their last work day will be July 31. The store will start a liquidation process on Aug. 1.

LAST FOUR STORES

The final four John M. Smyth's Homemakers stores in the Chicago area:

# 1013 Butterfield Rd. in Downers Grove
# Heritage Square Shopping Center, 404 S. Illinois 59, in Naperville
# Four Flaggs Shopping Center, 8251 W. Golf Rd., in Niles
# 1733 E. Woodfield Rd., in Schaumburg

Three other Homemakers stores, in Naperville, Niles and Schaumburg, are also set to close.

Smyth's corporate office in Downers Grove and the furniture stores' owner, Rhodes Inc., in Atlanta, did not return telephone calls Wednesday.

Rhodes, a 126-year-old furniture company, filed a reorganization plan on June 20 and said it intended to emerge from bankruptcy this fall. Rhodes had already closed three Homemakers stores in the Chicago area last year.

Retail experts speculated Wednesday that Rhodes is closing stores to help it emerge from bankruptcy as a viable retailer.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported July 13 that Rhodes, which filed for bankruptcy in November 2004, has suffered from inconsistent leadership, a poor mix of products and the loss of talented employees. Rhodes owes creditors $59.5 million, according to the report.

Rhodes was previously owned by Heilig-Meyers, a Richmond, Va.-based home furnishings chain that bought the Homemakers stores in 1998. Heilig-Meyers filed for bankruptcy five years ago and closed its stores.

Homemakers tried to adapt 11 years ago by closing its upscale stores and opening warehouse-like showroom shows, parroting a concept of another extinct Chicago retailer, Levitz Furniture Corp.

But Homemakers, known for its warbling theme song in television ads, found itself bombarded by competitors ranging from discount stores such as Wal-Mart, Target and Costco, to specialty stores Crate & Barrel, Ikea, Rooms to Go, Walter E. Smithe and Ethan Allen.

Retailers stuck in the middle of the market, such as Rhodes and Homemakers, have a difficult time finding their niche, said Ken Bernhardt, Regents professor of marketing at Georgia State University's Robinson College of Business.

Homemakers' big-store, wait-for-delivery model failed to meet customers' demands for quick, impulse buys, said John Melaniphy III, executive vice president of Melaniphy & Associates Inc., a real estate consulting firm based in Chicago.

Retailers that never before sold furniture, ranging from grocery stores to hardware stores to Best Buy and Circuit City, also have eaten into Homemakers' market share. "Like anything in retailing, it's survival of the fittest," Melaniphy said.

Yet a surge in home construction since the late 1990s has propelled furniture sales, said Stefan Wille, president of Aktrin Furniture Information Center, a research and consulting group in High Point, N.C.

Said Wille of the stores' demise, "It's a company problem, not an industrywide problem."

State Street store will be 1st in U.S. to create stand-alone space to sell the celebrity's clothes and accessories

By Becky Yerak
Tribune staff reporter
Published July 22, 2005

Jenny from the Block is moving to State Street.

Jennifer Lopez, the actress, singer and tabloid fixture who has also created a $220 million fashion business, picked Marshall Field's on State Street to open the first U.S. store for her JLo line of products.

The celebrity cut the ribbon on a boutique in Moscow last year and now plans to become the latest Field's supplier to open within the chain's flagship store in Chicago.

Lopez is among a growing number of showbiz types trying to capitalize on a celebrity-fixated culture by moonlighting in the fashion business. And, in a trend that the Retail Forward consulting firm calls the "seal of approval" phenomenon, time-starved consumers also are becoming more receptive to celebrities, lifestyle gurus and other institutions that want to "help them decide what to buy, wear, eat, drink, read, watch or experience."

The JLo Field's space will carry her sportswear, jewelry, purses, perfume, underwear and sunglasses. Field's currently carries a phalanx of JLo lines but they are scattered throughout the store.

"The whole assortment has been popular, so it's exciting to expand it," said Jennifer McNamara, spokeswoman for Field's in Minneapolis.

The relationship Field's has forged with the Lopez brand, and the success of the store-within-a-store concept at State Street, are key reasons why Chicago will house the JLo brand's first U.S. store.

"We kind of approached each other," explained Andy Hilfiger, president and co-founder of JLo parent Sweetface Fashions, of how the deal with Minneapolis-based Field's was forged. Plans have been in the works since March.

Instrumental at Field's, he said, was Catherine Champion, a Minneapolis executive who heads the chain's young contemporary department. Another early backer for a stand-alone JLo section was Field's President and Chief Executive Frank Guzzetta, Hilfiger said.

"Our long-term plan is to open concept shops in many stores, but Chicago is such a brilliant start," Hilfiger said.

The JLo shop will be housed on an unspecified spot on the first floor on State Street. It will be staffed with Field's workers but will have some merchandise coordinators paid by JLo.

Traditionally, personality-branded merchandise has come from fashion designers, but now it can just as easily be Sports Illustrated, Harley Davidson or Jennifer Lopez.

"You're seeing a lot of lifestyle authority being borrowed from types of people other than the design community," said Lois Huff, senior vice president of Retail Forward.

In the fragrance industry, for example, 2004 was the year of the celebrity, according to NPD Group.

Celebrity fragrance brands generated $94.9 million in sales in 2004, representing 6 percent of the market. That's up from 2 percent in 2000, according to the sales and marketing information tracker.

On Sept. 22, Lopez will christen her State Street boutique and attend a fashion show highlighting her JLo and Sweetface lines. Sweetface is a higher-end brand that Field's will carry in its designer area. The event will benefit Chicago's Children's Memorial Hospital.

Lopez, who has garnered as much ink for her serial dating and marrying as she has her acting and singing, started her fashion company in 2001.

Her first fragrance, Glow, racked up first-year sales of $100 million, according to Women's Wear Daily. Three more fragrances have since been introduced.

"The fragrance business is huge," said Hilfiger, the brother of designer Tommy Hilfiger. Fragrances today account for about $100 million of the company's wholesale business.

JLo accessories, including jewelry and watches, also are doing well, Hilfiger said.

But JLo's apparel line has had its moments, with some retailers dissatisfied early on with the fit of the clothes from the woman with the celebrated backside.

JLo clothing initially was in 500 stores but since has dropped to 250.

"Clothing is doing a lot better than it was," Hilfiger said. "Our distribution is smaller, but sales are better per door.

"We had to figure out which doors work for our product. We'll eventually grow into more stores," he said. "The fit is great. The quality is better. It took awhile to fix the problems."

Sales on her Web site, ShopJLo.com, are up 50 percent over last year, he said.

In a Wall Street Journal story in June about celebrity-designed fashions, Federated Department Stores Inc. Chairman Terry Lundgren said the JLo apparel line has "improved," but said Federated's Macy's chain has no plans to expand it beyond the 110 stores where it is sold.

Federated will become the owner of Field's later this year when it completes the purchase of parent May Department Stores Co.

Hilfiger hopes to eventually open stores within other department stores in such markets as New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas and Miami.

As for the Moscow store, it is doing "amazing," he said, with 40 percent of the merchandise selling at full price, compared with the industry average of 10 percent to 12 percent.

Lopez is among a growing number of showbiz types trying to capitalize on a celebrity-fixated culture by moonlighting in the fashion business. And, in a trend that the Retail Forward consulting firm calls the "seal of approval" phenomenon, time-starved consumers also are becoming more receptive to celebrities, lifestyle gurus and other institutions that want to "help them decide what to buy, wear, eat, drink, read, watch or experience."

Baaa! Baaa! Baaa!

I saw Juan Howard on Oak street this morning. You never know who you are going to run into in this area.

Has anyone seen this trailer yet?
http://movies.channel.aol.com/movie/main.adp?tab=trailers&mid=18015

There are some nice shots of U of C and downtown .

deleted.

Does anyone know about the renovation planned at the Chicago Historical Society? Their website mentions there are plans to double exhibition space and expand the lobby, but contains no renderings. Does anyone have any additional information on this?

doesnt Chicago look like Toronto, even when they were young.. they look nearly the same.

Toronto: http://www.urbancentre.utoronto.ca/images/policyarchive/toronto_1894small.jpg

Chicago:

http://www.ushistoricalarchive.com/mapimages/illinois/23.jpg

doesnt Chicago look like Toronto, even when they were young.. they look nearly the same.

Toronto: http://www.urbancentre.utoronto.ca/images/policyarchive/toronto_1894small.jpg

Chicago:

http://www.ushistoricalarchive.com/mapimages/illinois/23.jpg


Although, these two cities CBD are situated in the pretty flat land and along the lake shore, but chicago has the uniquness of chicago river flowing thru the heart of its DT, which automatically make its DT a higher level of value and influence. :)

has anyone see the rise against video "swing life away" some nice shots of chicago. a decent chicago area band.

From today's Sun-Times:

Rauschenberger denies he dissed Chicago

Republican gubernatorial hopeful Steve Rauschenberger said Friday that he was criticizing Chicago's one-party political culture -- not the entire city -- when he referred to it during a Downstate event earlier in the week as the "great wasteland to the north."

"I'm a big fan of Chicago," the suburban legislator said. "I'm a Chicago White Sox fan. I love the expressway systems. It's a wonderful opportunity to park on your way in each morning."

Is he being serious???

make a waterfall... elevate the lake, when it empties into the river like a waterfall, an urban waterfall is iconic..(and make the canal somewhere else like.. near 22nd ST).

Is the Chicago river natural or just a canal, I been wondering that all my life, is the river's bottom cement/steel or soil?



I think Chicago could you use a super tall Church. I am not overly religous but a supertall Church in the forfront of the skyline would look awesome. There is nothing more impressive then going to London or Cologne and to see a +400 ft. Church. Imagine driving south on the Kennedy and having that in the forfront of the whole downtown.

Things have been very quiet over at Emporis. I'm curious about the "high rise" counting procedure. They include structures exceeding 12 floors, does an under construction building get posted as soon as that height is reached and before its completion; and when a high rise structure is demolished do they subtract from the overall total? For example, in razing the high rise buildings in the CHA projects, were they included in the original count, and if so, have they been subtracted after demolition?

^ About impressive churches.... I don't know about others, but I have always felt that Holy Name Cathedral was not impressively scaled enough to be the seat of the nation's second largest Archidiocese. A friend of mine called it quaint. St. Michael's is more impressive, as are a few Greek Orthodox churches. Still, of course I wish Chicago would build a new Cathedral. Even as it adheres to age-old principles, the Catholic Church is *EXTREMELY* progressive when it comes to architecture. The relatively new Cathedral in LA designed by Moneo is one example; I think the pictures of that Cathedral don't do it justice. The experience inside is difficult to capture in pictures.

I certainly think Chicago's Catholic community, as the nation's second largest, deserves something massively scaled. True, some would argue that the church is detracting from its mission to the poor when it spends lavishly on luxurious buildings. But I think architecture is such an important part of inspiring religious experiences. At a time when the "cathedrals of commerce" tower over the old cathedrals of religion, the Catholic Church would do well to maintain symbols of grandeur, a la St. Pat's in NYC or Our Lady of Angels in LA. Someone convince the Domino's founder and Catholic Tom Monaghan to donate the millions required for a new Chicago Cathedral!

I was working on the texture of my JHC model and I rendered this shot in 3dsm before I added the Hancock' signiture X's. I thought it was interesting, but not enough to devote a whole thread to it.

http://img358.imageshack.us/img358/935/jhcnox5wz.jpg

It really loses something, doesn't it?

Very much so. Looks like a generic Trump NYC building.

^ I wouldn't go *that* far--still looks neat, but it loses that muscularity that makes it so perfect for the City of Big Shoulders.

The JHC without the X look kinda like the Daley Plaza...

^Not really. Especially not without the use of cor-ten steel.

Completely random comment.........I just found out that the nickname "Second City" was made because of the Great Chicago Fire. Chicago was almost completely destroyed by it, but they built it again, thus "Second City"....Never knew that before.

Really? I thought "second city" originated in a piece in The New Yorker magazine by a writer who used the term in a disparaging way. A New York snobbery sort of thing. There are multiple stories of origin for the nicknames of Chicago; "Windy City" seems to have multiple fathers too. For a while I assumed the moniker referred to the weather, but then I read somewhere that 'windy' referred to all the 'hot air' of the politicians and boosters of Chicago. I guess I would be following in the latter tradition.

Completely random comment.........I just found out that the nickname "Second City" was made because of the Great Chicago Fire. Chicago was almost completely destroyed by it, but they built it again, thus "Second City"....Never knew that before.

Yeah, that's what I've read too.

DP

Completely random comment.........I just found out that the nickname "Second City" was made because of the Great Chicago Fire. Chicago was almost completely destroyed by it, but they built it again, thus "Second City"....Never knew that before.

This is true. The second city refers to the areas of new constrution after the fire and was the nickname for this new area. It was actually an arrogent term too by Chicagans and not a deragtory comment from outsiders. The reason this was arrogent was because it was the boosters way of saying not only did we build one huge city here but we built two huge cities in a matter of a few years.

As to the "windy city" nickname there was references to Chicago as the Windy city in vaction literture about 10 years before the New York paper gave the city the nickname for its boostism in lobbing for the Worlds Fair. I think it is safe to say that windy city stuck for the second reason as the vaction literture is a recent find and no one seems to recall it in any other sources.

Hey, tell me what I've missed during my last Chicago trip.

I've visted:
The Sears Tower
Field Musuem
Shedd Aquarium
Art Insistute of Chicago
Lincoln Park
Navy Pier
Grant Park

So, did I miss any other major attractions?

You could take a river tour or boat ride.
Did you visit State Street and Michigan Avenue?
Millennium Park
Other museums
Wrigley Field

Hey, tell me what I've missed during my last Chicago trip.

I've visted:
The Sears Tower
Field Musuem
Shedd Aquarium
Art Insistute of Chicago
Lincoln Park
Navy Pier
Grant Park

So, did I miss any other major attractions?

Adler Planetarium
Millenium Park
Museum of Contemporary Art
Museum of Science and Industry

^Actually you dont want him to visit Adler Planetarium the Hayden blows it away. I was so disappointed in the Adler Planetarium when i went there last summer as it was my favorite museuem as a kid. NewYorker you should defintally go to the Science and Industry if you enjoy musuems it is very enjoyable.

You miss the beach and chinatown(even though NYC's chnatown is way better)