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Chicago...40s Degree Temps and Lakefog on Memorial Day Weekend

4465 Views 5 Replies 6 Participants Last post by  tpe
Chicago Photo Thread, Memorial Day Weekend, 2011

For Memorial Day Weekend I made a trip up to visit a friend. I flew in to Chicago Midway (wow that airport has changed!...1st time flying into that instead of O’Hare, and I will continue to use Midway from now on!). I stayed for 2 days in Chicago and had a nice time, but I had enough time to myself to explore and take some pictures.

I hadn’t been to the 2nd City in years and it sure has changed. It’s almost dizzying how tall and dense it has gotten even just since 2004. My mom is from the city and I used to go often, but I never do anymore as everyone but one of my cousins has left Chicago for warmer climes.

Sadly, I spent 3 days in Milwaukee and did not take one picture. I guess I had so much fun in what I would call the nicest city on Earth that I did not have time for pics. Milwaukee is definitely a shadow of what it once was in terms of wealth and power, and it is definitely working class, but it is so beautiful and so typically Midwest. Everyone knows everyone, but not in a way that infers gossip like in the south. Everyone is really friendly there and nightlife and streetlife are surprisingly decent. I recommend a visit to anyone who hasn’t thought about it…just go in the heat of summer!!!

On to photos:

Views from the John Hancock Observatory…

Looking down on 900 North Michigan (871 feet) and the new Elysian (686 feet)


The Clare at Water Tower (589 feet), the highest all senior living building in the country, maybe the world.




Traffic on the Kennedy


Looking down on First Presbyterian Church


The beach, Haha. It was in the 40s hehe.


Looking down on the Drake, the Playboy building, and the Westin


Looking north to Lincoln Park and the Gold Coast


Lincoln Park Zoo and nice condos. Milwaukee is structured exactly the same way with parks and marinas bordering the lake an highrises bordering the parks. My friend lived north of the highrise area on the lake, which was very similar to Glencoe/Lake Forest in Chicago. Milwaukee is literally Chicago’s mini me without the attitude.


Wrigleyville/Lakeview/Boystown area. Is Halsted visible in this picture? Regardless, have had fun times in this area including my first night on this trip.


Cool apartments a block down from where I was staying


A spider


The new Rush Hospital expansion (Perkins & Will, based in Chicago and 2011 Design Firm of the Year)


Mies Van Der Rohe’s 880 Lake Shore Drive (1949, 254 feet)


The original American Furniture Mart (now condos I believe) near the Streeterville campus of Northwestern. Onterie Apartments (570 feet) is in the background.




Dirty Dirty building


3 Supertalls within blocks of each other.


My uncle’s old building back when it was new. I remember him bringing me up to the 50th floor after hours to see the skyline. Was the HQ for RR Donnelly, and is now the HQ for United Airlines. (668 feet)


300 North LaSalle, Chicago’s most expensive building. It recently traded hands for just over $500/SF. It is 96% occupied and rents are some of the highest in the city (which is still not very high compared to NYC, DC, Boston, San Fran, or a few other cities)


1st Presbyterian again.


Inside


Park Tower (67 floors, 844 feet). Historic Water Tower (1869…survived the Fire)


1,362 foot tall Trump Tower Chicago. This thing looks very tall in person.


Wacker Drive, visible is 35 East Wacker (523 feet, 1927)


Mather Tower (1928, 521 feet)



Carbide and Carbon building (503 feet, 1929)


Marina City (1964, 587 feet)




I think this view captures Chicago well…yellow cab, old bridge, red “rustbelt” building, super tall glass skyscraper.




77 West Wacker again


Lake Pointe Tower (645 feet, 1968), it is the only tower east of Lake Shore Drive as now it is illegal to build over there. One of my friend’s friends whom I met lived there.


View from a boat.


Lincoln Park 2520 UC (464 feet)


These were not here last time I was in Chicago. In fact, this area was still kind of ghetto.


Statue Nathan Hale at the base of the Tribune Tower


A parade


Looking south down Michigan Ave


Institute of Art, one of the top 5 art museums in the country


The new modern wing entrance/atrium




The new Legacy at Millennium Park (822 feet, 71 floors)


City Hall (1911) with sculpture by Jean Debuffet in front. The Daley Center across the street features Picasso sculpture in its plaza.


1924 Chicago Temple building, home to 1st United Methodist Church. It is the tallest church building in the world at 568 feet.




CBOT (605 feet, 1930), a statue of the goddess Ceres is on top. This building is up for sale and is being marketed by JLL.


Cesar Pelli’s 181 West Madison (680 feet)
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Great, very nice photos from Chicago; 40 degree temperature even for Chicago its too hot! :)
Great, very nice photos from Chicago; 40 degree temperature even for Chicago its too hot! :)
I think he means 40°Fahrenheit which is about 5°Celsius because the people are all wearing jackets :)

Great pictures, I love Chicago and have to go there soon. But it looks like Chicago is not very dense outside the Loop, is it?
Even though the weather was grey and depressing, the city and its buildings look very impressive.
Nice that you found some words for each pic.
very new york like! what would u say are the main differences between chicago and nyc in terms of how it feels?
I think he means 40°Fahrenheit which is about 5°Celsius because the people are all wearing jackets :)

Great pictures, I love Chicago and have to go there soon. But it looks like Chicago is not very dense outside the Loop, is it?
The closer you are to the Lakefront, the denser it gets. The Loop is just a small part of the Lakefront. As for density in those neighborhoods, I would say that they are dense, without being suffocating. You can judge the relative density from one of the pictures, showing a view of Lincoln Park and the North Side (right up to suburb of Evanston), which are north of the Loop:

As for the weather, it is not unusual for Chicago to be a bit cool/cold till early June. The quick transition to hot weather is so typical Chicago.

That being said, I have just come back from Paris, and I should say that the weather late last week was surprisingly cool/cold for the time of year. Not so sure if this year's weather is a bit out of the ordinary in many places... Even here in NYC, I should say that June hasn't been that typical temperature-wise.
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