Thursday, April 30, 2009

Chicago Brick of the Day: Petrified Forest


In an effort to showcase the magnificent architecture of Chicago's Tribune Tower, and to help people understand just how powerful and influential the Chicago Tribune newspaper once was, the Chicago Architecture Blog presents: Chicago Brick of the Day.
Today's brick is from:
Each day we'll show a photograph of a rock, brick, or other piece of stonework embedded in the exterior of the Tribune Tower .
If you haven't done it yet, play tourist for a couple of hours and wander around the outside of 435 North Michigan Avenue and marvel at an architectural work that will not be equalled in our lifetimes.

Keep Your Eye On The Rubble


If you blinked, you missed it.  It didn't take long for demolition crews to converge on the old CBS Building in Streeterville after the eye network moved to its gleaming new home at Block 37 in The Loop.

All that's left now is a pit of debris and the cranes emptying it.

For those of you who don't know, this building had quite a history.


  • It was originally the headquarters and stables of the Chicago Riding Club.
  • It then became an ice skating rink.
  • It was then used as a roller skating rink.
  • Then it became the home of WBBM, WBBM-TV and WBBM-FM, along with the Midwest headquarters of CBS News and CBS Newspath.
  • This was where the Donahue talk show was produced for a time after it moved out of WGN-TV's north side studios.
  • This is where the Siskel & Ebert movie review show was first produced.
  • But most importantly -- in 1960, this was the location of the world's first televised presidential debate.  It was between Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy.  It is a debate that is still studied by journalism and media students to this day for many reasons that are beyond the scope of this humble blog.

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Chicago Brick of the Day: Mesa Verde Cliff Dwellings


In an effort to showcase the magnificent architecture of Chicago's Tribune Tower, and to help people understand just how powerful and influential the Chicago Tribune newspaper once was, the Chicago Architecture Blog presents: Chicago Brick of the Day.
Today's brick is from:
Each day we'll show a photograph of a rock, brick, or other piece of stonework embedded in the exterior of the Tribune Tower .
If you haven't done it yet, play tourist for a couple of hours and wander around the outside of 435 North Michigan Avenue and marvel at an architectural work that will not be equalled in our lifetimes.

Slice of Life: Godless Communists Secret Headquarters

OK, so it's not exactly secret.  But this building and its occupants certainly aren't drawing any attention to themselves.  The bunker-like structure is the consulate of the People's Republic of China.  Of course it makes sense that a city the size of Chicago would have a Chinese consulate.  But you wouldn't expect it to be across the street from the Walgreen's next to the Flagship McDonald's .

The strange location probably made sense back when this building opened.  River north was a far more tourist- and resident-hostile area back then.  And if you were going to build a bunker, plopping it amid the working warehouses and light industry of the area was a pretty good way to not draw attention to one's self.

The only way you can tell what this building is these days is by the Chinese flag flying from the roof, the crowd control barriers that sometimes pop up around it, and the paper notes in Chinese that are often taped to the front door glass listing times and days that visa applications are taken.

(Oh, and before anyone gets their undies in a bundle about the "Godless Communist" quip in the title, by law everyone in China is a member of the Communist party, and China is officially an atheist state.  So "Godless Communist" is factual.  And yes, I've been there.  I've got four stamps in my passport from China.  Don't bother hassling me unless you have more.)

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Chicago Brick of the Day: Miraflores Locks, Panama



In an effort to showcase the magnificent architecture of Chicago's Tribune Tower, and to help people understand just how powerful and influential the Chicago Tribune newspaper once was, the Chicago Architecture Blog presents: Chicago Brick of the Day.
Today's brick is from:
Each day we'll show a photograph of a rock, brick, or other piece of stonework embedded in the exterior of the Tribune Tower .
If you haven't done it yet, play tourist for a couple of hours and wander around the outside of 435 North Michigan Avenue and marvel at an architectural work that will not be equalled in our lifetimes.

TweetEcho - April 19 - April 25, 2009

For those of you who don't subscribe to our Twitter feed , here are the things we tweeted in the last week:

  1. Ever wonder what all the stones embedded in the facade of Chicago's Tribune Tower are? List of 150: http://bit.ly/17BJFC
  2. The Freshii we reported on earlier this year at Water Tower Place will open in July. Also look for new locations at 200 W. Monroe & Block 37
  3. Some Chicago alderman are waking up to how hard it is to do business in this city. They're now proposing a Loop stimulus http://bit.ly/BRSRy
  4. Workers are reassembling the restaurant at Oak Street Beach. It should be summer any minute now!
  5. The crane has been taken down at Aqua. Chicago's newest showcase skyscraper will get no taller.
  6. @VisitChicago I'm bundling up in my wool coat and hat, just like every day in Chicago. It's only 49 at the lake.
  7. The empty Bennigan's at the Illinois Center on North Michigan Avenue will reopen as Sweetwater Tavern & Grille:http://bit.ly/16xvdm
  8. Greenpeace damaged the new Michigan Avenue bridge railings that you paid $3.5 million to renovate. Good job, greentards: http://bit.ly/dwdbD
  9. Ouch! Chicago picture of the day: Covering up the "Sears Tower" sign with a "Willis Tower" banner: http://bit.ly/5chBg
  10. City Council will vote tomorrow on a proposal to force the Art Institute of Chicago reduce admission fees for locals:http://bit.ly/2C34l7
  11. Chicago's Alinea named the 10th best restaurant in the world: http://bit.ly/6xQog
  12. Overheard: Architects are working on plans to reconstruct Chicago's historic Lawson YMCA. Pics of the art deco building: http://bit.ly/MAAKy
  13. @GossipChicago: The Kate Spade store is at 56 East Oak Street. It moved there last year after about a decade at 101 East Oak Street.
  14. Girl who fell from 182 W. Lake ruled accident. It's at least the THIRD young woman to fall to her death from a Chicago skyscraper in a month
  15. Overseen: Mike Ditka picking up take out from Ditka's restaurant and making his getaway in "da Benz."
  16. New York Times article about the end of the "starchitect" era is illustrated with a nice rendering of the Chicago Spirehttp://bit.ly/16xbeI