Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Chicago Brick of the Day: Anzio, Italy


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.

Monday, June 29, 2009

Chicago Brick of the Day: Fort Clatsop


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:
Fort Clatsop , near Astoria, Oregon.
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.

Friday, June 26, 2009

Chicago Brick of the Day: Palace of Westminster


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:
The Palace of Westminster .  Though maybe this brick came from the portion of the building where the Commons meet, there is no actual building known as the House of Commons in England.
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.

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Full Details on the Greening of the Sears Tower

While just about every Chicago news organization carried the news yesterday of the plan to make the Sears Tower more environmentally responsible, most of the coverage consisted of painfully short blurbs with few real details.

So here's the complete press release, unfiltered, for you to digest on your own:

--:--


Sears Tower Unveils Sustainable Plan to Transform Tallest Building in Western Hemisphere

Project will significantly reduce energy use and CO2 emissions, spur economic development
CHICAGO, June 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Sears Tower today announced plans for the most significant sustainable modernization projects of an existing building ever undertaken. The project will result in unparalleled energy savings and reduced CO2 emissions to the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere, reducing the base building electricity use by up to 80 percent, which includes a combination of energy savings and co-generation. The energy savings equal 68 million kilowatt hours annually or 150,000 barrels of oil every year. The sustainability plans also drive economic development in the West Loop, creating more than 3,600 jobs, and are part of a broader initiative to transform the global icon.
"Sears Tower, an iconic structure that defines the city's skyline, will undergo a groundbreaking transformation that creates economic growth with positive impact on our environment, leaving a lasting legacy for future generations," said John Huston of American Landmark Properties, representing the partnership that owns Sears Tower. "As the stewards of this icon, we take seriously our responsibility to make it relevant and successful, and the changes made and benefits realized through the bold sustainable initiatives at the tower serve as an example that a sustainable future is more than a concept, it is within our reach."
The building, which already meets Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) criteria, will undertake sustainability initiatives above and beyond those used by the United Stated Green Building Council to rate a green building. Modernization strategies, designed by Chicago-based Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture (AS+GG), include:
--  Efficiency improvements to the building's exterior envelope and
      windows. The tower has 16,000 single-pane windows. Sustainability
      plans for the building call for a window replacement and glazing
      program. Strategies to achieve a thermal break of the curtain wall are
      also being investigated. These upgrades would achieve savings of up to
      50 percent of heating energy.
  --  Mechanical systems upgrades in the form of new gas boilers that
      utilize fuel cell technologies, which generate electricity, heating
      and cooling at as much as 90 percent efficiency. Mechanical upgrades
      also will include new high-efficiency chillers and upgrades to the
      distribution system.
  --  The tower's 104 high speed elevators and 15 escalators that will be
      modernized with the latest technology to achieve 40 percent reduction
      in their energy consumption.
  --  Water savings that will be realized with conservation initiatives
      through upgrades to restroom fixtures, condensation recovery systems
      and water efficient landscaping, which will reduce water usage by 40
      percent and save 24 million gallons of water each year.
  --  Lighting that will be upgraded through advanced lighting control
      systems and daylight harvesting, an advanced lighting control system
      that automatically dims lights in tenant spaces based on the amount of
      sunlight entering through the windows. Combined, these upgrades will
      save up to 40 percent of lighting energy consumption.
  --  Renewable energy like wind and solar, and technologies like green
      roofs that will be tested. Wind turbines will be tested to take
      advantage of the tower's height and unique set-back roof areas. Solar
      hot-water panels will help heat water for the building. Green roofs
      that can sustain high- altitude conditions, and that will be among the
      tallest in the world, will be tested to reduce storm water runoff,
      improve insulation, help mitigate the urban heat island effect, and
      provide pleasant vistas for tenants overlooking the areas.


"Buildings are the world's largest contributor to carbon emissions, and therefore the biggest opportunity to address climate change is to retrofit existing structures," said Adrian Smith, partner, AS+GG. "Our goal in the Sears Tower greening project is to create a holistic approach that integrates high-performance building technologies and design strategies for maximum energy efficiency. In the process, we hope to set a benchmark for how high-rise buildings throughout the world can limit their impact on the environment."
"Sustainable architecture in new buildings is important but not enough to address the climate and energy crises facing our world," added Gordon Gill, partner, AS+GG. "We have to apply what we've learned to our existing stock of commercial buildings--especially iconic structures such as Sears Tower, which we hope will inspire similar initiatives around the globe. These will serve as great examples for building owners and managers and can reposition existing building stock to be as competitive as most new buildings or even better."
As an important part of the modernization program, Sears Tower's plazas and retail spaces will also undergo changes. A new park at Wacker Drive and Adams Street will be an inviting public space with landscaping and seating. The Adams Street granite wall will be replaced with an interactive digital display, glass storefronts, and trees, which will be planted to form a landscaped terrace that will add a natural filter for carbon dioxide.
In addition to the most significant energy efficiency renovations ever undertaken on an existing building, another aspect of the transformation is a proposed new, privately funded hotel for the site at Jackson Boulevard and Wacker Drive. The hotel will be designed for a LEED Gold rating, and will become one of the most sustainable hotels in Chicago. The hotel will fill a critical need in the West Loop and provide a much welcomed facility for existing building tenants.
The reduction in energy use and CO2 emissions realized through the sustainability and modernization plans for the tower also brings economic opportunities by creating more than 3,600 jobs. Extending its impact beyond the site itself, the project will feature a dynamic Sustainable Technology Learning Center that is designed to help building visitors and Chicago tourists learn about ways to save energy and money, as Sears Tower serves as a laboratory that demonstrates to the office building industry how a sustainability program can be accomplished.
"The plans for the building bring new activity to the West Loop, and make it even more attractive to current and future tenants who are looking for more sustainable office solutions," said Robert A. Wislow, chairman and CEO of U.S. Equities Asset Management, the management and leasing agent for the tower. "Today, tenants want the buildings they inhabit to be environmentally friendly and more healthy for their employees. They demand sustainable workplaces. They are doing this because it is the right thing to do, has a positive effect on the environment, helps make their employees more productive and is becoming more and more important to their employees."
The cost of construction for the Sears Tower project is estimated at $350 million. A number of private and public financing and funding options are being explored. The majority of the energy savings will be realized in approximately five years and work will start immediately.
"The Illinois Environmental Council supports private and public investments in projects that spur job creation and economic development here in Illinois, while helping to meet the challenge of global climate change," said Charles Jackson, IEC executive director. "The Sears Tower energy sustainability and environmental education project presents a tremendous opportunity for inspiring building owners and the public to aspire to the highest standards of energy-efficiency."
Sears Tower's commitment to energy efficiency is well established. Since 1989, the building has reduced its annual electricity consumption by 34 percent. Since 1984, its energy efficiency improvements have resulted in a reduction of 51 million pounds of carbon emissions annually, or the equivalent of removing more than 4,400 cars from the road each year.
For more information on the sustainability plans for the building, please visit: www.searstower.com/icon.
About Sears Tower
Sears Tower is the premier corporate office building in Chicago, offering more than 4.5 million square feet of office and retail space. Located in Chicago's West Loop at 233 S. Wacker Drive, the skyscraper is easily accessible from the commuter rail stations, highways and all forms of public transportation. Standing 1,450 feet and 110 stories tall, Sears Tower is the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere and an integral part of Chicago's culture. Originally opened in September 1973, it is home to more than 100 different companies, including prominent financial services firms, law firms and insurance companies. Sears Tower boasts spectacular vistas of Chicago, with views that can reach nearly 50 miles on a clear day. Sears Tower also boasts a tremendous infrastructure system, which includes enormous telecommunications capacity and unsurpassed electrical capacity and reliability. The Sears Tower Skydeck on the 103rd floor attracts more than 1.3 million visitors per year.
About 233 S. Wacker Drive, LLC
The building is owned by 233 S. Wacker Drive LLC, a real estate investment group formed in 2004 to purchase the tower. Ownership includes Yisroel Gluck and John Huston, of American Landmark Properties, Ltd., based in Skokie, Ill.; and partners Joseph Chetrit, and Joseph Moinian of The Moinian Group.
About U.S. Equities Asset Management, LLC
U.S. Equities Asset Management, LLC, is a leading full-service commercial real estate firm headquartered in Chicago, with operations in Detroit, Philadelphia, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, and Colombia. The company serves as a strategic real estate advisor to clients throughout the United States and Latin America, providing development, program management, build-to-suit and construction oversight services; asset management and leasing; tenant representation, consulting and advisory services; and acquisition, disposition and financing of real estate assets. The asset management services group provides asset oversight, property and facility management, marketing and leasing and strategic planning to a diverse group of clients. Currently, the portfolio includes more than 400 properties totaling over 24 million square feet of office, retail, institutional, dormitory, facility and residential management services for approximately 50 clients, including 2.5 million square feet of management assignments along Chicago's famous Michigan Avenue.
About Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture
Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture was founded in 2006 in Chicago. AS+GG is focused on the design of high-performance architecture on an international scale. The firm is dedicated to the creation of new paradigms for sustainable development, and uses an integrated design approach that emphasizes symbiosis with the natural environment. AS+GG's architects are expert in a range of building types, including supertall towers, large-scale mixed-use developments, corporate offices, exhibition and cultural facilities, civic and public spaces, and hotels and residential complexes. Currently, AS+GG is involved in more than two dozen projects in the United States, Canada, China, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates.
About the Illinois Environmental Council
The Illinois Environmental Council (IEC) is a 34-year old organization that promotes sound environmental laws and policies, as well as the adoption of environmental best practices in the private sector. Also, IEC provides a forum for environmental advocacy organizations and facilitates a statewide activist network. 

Chicago Brick of the Day: Hans Christian Andersen Home


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: Michigan Avenue Triangle


The Michigan Avenue bridge over the Chicago River, as seen from inside the McCormick Tribune Bridgehouse Museum.

In another sign of the Tribune Company's diminishing influence in Chicago, there remain two older signs pointing the way to the "McCormick Tribune Bridgehouse Museum."  But the new big metal sign outside the museum itself lacks the word "Tribune."

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Holy Name Now Has A Date

There's finally an official date for members of Holy Name Cathedral Parish to look forward to: Friday, July 31, 2009.

That's the date that the first mass will be held in the newly repaired cathedral.  Father Dan Mayall made the announcement at masses over the weekend.

You'll remember that two Februaries in a row, Holy Name's building was hit by misfortune.

In February, 2008 a chunk of wood from the decorative ceiling fell to the floor.  No one was hurt, but the cathedral was shut down until the autumn while repairs and inspections were done.

Then in February, 2009 fire broke out in the space between the roof and the decorative ceiling.  That incident was much more serious, as water damaged the ceilings, the columns, the pews, the basement, the books, and pretty much everything else the fire didn't touch.

We hear the ceiling is complete, and has never looked so good.  The scaffolding inside the cathedral is starting to come down and the focus of the work will now be the floor and the furniture.  The pews are said to be "on vacation" at a woodworking shop in Wisconsin.

Father Dan is encouraging everyone to visit Holy Name that first weekend, July 31 to August second because it will be a rare chance to see the cathedral at its best, since it will have just been completely redone inside.  It should be at its most beautiful.

Chicago Brick of the Day: Corregidor Island


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.

Taste Testing Chicago's Riverwalk

This past weekend, Chicago's Riverwalk officially opened.  Those who supped there at any of the half-dozen pioneering restaurants that set up shop last year will wonder exactly what "officially open" means.

Basically, you can now walk from Wabash Street to Lake Michigan uninterrupted by the Michigan Avenue bridge.

Some better signage and a critical mass of restaurants and retail will go a long way toward making the riverwalk a destination for locals and tourists.

I went there this week and had a very nice lunch at the riverwalk outlet of downtown staple O'Brien's pub.

Though Chicago is nearly 80 years behind places like San Antonio when it comes to riverside dining, the design of Chicago's is far superior to what exists in The Alamo City.  Chicago's riverwalk is wide and inviting, with good (though inadequate) landscaping.  The San Antonio original can be very crowded to the point where you'd afraid of tripping over a luminaire and falling through a tree beard (local lingo for Spanish moss) into the river.

In Chicago, there are no such fears as there is plenty of space for both restaurants and rollerbladers.  The railing helps, too.

If you haven't been, it's worth spending at least one sunny summer afternoon having a late or light lunch on the riverwalk.  The city has a long way to go, but at least it is going -- full steam ahead.

She's Packing Her Bags

Another State Street boutique is closing its doors.

This time it's Only She, the upscale clothing boutique wedged in between Blockbuster Video and Roy's.

There are no notes on the exterior to indicate if the shop is going to reopen in another location, and the dress you see in the photo above was the only piece of merchandise visible in the window when we went by.

Suggestions from Only She's Yelp page include the sage advice to wander a few blocks north to Oak Street if you're looking for more of the same.

Ogden School Moves Toward Demolition


If you're a fan of the combination art nouveau and prairie styles that are combined in the Gold Coast's William Ogden School, then you'd better admire the work soon.

Demolition of the elementary school is scheduled to begin next month, with a replacement school going up next year.

The new school will feature 30 classrooms, four labs, a library, gym, cafeteria, and parking garage squeezed into a block bounded by Oak, Dearborn, State, and Walton.

The three-story structure will be under a series of green roofs and a rooftop playground, similar to the kind many urban prisons have.

If everything goes to plan, construction of the new school will begin in April, 2010 and students will be heard in the hallways for the January, 2012 semester.

You can read more about the new Ogden School in this PDF: New Odgen School

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Don't Forget Your Chicago Farmers Markets

Just spent the morning at the farmers market at the Museum of Contemporary Art.  Based on the growing variety of flowers, fruits, and vegetables available, we're rapidly approaching the peak of farmers market season.



If you haven't been to one in your neighborhood yet, do go.  See our article from last month which has a link to a calendar (web page or iCal file) listing all of the market days and locations through October.

Here's some pictures taken today:

Chicago Brick of the Day: Santa Maria Island


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.

Burnham Pavilions Open -- Sort of

It was with breathless excitement that the press releases flew late last week -- "Burnham Pavilions In Millennium Park Now Open!"

Well, yes and no.

One Burnham pavilion is open -- the one designed by Ben van Berkel of UNStudio in Amsterdam.  The second one, by Brit/Iraqi/Persian/Iranian/Whateverthemediademands architect Zaha Hadid is still a skeleton (pics below).

Tourists are getting a kick out of van Berkel's unnamed trippy bifurcated table.  There's a handicapped access ramp built into the thing which encourages people not only to sit on it, but to touch, feel, and walk around it.  It's simple, but still truly interactive art.  It engages people in a non-threatening way and begs people to touch it.  While so much art these days admonishes people into "thinking" and falls back on the "challenge" cliché, the team at UNStudio has made fun art for a fun place.


We've heard that the pavilion looks really cool when it's lit up in purple at night.

Its companion, the big oyster looking creature by Hadid, is still not quite ready.

Workers are busy turning the rib cage into something resembling the starchitect's drawings.  It looks like it should be ready in a week or two.  But there is one curious thing --

When we visited, workers were erecting a tent over the sculpture.  Hopefully this is temporary device, perhaps something to do with the process of stretching a skin over the ribs.  It would be a shame if the finished pavilion was actually inside, not outside.

Seeing Chicago Reality in Hollywood's Fiction

There are several iconic films which showcase Chicago's buildings, streets, and urban life.  The next time you hit Netflix looking for a bit of Windy City flavor, skip Ferris and the Blues Brothers and check out Stranger Than Fiction.

The 2006 Will Ferrel / Emma Thompson / Maggie Gyllenhaal flick was filmed in Chicago, and while the city isn't specifically mentioned by name, it's easily recognizable to people who live here.

Particularly heavily showcased are the buses and trains of the Chicago Transit Authority.  The CTA is featured so much that it's almost a character unto itself.

Whether you like the film's story or not, here are some things to look for:

  • The man hosing down the sidewalk is doing it in front of Sears on State Street
  • The building she fantasizes about leaping off of is the Chicago Building on State Street.
  • CNA Building visible in the window of the IRS office where Harold works.  It might be Mid-Continental Plaza.  The lobby of his building, however, is the Daley Center.
  • Harold's bus stop on the way home from work is in front of the Federal Plaza Post Office.  The stop is fictional and on the wrong side of the street for a bus to pick people up.
  • Harold gets off the bus too early, in front of the John Hancock Center.  Water Tower Place's Drury Lane Theater is visible in the background.
  • Harold walks in the rain past the Little Village laundromat.
  • Harold's friend Dave lives in River City.
  • The Book Channel interview was filed at WMAQ's studio with Pioneer Plaza visible in the background.
  • The lobby of the fictional Banneker Press is actually the residential lobby of the John Hancock Center.  The "175" that is normally on the lobby's awning is replaced with "2267" in the movie.
  • Harold makes a phone call from a fake bank of pay phones in the tunnel connecting the blue and red line subways.
  • All of the college shots are the University of Illinois at Chicago.
  • Harold's hospital room is in Tribune Tower.


Monday, June 22, 2009

Chicago Brick of the Day: Osaka Castle


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:
Osaka Castle , we think.  There is no "Golden Castle" in Osaka.  But Osaka Castle does have some gold leaf, which is unusual.
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.

The Loop Getting a New Pocket Park

An area of Chicago's Loop that has been rapidly changing from 19th century storefronts to 21st century skyscrapers is going to have a touch of green.

An agreement has been reached with the developers of 155 North Wacker Drive to also develop a park adjacent to the nearly completed skyscraper.

In the way of the park are a grouping of serviceable, if unremarkable, buildings:

  • 300 West Randolph - Built in 1875, and formerly known as the Sherman House of the Showmen's League of America, which was founded in Chicago and had Buffalo Bill Cody as its first president.
  • 304 West Randolph - Built in 1938.  It replaced a speakeasy which federal agents busted in 1933 for buying illegal whiskey from footmen for Hymie Levine, who was in charge of selling bootleg beer in The Loop for Al Capone.
  • 308 West Randolph - Built in 1929.
  • 310 West Randolph - Built in 1927 for N.K. Aranoff and Associates at a cost of $250,000.  It was built as a factory disguised as an office building and replaced a house on the site.  The building was one of many in Chicago designed to be vertically extended if necessary.  Its design can support several extra stories.  The building was designed by Albert Anis of the architecture firm Sanders & Anis.

These days, office workers, and the few residents of the immediate area, know this block for a couple of quick-serve restaurants and lots of itinerant office space.

The park will have a little under 10,000 square feet of grass, 23 trees, and places to sit and park your bicycle.

The new park will follow the same public-private model as The Park at Lakeshore East.  It will be built  by the Buck Company, but turned over to the City of Chicago's Park Department when it's done.  Yet Buck will still be responsible for maintenance.

Laying Out the Inside on the Outside


Google's aerial photographs of different nooks and crannies of the world have occasionally turned up some peculiar things. One of them is in Chicago.

In the Illinois Medical District, on the northwest corner of Ashland and Harrison -- the site where Rush University is putting up a new hospital is a life-sized blueprint showing offices, hallways, columns, and stairwells.

We don't know if this was for a training exercise, or for actually laying out the real building.  But it's still a local curiosity revealed by the all-seeing eye of the Google bird.

A New Leaf at Federal Plaza

This one has been sitting in our to-publish pile for a while.  It's the newly revamped eastern extension of Federal Plaza.

Officially, its a pedestrianized portion of Quincy Court, and adjoins the pedestrian plaza of the nearby federal complex.  Not that long ago it was a shabby, scary alley.  Today it's a welcoming little courtyard with plexiglass palm trees and places to sit.
Another part of the de-scarification of State Street complete.

Friday, June 19, 2009

Chicago Brick of the Day: Reichschancellery


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: Glass Chapel

At first glance, this looks like just another Gold Coast apartment building.  But that red dot in the middle is a clue.  It's a candle suspended from the ceiling by a chain.  It marks a tabernacle, meaning that this little corner of this big building is used as a chapel, unbeknownst to most of the people walking by below.

Cartography Returns to Michigan Avenue


People who have lived in Chicago for a little while may remember that there was once a Rand McNally store on the Magnificent Mile.  It was one of two travel stores on Michigan Avenue, both of which have closed leaving folks smitten with wanderlust to cruise the internet for even basic supplies.

A new store just south of the river doesn't fill that gap, but the globe emporium can at least inspire the desire to travel.

We don't now the name of the shop, because it has no sign.  But it occupies the space next to the London Accident and Guarantee Building that was once filled by the jeweler C.D. Peacock.

In the spirit of its predecessor, the globes on offer are illustrated not with paper and varnish, but with semi-precious stones and highly polished metal.

It's an unusual store, but certainly better than yet another vacant storefront between the river and Millennium Park.

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Chicago Brick of the Day: Mount Rainier

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Rainier

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:
Mount Rainier in Washington.
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.

Chicago Called "Sad" in Latest Best Cities List

It seems like every publication from the web to newspapers to magazines has a "Best Cities" list.

Some are more useful than others.  A financial magazine might rank the best cities in which to start a business. A medical magazine might rank which cities are the best for new doctors.  And there are dozens and dozens of publications which try to rate the best places to live.

One of the more respected publications is the Financial Times of London.  Since 1888 it has done a very good job of reporting news, features, and more to its mainly upper-class business-minded global-traveling readers.

In the last few years it's also taken on the challenge of ranking the best places to live.

This year the list was published on June 13th.  The top three are:

  1. Zurich
  2. Copenhagen
  3. Tokyo

Chicago is not in the top three.  Nor is it in the top ten.  Nor the top 50.  Chicago doesn't rank at all.  But that doesn't mean Chicago was absent from consideration.  In fact, the second paragraph of the article was all about Chicago.  Here it is, responding to the question, "Could you live here?":

On the train to Chicago's O'Hare: "No way.  It's neither one thing nor the other and just look at this sad excuse of a train to the airport."
It's easy to take umbrage at such a comment.  But those of us who have taken the train to O'Hare, then taken a train from a foreign airport to our hotel know this is entirely true.  Even third world countries have better subway systems than Chicago, and better connectivity from airports to downtowns.

Mayor Daley has made half-hearted attempts at improving the link between O'Hare and the city center.  His Block 37 super station was the latest.  Also the express train plan which he came up with after a trip to Asia and seeing how one of the poorest countries in the world kick Chicago's butt when it comes to things like mass transit, cleanliness, and city services all while maintaining far lower taxes than we enjoy in the Windy City.

It's something I haven't been able to figure out yet.  The mayor knows that mass transit is one of the most important points that the International Olympic Committee is looking at in awarding the 2016 Games.  The mayor is de facto in charge of the CTA.  Yet, except for when there is a serious crisis, he keeps his hands off of the transit agency in a way that mayors in New York, London, Los Angeles, and elsewhere don't.

If the mayor wants Chicago to stop its descent into backwater status, then this is something he has to seriously address.  The Financial Times calls Chicago "sad" in the second paragraph of its story -- A story that has been read by hundreds of thousands of decision makers and opinion leaders around the world.  A story that they will repeat to other influential people.  One paragraph that is the start of global recognition that Chicago isn't everything it should be.

It should also be an internal alarm for the city to recognize that no one outside the hayseed flyover states gives a crap about whether the Sox or the Cubs win the "Crosstown Classic."  If Chicago wants to be a global player, which is something its mayor claims, then it's time to start acting like it.  Like all races, if you're not leading, you're losing.  This ranking is yet another indication of the beer-addled naval gazing that for generations has eroded the city's global presence from world innovator to historic also-ran.

Trendwatch: Abandoned Stores as Billboards

For the third time this summer, an abandoned storefront on Michigan Avenue has been turned into an advertising billboard.

The first time was at the old Bennigan's at the Illinois Center.  Snickers quickly snapped up its prominently located windows for full-size banners touting the confection.

Then when National Community Bank moved out of the corner of Lake and Michigan it was quickly covered with a giant yellow ad for beer, complete with a giant video screen.



Now, the old Greek National Bank space just north of the Smurfit-Stone Building has been plastered over with another ad for alcohol.

Advertisers are desperate to reach the numbers and demographics of Michigan Avenue, but with zero billboard space they're resorting to more and more sneaky methods of squeezing in.  See our article about Target's Bullseye Bazaar earlier this year.  How much longer before a real billboard opens up on Chicago's most coveted shopping street?

Slice of Life: Grove Warehouse


One of the hundreds of underutilized warehouses on Chicago's south side.  This one is at 2200 South Grove Street, near 22nd.  It was built in 1921.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Chicago Brick of the Day: Two-fer


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: Chicago's Turkish Festival

Tiny chairs and huge pots of tea marked this year's Turkish Festival at Daley Plaza.  It was much better than a lot of the local national festivals in that it had far better representation by a larger number of vendors than most.

Unfortunately, at each of these festivals there's always some group that has to ruin it by bringing its own agenda or non-theme tent.  Like the way there's always a Peruvian kiosk at the German Christmas festival.  The interloper at the Turkish Festival was the Korean Veterans association.

Update: Zara, Victoria, Ritz



Scaffolds and wooden storefronts are popping up aplenty along Michigan Avenue.  In the photo above you can see workers putting together the temporary facade for Zara's new store to open in what was once the Chicago Place mall.

A block away, demolition is complete at the location of what will become the Ritz-Carlton residences, so that means pedestrian access has been restored to the west side of the Boul Mich.

And a block in the other direction, a massive wooden edifice has been erected while workers put together the new Victoria's Secret store.  Peeking behind the barricade, it looks like they've still got a long way to go.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Chicago Brick of the Day: Westminster Abbey


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.

A Bit of Country in the City


When I moved to the Midwest six years ago I expected one benefit would be greater access to Dairy Queens.  After all, Chicagoland abuts "America's Dairyland" so it only made sense that there would be one on every corner, just like there's one in every small town in Texas.

Alas, it was not to be.  Being a Looper, my choices were the limited hours of the DQ in the basement of 69 West Washington Street, or hiking up to North Southport and hoping my trip didn't coincide with a game at Wrigley Field.

Now, there is a third choice.  A full service Dairy Queen has opened in the heart of Columbia University's campus in the same Wabash Street building that houses Chicago's American Youth Hostel.

It had a soft opening in May, and is now fully operational.  Best of all, it's a Midwest-flavored Dairy Queen, not the East Coast variety I grew up with.  That means burgers and other hot food, and not just ice cream.

Smile, Chicago! You're on EveryScape!

Have you heard of EveryScape ?  Neither had we until we saw one of the company's camera cars cruising up Printer's Row.


It's one of a number of companies trying to out-Google Google's Street Views service.  Usually these other companies offer fewer cities (EveryScape currently offers 21 cities), but with much higher resolution photos, or other features to make them competitive with Big G.

How do they do that, while Google has to blur its photos?  Well, the fact is that Google only blurs its photos for its own convenience.  I hate to break this to anyone with an exaggerated sense of self-worth, but if you're on a public street, anyone can take your picture at any time and use it for whatever purpose they want.  This has been tried over and over for a hundred years and courts in the United States have continually ruled that you have no right to privacy if you're on a public street.  Yes, that even applies to minors and other children.  I've been through a dozen sessions with media lawyers on this very topic.

It's the reason that TV and newspaper photography crews are able to do their jobs.  Ditto with insurance companies, and the local tax assessor.  There are dozens and dozens of companies that have databases of photos of your home, your yard, your car, and maybe even you if you've ever stood on a sidewalk or walked down a street.

So, why does Google blur faces and license plate numbers?  Legally, it doesn't have to.  The only reason it does (in the United States) is because of the hassle of fielding thousands of complaints from thousands of people who believe they have been wronged in the eyes of the law, when they really haven't and don't know what the law actually is.

Google could spend $20 million a year doing the right thing and defending its photographs in court, or it could spend $1 million a year on technology to blur out people's faces.  It's entirely a money game.  It's not the right thing to do, but Google has to please its shareholders.

How do the other services get away with using higher-resolution photos?  Because they're smaller companies, they can fly under the radar for now.  When they get bigger -- who knows?  Until then, keep an eye out for your home soon on EveryScape.

Monday, June 15, 2009

Chicago Brick of the Day: Edinburgh Castle


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.

Retail Briefs: Stewart Weitzman, GNC

Stewart Weitzman's new outlet at the Shops at North Bridge is open and apparently doing well.  It now remains to be seen how long the old store at 900 North Michigan will remain open.

Also spotted: The GNC at 4 South State Street is gone.  It's moving to Block 37, which should mean a September opening.

Slice of Life: Cermak at the River


West Cermak Road crosses under the Amtrak tracks, and then over the South Branch of the Chicago River, past the industrial facilities of yesteryear.

Moving Ahead With North Grant Park

While the potential relocation of the Chicago Children's Museum to Grant Park is being hashed out in court, the broader redesign of the northern end of Grant Park continues.

$35 million from the privatization of the subterranean parking garages is being used for the project which will hopefully accomplish a number of things, including providing a better link from Millennium and Grant Parks to the lake shore.

It will also replace the failing membrane over the parking garage roof that is leading to the deterioration of the parking structure.

There has been a lot of concern about preserving the mature trees in the park.  Though many will be lost, we hear that some progress has been made in identifying a number of them that can be saved.  Those that cannot be kept will be replaced on an inch-for-inch basis.  Meaning, if a tree with a six-inch diameter trunk is cut down, it will be replaced by two trees with three-inch diameter trunks, or six one-inch diameter trunks.

As far as we've heard there has not been a solution found to the problem of Frank Gehry's famed BP Pedestrian Bridge, which lands right on top of one of the portions of garage roof scheduled to be replaced.

That will be part of the challenge for the firm picked to oversee the park's redesign.  An announcement of which firm gets the job will be made this summer.

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Off Topic: DTV Transition in Chicago

After 60 years of NTSC transmissions saturating Chicagoland, we are now bathing in the electronic ether of a new era.  ATSC television, commonly known as DTV, is now officially the law of the land for all full-power television stations in America.

From what we've heard from people in the industry, problems varied widely by market.  Houston didn't have many problems because so many people there are already wedded to their satellite dishes.  But not too far away in Baton Rouge, we hear it was pretty much a disaster with thousands of people unexpectedly staring at snow.

From what we've heard, Chicago was one of the bumpier markets.  Most stations fielded a few hundred to a couple of thousand phone calls when the plugs were pulled on channels 2, 5, 7, 9, 11, etc...  But for a market the size of Chicago, a few thousand unhappy people isn't too bad.

With any wireless medium, the results vary from neighborhood to neighborhood, house to house, even room to room.  We lost a bunch of stations in the switch, but gained some others.  Here's a chart of what happened here in downtown Chicago:


As stated earlier, your mileage will vary.

Friday, June 12, 2009

Chicago Brick of the Day: Pevensey Castle


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.

Chicago's Most Dangerous Machine

This has to be the most dangerous machine in Chicago.  It dispenses Starbucks.  It takes credit cards.

Found in an Amtrak departure lounge in Union Station.

More Concessions Coming to Chicago's Parks

Depending on your viewpoint, Grant Park is going to either get more convenient, or continue to be overrun by crass commercialism.

Either way, more concessions stands are opening up on Chicago's front lawn this year and in 2010.

There will be a new concession stand at 11th street soon.

Also under consideration is one at Michigan Avenue and Roosevelt Road, and maybe one near the Agora sculpture (many headless people) in the southwest corner of the park.

These are in addition to the revamped concession stands surrounding Buckingham Fountain.

Also, over in DuSable Harbor the new harbor house is getting a restaurant.  It will be operated by another restaurant in Wicker Park and serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  Right now, it will only be open for the summer, but if it works out there are plans to keep it open year-round.

If you haven't been over to the DuSable harbor area in the last year or so, things have changed a lot.  It's been cleaned up a lot, there's a bridge over the former pedestrian path from the New East Side, and a stepped up police presence along with new bathroom facilities.

And another park is getting some food.

The newly-opened Pritzker park is getting a cafe.  It's a partnership between JC Decaux, the company responsible for most of the city's street furniture, and the Chicago Park District.  The cafe will be designed by the famed Robert A.M. Stern Architects firm in New York.  The project is considered an experiment, and if it works out may be expanded to other city parks.

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Chicago Brick of the Day: Wawel Castle


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.

Coffee Shop Replaced by Coffee Shop

When the Ethel's chain of coffee/chocolate houses abruptly pulled the plug on its Chicago operations, several spaces were left vacant.

Some, like the one on Lake Street, are still empty.

The one in the Shops at 900 North Michigan Avenue has been converted into an awkward seating area for weary shoppers.

As far as we can tell, only the one at the Shops at North Bridge ("the Nordstrom mall") has found new life.

A Whispers cafe has opened in the prominent space right in front of the Michigan Avenue entrance.  If the name sounds familiar, it should -- it's the same as the intrepid Gold Coast kiosk coffee shop that operates in the center of Viagra Triangle (also known as Mariano Park).

Though Whispers has a loyal following in its home neighborhood, we can't help but feel bad for it during Chicago's long winters.  Hopefully having this location available year-round is the start of better days for the operation.

A Summer of Change Around Buckingham Fountain

It's going to be a summer full of change in the area of Grant Park surrounding Buckingham Fountain .

Construction has already begun on the Tiffany Garden.  Officially known as the "Tiffany & Co. Foundation Celebration Garden," this is an area south of the fountain that is turning the old rose garden into into a formal garden and event space.

The garden is made possible by a $1.25 million donation from the Tiffany jewelry company of New York. It will formally open in the fall.  Look for roses, and topiary evergreens surrounding a pergola.  It was designed by Doglas Hoerr or Hoerr Schaudt Landscape Architects, which is also a finalist in the Burnham Memorial competition.

But enjoy Buckingham fountain while you can.  After Labor Day the plaza will be completely torn up and redone.  See our earlier blog posts about what is planned for this area.

Also, the Queen's Landing stairs at Jackson and Balbo are in for renovation.  Unfortunately, it doesn't look like the city will reconnect Grant Park with Queen's Landing in time for the 50th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II arriving in Chicago by ship at this location.

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Chicago Brick of the Day: Stockholm Palace


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.