Thursday, August 20, 2009

Lake Point Tower turns 40

1969 was a great year for Chicago architecture.  Across the city buildings large and small were going up in a frenzy of cranes, and bricks, and steel.

One of those buildings marking its progression into middle age is Lake Point Tower (505 North Lake Shore Drive).

Paul LeRoux, over at LPT sent us a packet of information related to the building's anniversary, including a neat brochure with some great photography of the building by Bart Shore and Anthony R. Vizzari we hadn't seen before.



If you'd like to see the brochure, there's a copy on the Lake Point Tower 40th Anniversary web site, or you can buy one in the management office for a buck.

Mr. LeRoux also sent over a video about the tower, which highlights many of its fabulous views.  You can view the video here:



If you're low bandwidth, or would like a DVD version, it's available in the management office for $5.00.

There are several private events scheduled to celebrate Lake Point Tower, but there's also a public event. October 28th the developer and architect will take part in a symposium at 12:15pm at the Chicago Architecture Foundation (224 South Michigan Avenue).  Also at the symposium will be Edward Windhorst, and Kevin Harrington the authors of an upcoming book titled Lake Point Tower, A Design History.  It is due to be released in mid-September.

In addition to these efforts, the people at Lake Point Tower are getting all social with their building.  Here are blog, Twitter, and Flickr links.

Here's some Lake Point Tower trivia:
  • It's the only residential building east of Lake Shore Drive.
  • It is surrounded on three sides by water.
  • It has a private park and pond.
  • It is in the American Institute of Architects list of the top 150 most loved pieces of architecture in America.
  • A number of architects live and have lived at Lake Point Tower, along with sports stars and other celebrities.
  • Celebrities who have lived at Lake Point Tower
    • Goldie Hawn
    • Tom Cruise
    • Alice cooper
    • Kurt Russell
    • Halle Berry
    • Natalie Cole
  • Sports stars who have lived at Lake Point Tower
    • Sammy Sosa
    • Scottie Pippen
    • Ozzie Guillen
    • Ryne Sandberg
  • The lobby has two waterfalls.
  • The common area has free wifi for the residents.

4 comments:

  1. Really appreciate your coverage of our brochure and 40th Anniversary Celebration. Nice post.

    I only wish the views, rather than Paul's living room furniture, was the thumbnail of the video.

    Peg Corwin

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yeah, that would be great, but the thumbnail is chosen automagically by Google's software, not by me.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Gosh, wouldn't it be great if the facts were close to being correct? Such as the building is now over 41 years old, having first opened its doors to residents in 1968 (and last time I checked, 2009-1968 = 41, not Paul's feeble attempt at Math for 40). And while the lobby allegedly has 2 waterfalls, neither work since since they are presently boarded up.

    ReplyDelete
  4. So angry. What's your damage, Wisconsin?

    ReplyDelete

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