Chicago Places Join Giraffes on Endangered List
Just days after the Fish and Wildlife Service started talking about adding giraffes to its endangered species list, Landmarks Illinois put out its annual list of the Prairie State’s most endangered places. There are a dozen entries on the list, with three in Chicago, three in the surrounding area, and the remainder scattered across the state. Here’s the endangered dozen: Chicago The Thompson Center James R. Thompson...
Readers Called It: It’s a Soccer Stadium for Lincoln Yards
A few weeks ago we asked our dear readers to speculate which professional sport might occupy the proposed Amazon.com Stadium at Sterling Bay’s Lincoln Yards development. According to your feedback, soccer was the most logical option, with some people speculating that maybe the Chicago Fire might seek to leave southwest suburban Toyota Stadium. Now the Chicago Tribune has the goods. It turns out you were right about the sport,...
You Can Reshape the Clybourn Industrial Corridor Without Getting Off Your Butt
Thousands of people are interested in what’s going to become of PMD1 — The Clybourn industrial corridor on the north side of Chicago that will soon be redeveloped. Tens of thousands of people will be affected by the decisions made, including people who live nearby, commute through the area, or are drawn to its shops and the Chicago River. The city is currently holding a series of public meetings about the future of PMD1. But...
C.H. Robinson Announces New Headquarters On Former Lincoln Park Tannery Site
The Sheffield Neighbors neighborhood (just west of Lincoln Park) will be the home of a new 207,000-square-foot headquarters for logistics leader C.H. Robinson. The facility at 1511 West Webster will be developed and managed by Sterling Bay, which acquired the 4.18 acre site earlier this year. A three-story building will be constructed on the former tannery site. Robinson has signed a 15-year lease for the entire property. The company...
World’s First Chicago-Type Drawbridge Undergoing Repair in Bucktown
The Cortland Street Bridge on Chicago’s north side crosses the Chicago River’s North Branch four miles above the mouth of the Chicago River at Lake Michigan. In 1982, the American Society of Civil Engineers recognized this bridge as an Engineering Landmark. It received Chicago Landmark status in 1991. To the frustration of area residents, this bridge has been closed to street traffic since June so the Chicago Department of...
Slice of Life: The McCormick Row Houses
If you’re not a college student, you might not spend a lot of time around the intersection of West Fullerton Avenue and North Halsted Street. But if you do happen to find yourself in the area, it’s worth wandering a block southwest to explore the McCormick Row House Landmark District It’s one of the city’s smaller landmark districts, encompassing about a block-and-a-half of territory on either side of North...
DePaul’s New Theater Wins Gold
The International Olympic Committee isn’t the only panel handing out gold these days. The U.S. Green Building Council just certified DePaul University’s new theater building LEED Gold. We took you on an extensive tour of the Pelli Clark Pelli-designed building when it opened in September of 2013. You can read DePaul’s press release below the photo gallery. Image © Jeff Goldberg, Esto. Courtesy of DePaul...
DePaul University’s New Theater School Takes A Bow
The new DePaul University Theatre School Building (2350 North Racine Avenue), designed by Pelli Clark Pelli, celebrated its grand opening on Friday and I was privileged to be there for a private tour. The tour was led by the dean of the Theatre School, John Culbert, as well as members of the theater design firm that worked with Pelli, Schuler Shook. Toward the end of our tour, three members of the architectural team joined us. I...
Demolished Buildings Find New Uses Thanks to a Chicago Non-Profit [Video]
Recently I took a stroll through Chicago’s Rebuilding Exchange, at 1740 West Webster Avenue. It’s a place where you can spot the remnants of old homes, cathedrals, and other structures. If I needed some plinth blocks, an assortment was available starting at $2 each. I could also have taken with me a church pew or old radiator, although that might not have gone over too well with the driver of the #9 Ashland bus. The...
Progress on DePaul’s New Theater Building
Don’t let the hole in the ground fool you. A real drama is underway at the corner of Racine and Fullerton. Six months after groundbreaking, the opening act of DePaul’s new Theater Building is well underway. Heavy machinery guided by men with orange vests move the earth, pour concrete and lay pipes as they transform a parking lot into a modern arts facility. The architect of this play is Cesar Pelli, the former dean of the...