Monthly Archives: September 2010

2 Moderne houses in Wilmette

Posted on September 27, 2010 by

Below are a couple of Art Moderne houses in Wilmette that I stumbled upon in recent months. They’re only a mile or so apart in a quiet neighborhood, surrounded by more traditional houses. Art Moderne is exactly what the name … Continue reading →

Posted in Art Moderne | Leave a comment

St. Joseph Catholic Church, Wilmette

Posted on September 23, 2010 by

A most imposing edifice, towering over the suburban houses and 2-story commercial buildings around it, stands at Lake and Ridge in western Wilmette. St. Joseph Church is that rarest of beasts, a church constructed during the lean years of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Art Deco, Pre-war churches | 2 Comments

Chicago’s Holy Corner

Posted on September 20, 2010 by

From the downtown intersection of Clark and Madison, you’re within a two minute walk of a Catholic church, a Protestant church, and a Jewish synagogue. And all three are well worth the visit. First United Methodist Church (The Chicago Temple) … Continue reading →

Posted in historicist churches, Midcentury churches | 1 Comment

The Cubic Zirconium Coast

Posted on September 16, 2010 by

The northern reaches of Chicago’s lakefront offer relatively affordable lakeside living, via a series of massive highrises that went up in the 1960s along Sheridan Road. One particularly big cluster stands south of Loyola University, where Sheridan meets Granville. Some … Continue reading →

Posted in Midcentury Modernism | 4 Comments

The painted concrete artistry of Jerome Soltan

Posted on September 13, 2010 by

6201 N. Kenmore 6011 N. Winthrop I have a deep, dark, dirty, dangerous secret to share with you all: I like the Four-Plus-One. There, I said it! I said it and I’m proud! I’m not taking it back! 5617 N. … Continue reading →

Posted in Midcentury Modernism | 12 Comments

Friday Photo Special: Synagogues in the Night

Posted on September 10, 2010 by

To all my Jewish friends, acquaintances, co-workers and readers: Happy Rosh Hashana! In honor of the high holidays, a mini-tour of some Skokie-area synagogues. Most are Midcentury creations, but one is brand new. Ohel Shalom Torah Center, Touhy at Sacremento … Continue reading →

Posted in Midcentury Modernism | Leave a comment

Loyola says goodbye to an old… friend? Acquaintance, maybe?

Posted on September 9, 2010 by

I’ve seen quite a few campus buildings meet the wrecking ball, mostly at my own alma mater but elsewhere as well. But seldom have I seen a campus demolition greeted with such a quirky, open, mixed bag of emotions as … Continue reading →

Posted in demolition, Midcentury Modernism | 5 Comments

Lincoln Square’s house of mystery

Posted on September 6, 2010 by

2515 W. Carmen Avenue has intrigued me from the moment I saw it. It’s a peculiar little box of a house, a simple rectangle covered in stucco to make a sort of Pueblo Revival style. Nothing too strange yet… but … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 5 Comments

Friday Photo Special: Critical Mass, August

Posted on September 3, 2010 by

I have a lot of mixed feelings about Critical Mass. This was my second time riding in one, but I’m familiar enough with the dynamic from the LATE Ride and other such events. Inevitably, when you get thousands of bikers … Continue reading →

Posted in biking, Life in Chicago | 3 Comments

Aren’t you just a little bit curious?

Posted on September 2, 2010 by

For years, I held the section of Golf Road that slides under I-90/94 in a degree of reverence. Seen from the highway, it seemed like a little downtown, a place where great and interesting things must surely be happening. What … Continue reading →

Posted in Contemporary Modernism | 2 Comments