Well, everybody visits the John Hancock Center, but I rarely see people zoom into neighborhoods from the top. I like looking at shots of walkable lowrise neighborhoods from the air. So, I got up reasonably early, went to the bar at the 95th floor, ordered a $7.25 Budweiser and got to shooting. Shooting is better in the winter IMO because you get to see more building details because the leaves have fallen off the trees. So sit down and enjoy the show while I narrarrrarrrarrarraarraarrraarrrate.
Nevermind my camera, the shots look like the CTA takes care of it.
Overview of River North
A lot of new construction here
Chicago Ave El Station
You can look and slightly see remnants of the old neighborhood
This shows you how odd River North is, a drive-in hotel that looks like it belongs in Santa Barbara plopped straight into the middle of an area that has a wealth of new 500-800 ft condos.
and then there's this:
ugh
the Southern section, near Merchandise Mart, contains more wharehouses
Now, lets move North a little. This is getting near Cabrini territory, and you can clearly see what urban renewal did to this area. Today it looks clearly different from River North, with development from 60's to today.
Drive-In Townhomes
The Cabrini Green lowrises and a midrise. Despite the theme to that show, Good Times were not to be had that often here. Look at the two remaining buildings from the old neighborhood.
Midrises and empty fields
Three remaining highrises. There used to be dozens of them.
The land was still cheap here up until very recently, which is how these developers got away with building a strip mall so close to downtown.
Clearing out dirt for Cabrini Green's new multi-income replacement. One of the midrises is being demolished also.
Just behind the Green's lowrises is new development and the old Montgomery Ward wharehouse, which has been converted to, like, 12 million units or so.
And the river
And lets backtrack and look somewhat SW into the West Loop (with window glare), which is now littered with mundane midrises because nimbies refuse to let highrises be built. One exception is the interesting building in the foreground, Skybridge.
Further west, we see the United Center and the beginnings of the real rough part of the West Side.
The lake street El is to the left, and Metra/Industrial tracks are to the right. To the right of the Metra tracks is the River West neighborhood, part of West Town.
There is an industrial belt that seperates West Town from River North:
This is Chicago Ave, which runs through Ukranian Village.
Click on this to get a view from street level.
I believe this is Augusta Ave. A lot of tapered roofs here
On the extreme left is Division St and towards the upper right middle is Humboldt Park. If you look closely, you can see Milwaukee Avenue running diagonally through the picture.
The Chiconic Coyote building centers this picture in Wicker Park. 2 out of every 5 buildings in this shot are new infill built since 1999.
To the North, the neigborhood continues along with Milwaukee Avenue into Logan Square.
Back East over the expressway, this is the Western area of Lincoln Park, which is where I did a photo tour of a couple of weeks back. You can see the EL tracks in the bottom left.
Further East. Towards the top left are the Lathrop Homes, which is a housing project complex in Lincoln Park
Lets move closer to the lake. Lincoln Park has an assortment of buildings of different sizes.
And this shot brings us back into the Near North side, this time its Old Town, which contains around 20 non-demolished old buildings. Nearly everything in this picture is infill.
Pretty much the same thing. In the extreme foreground is a towers-in-the park development that divides the neighborhood.
One of the refreshing areas is Wells Street, which is a lowrise shopping area.
Near that odd parking structure is North Avenue, the dividing line between the Near North Side and Lincoln Park
Lets go even further East. Buildings in the way and shit.
Into the Gold Coast. This is a corner on Rush Street, a very upscale area.
I like this building.
The Gold Coast has a number of elegant lowrises.
But as you zoom out, you see that its almost wall to wall highrises.
and more
and more.
Lake Shore Drive and some buildings casting shadows.
Lake Shore Drive bend
Swimming?
People on the North edge of the Gold Coast have guaranteed views of Lincoln Park.
Sigh. I tried to take photos South, I did, but unless I get up early and sneak my way in, I'll never be able to take photos without that glare. Here's my best attempts.
340 U/C and the highrises of Hyde Park in the background.
It looks like the South Loop wilderness and the Lower West Side in the background
Southside grid.
Buildings.
Section of the Loop
Michigan Ave canyon
thats it. Don't ask for views East, its just water. You can look in your sink if you want to see that.
but......wait for the next post.
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