The big window
A nearer view of the big window in the office. Over one hundred years old, it’s about 6 feet wide and over 7 feet high. Believe it or not, still it opens smoothly (check out those big handles), and I...
View ArticleAt the window
The sun strikes the top of the Fisher Building and the flat modern facade of the CNA. The light strikes the city, whose landmarks are the creations of different ages and mentalities, the works of...
View ArticleBeneath the facade
This old building had been vacated and was in the early stages of a gut re-hab. The businesses on the first floor had all been kicked out, and their facades and signs removed, revealing an old...
View ArticleInto the golden canyon
Jackson at five is a golden canyon, as commuters hurry along between massive bank buildings and the Board of Trade. The time to make money is over: the clock has been punched, the markets closed; yet...
View ArticleI wish I knew the truth about Mr Fisher
The Fisher Building‘s exterior exudes the pride of artisans, who crafted the ornamental details that cover its surface. This elaborate arch over the south entrance is characteristic, integrating...
View ArticleA separate breed
The window-washers think nothing of what they do, hanging and spinning like spiders off the sides of our buildings. To those of us inside, they are sometimes a nuisance (especially if they appear...
View ArticleSnow-capped
I love seeing these guys when it snows. Impressive in any weather, the Board of Trade Building is sparely adorned with Art Deco ornaments representing trade and the commodities, the general theme...
View ArticleHonest grime
For every building in the city that’s been spiffed up to within an inch of its life, there’s another that has been left to gather dust in peace, aging gracefully or becoming grossly disfigured with...
View ArticleThe hat shop is closed
The hat shop is closed. Inside, the hats are still waiting to be purchased. They float, eerily suggesting the heads they are meant to fit. They cluster like moths against the glass waiting for the...
View ArticleCal’s Liquors in transition
Cal’s Liquors, at 400 S. Wells, has been closed for many months. I’ve been waiting with trepidation to see whether this old, iconic, one-story building would be demolished. Even those of us who never...
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