07 Dec skinning the cedar hotel’s facade is nearly complete – building to be demolished soon after

nearly a month ago, i basically dropped what i was doing after notification that the two iconic downtown chicago cedar hotel neon signs were about to be removed and tossed into an awaiting dumpster — slated to be hauled to the scrapyard and destroyed. the work was being done by taylor excavation in preparation for the painstaking deconstruction of the ornate brick and terra cotta facade. within a small window of time i managed to secure both signs in the company truck and bring them to the safety of the shop, where they might be appreciated in a different context.

click on the image below to read a prior post covering that event.

when i dropped by this afternoon, the contractor had already skinned the majority of the hotel’s facade, leaving exposed lath and plaster joists. it definitely wasn’t something you see everyday. every brick and decorative terra cotta piece will be removed and put into storage, while the building they protected is demolished.

once the lot is free and clear, it will be excavated, pumped with cement pilings, and the new development will begin it’s ascent into the chicago skyline. during that time the meticulously cataloged collection of parts and pieces (i.e., cedar hotel facade), will be re-assembled against the backdrop of the new development, in the interest of preserving continuity in the surrounding streetscape.

despite being a complete facadectomy, i applaud the amount of time and money set aside to put humpty-dumpty back together again. whether the integration of the rebuilt facade with its new “body” becomes a mockery of its former self, or a successful “second life” remains to be seen.