the gargantuan painted pine wood arch top surround containing a centrally located "wheel" motif oculus window was successfully extracted from the milwaukee avenue motor sales company prior to the building's demolition last week. i was truly amazed that the entire segmented surround, divided by wood...
a former early 20th century chicago nickelodeon sits across from the biograph theater, where notorious american gangster and bank robber john dillinger was gunned down in 1933. opened in 1912 as the lincoln theater (later renamed the fullerton theater in 1914), the limestone-fronted movie house...
Visit the following link to see local news coverage of urban remains and of eric's involvement in salvaging ornament from the logan square mega mall. CHICAGO -- When you’re racing against time, you can't take a break. Chicago's Eric Nordstrom has experienced that frustration as he...
chicago's demolition delay hold list for 2017 has its first target - a stunning "foursquare" style 1905 roman brick and carved stone mansion designed by frederick wainwright perkins. it has been home to the serbian american museum since 1952. the permit for its demolition was...
this stereoview captures both a chaotic and energized street scene deep within the former "burnt district" along lasalle street, less than 2 years after the great fire of 1871. the stereoview (which enhanced the illusion of depth in an image by means of stereopsis, or...
[caption id="attachment_27611" align="alignleft" width="1200"] incredibly rare and highly sought after late 19th century leaded art glass skylight panels salvaged from the adler & sullivan chicago stock exchange during demolition in 1971-2. the art glass commission for the trading room skylight system was awarded to the...
the bldg. 51 museum, comprised of fragments from chicago's past, continues to acquire historically important architectural artifacts from the non-extant granada theater, a once a grand movie palace constructed for the marks brothers in 1926. levy and klein were architects of this building, now lost...
earlier this week a 19th century residential privy pit or "vault" was discovered during the excavation of a west town neighborhood lot, where a single story framed-wood cottage once stood. just one year ago that residence succumbed to the wrecking ball. the demolition is sharp...
historic buildings that dodged waves of urban renewal and blatant neglect are thriving in milwaukee. on a given stretch, a virtually untouched oriental-themed movie palace and its two neighboring 1870's commercial buildings prove that milwaukee has been proactive in rehabilitating their existing "stock" of historic...
when i visited the congress theater last week, i began by carefully navigating and methodically photo-documenting several deep, dark and dirty plaster and steel-framed cavities and coves high above the theater's cavernous auditorium ceiling. while zigzagging across the original, wobbly wood board catwalks, i distinctly recall being taken...
the former chevrolet showroom (north end of the "mega mall"), built for the milwaukee avenue motor sales company (1921) during a time when the neighborhood was concentrated with several car dealerships that collectively contributed to what was then known as logan square's "motor row," has been reduced...
it didn't take long for a few freeze/thaw cycles to wreak havoc on the bonding agents used to secure the ornamental plaster against the ceiling of a former showroom built for the buick sales building in 1921. the automobile showroom was designed by notable chicago...
long after the collection of historically-important buildings belonging to rush's hospital campus were reduced to rubble, we received a call from a woman assigned the task of selling and/or discarding the piles of building remnants that had been dropped at a desolate storage yard shortly...
with so many architectural artifacts, medical and industrial objects, signage and everything else in between, it's becoming increasingly difficult to continue listing new items on a daily basis. in 2017 however, we have brought onboard additional staff to ensure at least ten new items are...
an incredible discovery, documented shortly after demolition work was finished for the day. the oculus was found intact behind the bricked-in wall. the unusual number of muntins (and "hub") suggests an automobile wheel, which was a popular motif was used in other buildings along logan...
[caption id="attachment_27214" align="alignleft" width="1100"] detail of northwestern terra cotta company exterior ornament adorning the facade of a 19th century chicago workers cottage.[/caption] meticulously documenting the surface detail and design of chicago's older extant architecture will remain a top priority in 2017. with so many projects, exhibitions, and...
some of the first hidden and/or forgotten remnants recovered in the first part of 2017, came from the ground, discovered in one of the many forgotten city dumps that dot the cityscape. the dump contained piles upon piles of leather shoe soles, caked with a wretched...
a blog entry posted two weeks ago provided extensive documentation pertaining to the careful extraction of the former milwaukee avenue motor sales building's (more commonly known as the "mega mall") roofline ornamental terra cotta urns. beginning last last week, demolition was underway - to my...
widow and socialite ann halsted commissioned adler & sullivan to build her understated gold coast mansion at 440 w. beldan ave. in 1884. sullivan’s trademark ornaments are diminished to an elaborate cornice and bay windows. in halsted’s own words, she wanted the house to have...
being semi-retired has been incredibly rewarding, and has allowed me ample time to pursue my obsessions, and immerse myself in various chicago histories. looking back at this past year inspired me share a few of these "themes" i dedicated great time and energy to. some...