Chicago's skyline seeps into your soul. I especially like the mix of architectural styles and building ages, which gives the building landscape a geological dimension. Chicago's skyline is ever changing and sometimes I find the rapidity of the changes to be worrisome. What building mix comprises the essential Chicago?
I look out my window and watch as the luxury condo development rises in the spot where the Dr. Scholls' School once stood. To my eye, the school was housed in a magnificent old brick building, that had a center structure with four wings, that looked, from above, like a star. I watched as it was torn down, brick by brick, to make room for the new. I know enough about real estate to understand how these things happen, but it saddens me, nonetheless. It also got me thinking about how much of the city and its past is tied to these buildings. Once these buildings are gone, what effect, if any, does it have on the city? Is there a ratio of new to old that keeps a city in balance? I don't have answers, just questions.
No comments:
Post a Comment