In 1911, the Chicago and North Western Railway built a railroad station in order to replace the aging Wells Street station. This was still the era of the classic stations(i.e. Dearborn Station) The station itself was designed by the same team who put up the original LaSalle Street Station in 1903. The main station house featured a gloriously appointed waiting room, as well as a concourse for intercity passengers, washrooms, and dressing rooms. The station even included a doctor's office. Over the years, the station served some of the most well-known and loved train lines, including the famed "City" trains run by the Union Pacific Railroad.
Unfortunately, like all good things, this too had to come to an end. The era of train travel in America had been on the downturn ever since the 1960s, when cars and the highway system provided Americans with an opportunity to get places faster and cheaper than the train. In 1969, Chicago's Grand Central Station closed, and the two remaining lines from that station moved into the Chicago and North Western's Terminal. On May 1, 1971, Amtrak assumed operations of most of the country's intercity rail lines. Consequentially, those lines that were to be taken over ceased operation the day before the changeover.
In 1974, with encouragement from Illinois Governor Richard Ogilvie, the Illinois General Assembly created the Regional Transportation Authority. The RTA was tasked with administering all the commuter rail coming in and out of Chicago. Ten years later, the RTA created Metra, a unified body responsible for all of the city's commuter rail. Around this same time, the old Chicago and North Western station was being renovated. In a radical move, the entire 1911 head house was demolished and replaced with a 42-story office building. The renovations were completed by 1987.
In 1991, Metra bought the train shed from the Chicago and North Western and assessed its condition. The conclusion was reached that repairs were needed to shore up the integrity of the building. The renovations posed an interesting challenge, since the station was to remain open during the renovation, which included repainting the entire station, replacing all of the tracks, and very extensive structural repairs. After 4 years and $138 Million, the renovation was completed in 1995. 2 years after that, the station was renamed to honor Richard Ogilvie.
Entering the station today, you're immediately confronted by a large glass-filled atrium with various shops. From there, you can either go further into the lower level and run into the food court, with its selection of anything from Panda Express, to Chutney Joe's, to Popeye's, and even an old standard like Taco Bell. After you get done eating, you go up the escalator to the ticket counters, where you can purchase carriage aboard any of the 3 lines that serve Ogilvie Station. After you've bought your ticket, the first instinct is to board the train. But hold up there for a second. If you walk all the way down the platform, you'll see a descending stairway. Follow those stairs down and you'll be in the MetraMarket, which features more restaurants, a drug store, multiple other retail stores, and even a French Market. After that, you can feel free to board your train and depart the same station that one would have departed over a hundred years ago, while having just experienced the amenities of today. How's that for progress?
Friday, March 8, 2013
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Day 66: Two Thumbs Up
It isn't often that a film critic transcends his craft and becomes a truly integral part of his city, but then again, it isn't often that a film critic is named Roger Ebert. Somewhere between the first Pulitzer Prize ever given to a film critic and his 47-year career writing for the Sun Times, Ebert became a staple of Chicago.
Ebert was born in 1942, in the town of Urbana. He had a Catholic upbringing in Urbana, where he first discovered his knack for writing in High School by writing comment letters to sci-fi magazines. This led to an involvement in sci-fi fandom, and his first experience writing articles. He won the Illinois High School association speech championship in 1958. It was also during this time, where he learned to be a movie critic-by reading MAD Magazine's movie parodies, and seeing how they would lampoon the movies for all being the same. Soon afterwards, Ebert started at the University of Illinois, where he graduated from in 1964. After a stint at the University of Cape Town, he moved to Chicago, where he was pursuing a doctorate at the University of Chicago. Needing a job while in school, Ebert applied for a job at the Chicago Daily News, however the editor instead referred him to the Sun-Times, where he was hired as a reporter and feature writer in 1966. For the next year, Ebert pursued his PhD while reporting for the Sun-Times. Then, in April of 1967, Ebert was offered the job of film critic. After taking it, he figured that the work load was too heavy and so he ended his doctoral studies.
After a few years writing for the Sun-Times, Ebert began hosting a weekly film review show in 1975. 3 years after that, he was joined by a Tribune film critic named Gene Siskel on his show, and it became nationally televised via PBS. They would become very well known throughout the industry, making the term "Two Thumbs Up/Down" a household phrase. The show would continue on until Siskel's death in 1999. Just over a year later, Ebert was joined by fellow Sun-Times critic Richard Roeper, and the show continued for another 9 years.
As a consequence of his fame, Ebert became a pop culture icon, making appearances in episodes of The Critic and Early Edition. Ebert also started Ebertfest, a film festival in his hometown of Champaign. In the 1980s, he briefly dated Oprah Winfrey. That relationship didn't last, but Ebert convinced Winfrey to nationally syndicate The Oprah Winfrey Show. That's something that did last. Eventually he married his wife Chaz in 1992, and they would stay married until his death.
In 2002, Ebert faced the first of his many cancer diagnoses. The cancer was quickly removed via surgery and Ebert returned to his duties. However, the cancer came back a few years later and he required a second surgery in 2006. This time, the complications were more dire, and he lost the ability to eat, drink, and speak. Nonetheless, he bounced back and resumed his regular reviewing schedule. In 2008, he needed a third surgery to attempt to correct the first two surgeries. The surgery was unsuccessful in restoring his ability to speak, as well as in trying to reconstruct his jaw. Finally in 2010, Ebert decided to forgo any further surgeries to attempt to repair his voice.
On April 2, 2013, Ebert wrote a piece in the Sun-Times announcing that he was taking a leave of absence to deal with the cancer. Two days later, Roger Ebert died at the age of 70. On April 6, his final film review appeared in the Sun-Times, a critique of the movie To the Wonder. His funeral service was held at Chicago's Holy Name Cathedral on April 8, and was attended by fans, fellow critics, and even Governor Pat Quinn and Mayor Rahm Emanuel. Ebert's "relative, not absolute" approach to reviewing movies endeared him to his fans and ensured that his legacy will always receive a strong "Two Thumbs Up"
Ebert was born in 1942, in the town of Urbana. He had a Catholic upbringing in Urbana, where he first discovered his knack for writing in High School by writing comment letters to sci-fi magazines. This led to an involvement in sci-fi fandom, and his first experience writing articles. He won the Illinois High School association speech championship in 1958. It was also during this time, where he learned to be a movie critic-by reading MAD Magazine's movie parodies, and seeing how they would lampoon the movies for all being the same. Soon afterwards, Ebert started at the University of Illinois, where he graduated from in 1964. After a stint at the University of Cape Town, he moved to Chicago, where he was pursuing a doctorate at the University of Chicago. Needing a job while in school, Ebert applied for a job at the Chicago Daily News, however the editor instead referred him to the Sun-Times, where he was hired as a reporter and feature writer in 1966. For the next year, Ebert pursued his PhD while reporting for the Sun-Times. Then, in April of 1967, Ebert was offered the job of film critic. After taking it, he figured that the work load was too heavy and so he ended his doctoral studies.
After a few years writing for the Sun-Times, Ebert began hosting a weekly film review show in 1975. 3 years after that, he was joined by a Tribune film critic named Gene Siskel on his show, and it became nationally televised via PBS. They would become very well known throughout the industry, making the term "Two Thumbs Up/Down" a household phrase. The show would continue on until Siskel's death in 1999. Just over a year later, Ebert was joined by fellow Sun-Times critic Richard Roeper, and the show continued for another 9 years.
As a consequence of his fame, Ebert became a pop culture icon, making appearances in episodes of The Critic and Early Edition. Ebert also started Ebertfest, a film festival in his hometown of Champaign. In the 1980s, he briefly dated Oprah Winfrey. That relationship didn't last, but Ebert convinced Winfrey to nationally syndicate The Oprah Winfrey Show. That's something that did last. Eventually he married his wife Chaz in 1992, and they would stay married until his death.
In 2002, Ebert faced the first of his many cancer diagnoses. The cancer was quickly removed via surgery and Ebert returned to his duties. However, the cancer came back a few years later and he required a second surgery in 2006. This time, the complications were more dire, and he lost the ability to eat, drink, and speak. Nonetheless, he bounced back and resumed his regular reviewing schedule. In 2008, he needed a third surgery to attempt to correct the first two surgeries. The surgery was unsuccessful in restoring his ability to speak, as well as in trying to reconstruct his jaw. Finally in 2010, Ebert decided to forgo any further surgeries to attempt to repair his voice.
On April 2, 2013, Ebert wrote a piece in the Sun-Times announcing that he was taking a leave of absence to deal with the cancer. Two days later, Roger Ebert died at the age of 70. On April 6, his final film review appeared in the Sun-Times, a critique of the movie To the Wonder. His funeral service was held at Chicago's Holy Name Cathedral on April 8, and was attended by fans, fellow critics, and even Governor Pat Quinn and Mayor Rahm Emanuel. Ebert's "relative, not absolute" approach to reviewing movies endeared him to his fans and ensured that his legacy will always receive a strong "Two Thumbs Up"
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Day 65: The Music Platform
Imagine that you work in the Loop, and you live up on the North Side. While there are many ways you could get home, the most obvious choice would be the Red Line. After you get off of work, maybe you go down to the Loop for while, swing by Pritzker Park and reminisce about that giant eyeball that used to be there, maybe you even see what's up at the library. Eventually though, you want to get home. So you walk down into the subway, put your card into the turnstile, go down onto the platform, and all of a sudden you hear music. You wonder where its coming from, and then you see it: a boom box/amp is on the ground, and somebody is either singing or playing music(or both). You watch it for a while, think to yourself how lucky you are to live in a city like this, and then board your train that takes you back to your home and the rest of your evening. My fellow Chicagoans, welcome to the Jackson Red Line station.
The Jackson stop was part of the original State Street Subway project(as was Roosevelt), and opened along with the rest of the line in 1943. During the construction, a pedestrian tunnel connection to the Blue Line was also put in, though that did not open until 1951(when the Blue Line finally opened). Not much changed for the station over the next several decades, until the 1980s came and there was a push to renovate the subway stations. Over the course of 14 years(from 1989 through 2003), the station was renovated in three separate phases. First, the mezzanine level at Adams/Jackson was renovated from 1989-1991. Then the mezzanine level at Jackson/Van Buren was renovated from 1996-2000. Finally, the actual platform area received a makeover from 2002-2003.
As part of this most recent makeover, the pedestrian tunnel to the Blue Line was given a refurbishment and updating. One of the most obvious changes were red and blue colored tiles placed into the ceiling, symbolizing moving between the two lines. Also, lights were put in at either end of the tunnel with a piece of either red or blue plastic in them to subconsciously alert commuters which end of the tunnel they were walking towards. Some other tile work on the platform included placing the letter J in red tiling, again to symbolize the name of the station. The renovation was officially completed on January 20, 2004. Since then, Dunkin' Donuts has moved into a space on the Adams/Jackson mezzanine, and digital info panels have been added to the platform area.
Over the years, the station's platform has tended to attract more performers than other stations, making it a very nice diversion for commuters and tourists alike. After 70 years, the Jackson Red Line station has a bright future, and an even better taste in music.
The Jackson stop was part of the original State Street Subway project(as was Roosevelt), and opened along with the rest of the line in 1943. During the construction, a pedestrian tunnel connection to the Blue Line was also put in, though that did not open until 1951(when the Blue Line finally opened). Not much changed for the station over the next several decades, until the 1980s came and there was a push to renovate the subway stations. Over the course of 14 years(from 1989 through 2003), the station was renovated in three separate phases. First, the mezzanine level at Adams/Jackson was renovated from 1989-1991. Then the mezzanine level at Jackson/Van Buren was renovated from 1996-2000. Finally, the actual platform area received a makeover from 2002-2003.
As part of this most recent makeover, the pedestrian tunnel to the Blue Line was given a refurbishment and updating. One of the most obvious changes were red and blue colored tiles placed into the ceiling, symbolizing moving between the two lines. Also, lights were put in at either end of the tunnel with a piece of either red or blue plastic in them to subconsciously alert commuters which end of the tunnel they were walking towards. Some other tile work on the platform included placing the letter J in red tiling, again to symbolize the name of the station. The renovation was officially completed on January 20, 2004. Since then, Dunkin' Donuts has moved into a space on the Adams/Jackson mezzanine, and digital info panels have been added to the platform area.
Over the years, the station's platform has tended to attract more performers than other stations, making it a very nice diversion for commuters and tourists alike. After 70 years, the Jackson Red Line station has a bright future, and an even better taste in music.
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Day 41: Thinking Again
As part of the Museum Campus, there is a lot of public art throughout the place. Like(for example) the Kelpies, the Man with Fish statue, the Kosciuscko statue, or the Copernicus statue to name a few. Most of these works of art are in the city as part of Chicago Sculpture International's Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition. Today's piece is no exception. Standing behind the Field Museum, Another Thought by Michael Brown is a Limestone sculpture that was erected in 2007.
Mike Brown is an artist from England who was born in 1942. Early on, he studied the trades, but then at the age of 13 he moved to Canada with his family, who after four years of living there, moved to the East Coast in 1959. He began his professional education by getting a degree in Art Ed from The State University College in Buffalo, NY. Six years later, he would receive his Masters in Sculpure from The Rhode Island School of Design. Upon receiving his diploma, Mr. Brown began teaching at Harper College in Palatine, a position that he recently retired from in order to pursue sculpting full-time.
Looking at some of his other works, I would have to say that one of his biggest patterns is the inclusion of multiple colored strips throughout an otherwise solid brick of limestone. Another curiosity is that on his website, Mr. Brown talks of a desire to have his art be something that people can approach and play with. However, on the plaque declaring the sculpture as part of CSI's OSE, it clearly says "Please do not climb or play on sculpture". It seems that they got their messages mixed up, don't you think?
Mike Brown is an artist from England who was born in 1942. Early on, he studied the trades, but then at the age of 13 he moved to Canada with his family, who after four years of living there, moved to the East Coast in 1959. He began his professional education by getting a degree in Art Ed from The State University College in Buffalo, NY. Six years later, he would receive his Masters in Sculpure from The Rhode Island School of Design. Upon receiving his diploma, Mr. Brown began teaching at Harper College in Palatine, a position that he recently retired from in order to pursue sculpting full-time.
Looking at some of his other works, I would have to say that one of his biggest patterns is the inclusion of multiple colored strips throughout an otherwise solid brick of limestone. Another curiosity is that on his website, Mr. Brown talks of a desire to have his art be something that people can approach and play with. However, on the plaque declaring the sculpture as part of CSI's OSE, it clearly says "Please do not climb or play on sculpture". It seems that they got their messages mixed up, don't you think?
Day 64: A Well-Composed Tribute
We've already mentioned how big of an influence Polish culture is on Chicago, so it shouldn't surprise you that there are several tributes (i.e. Kosciuszko and Copernicus to name two) to famous Polish nationals, as well as numerous pockets of Poles in the city. One of those enclaves is the community of Portage Park, which in fact has the distinction of being the largest Polish community in the entire metropolitan area(according to the 2000 Census). So, it seemed only natural for a park located in that area to be named in honor of Frederic Chopin, the most famous pianist and composer to hail from Poland.
In addition to being 8 acres of open space on the Northwest Side, the park also houses a field house with several rooms and an assembly hall. There are many preschool classes that take place in this building, along with(appropriately enough) music classes. In addition to those perks, the park offers an after-school program for local children. The year 2010 marked the 200th anniversary of Chopin's birth, and plans were hatched to erect a statue of Chopin in the park. This is in addition to plans to erect a replica of another Chopin statue along the lakefront.
In addition to being 8 acres of open space on the Northwest Side, the park also houses a field house with several rooms and an assembly hall. There are many preschool classes that take place in this building, along with(appropriately enough) music classes. In addition to those perks, the park offers an after-school program for local children. The year 2010 marked the 200th anniversary of Chopin's birth, and plans were hatched to erect a statue of Chopin in the park. This is in addition to plans to erect a replica of another Chopin statue along the lakefront.
Sunday, March 3, 2013
Day 40: Shopping Time Station
It was 1885 and the train was the new hot way to get from city to city. Chicago was swiftly becoming the railroad capital of the world, and new routes were constantly being inaugurated. Thus, the Chicago and Western Indiana Railroad commissioned a new downtown Chicago station. This station was to be a grand tribute to the Romanesque Revival style, and it would be designed by Cyrus L.W. Eidlitz.
Looking at the station today, one of its most distinctive features is the 12-story clock tower centered in the front of the station. This is original to the 1885 building, however it was modified in 1922 in the course of post-fire repairs. The clock tower originally had a tall, pitched roof, and the renovation served to flatten out the roof and cut down on the height. The actual platforms were located behind the station's headhouse, which was appointed with ticket counters, waiting areas, and a Fred Harvey Company restaurant(the Fred Harvey Company was a pioneer in the field of chain restaurants, most of which served railroad stations). Several different train lines originated from Dearborn Station during its heyday, but one of the more famous lines was the Super Chief, operated by the Santa Fe railroad.
However, with the decline of passenger rail in the 50s and 60s, the railroads were quickly becoming insolvent and/or disinterested in continuing their passenger operations. In response to this, the National Railroad Passenger Corporation(aka: Amtrak) was created via a law signed by President Nixon in 1970. One of the consequences of Amtrak taking over in Chicago was the consolidation of all intercity rail operations to Union Station. Consequentially, Dearborn Station was closed on May 2, 1971, and its trainshed and tracks had been demolished by 1976. However, the headhouse was preserved, thus escaping the fate that had befallen most of Chicago's other old train stations. It lay abandoned until the 80s, when it was turned into a combination retail/office complex, which it still serves as today, standing as one of the only reminders(along with Union Station) of Chicago's rich history with the railroad.
Looking at the station today, one of its most distinctive features is the 12-story clock tower centered in the front of the station. This is original to the 1885 building, however it was modified in 1922 in the course of post-fire repairs. The clock tower originally had a tall, pitched roof, and the renovation served to flatten out the roof and cut down on the height. The actual platforms were located behind the station's headhouse, which was appointed with ticket counters, waiting areas, and a Fred Harvey Company restaurant(the Fred Harvey Company was a pioneer in the field of chain restaurants, most of which served railroad stations). Several different train lines originated from Dearborn Station during its heyday, but one of the more famous lines was the Super Chief, operated by the Santa Fe railroad.
However, with the decline of passenger rail in the 50s and 60s, the railroads were quickly becoming insolvent and/or disinterested in continuing their passenger operations. In response to this, the National Railroad Passenger Corporation(aka: Amtrak) was created via a law signed by President Nixon in 1970. One of the consequences of Amtrak taking over in Chicago was the consolidation of all intercity rail operations to Union Station. Consequentially, Dearborn Station was closed on May 2, 1971, and its trainshed and tracks had been demolished by 1976. However, the headhouse was preserved, thus escaping the fate that had befallen most of Chicago's other old train stations. It lay abandoned until the 80s, when it was turned into a combination retail/office complex, which it still serves as today, standing as one of the only reminders(along with Union Station) of Chicago's rich history with the railroad.
Friday, March 1, 2013
Day 60: Plensa's Crowning Achievement
As has been previously mentioned, the construction of Millennium Park called for many different installations of public art. The Bean is just one example of that. Another one is located just across the way from it. Of course, we're talking about the Crown Fountain(otherwise known as that thing with people's faces on it spitting water). The process began in 1999, when the Crown Family decided to donate money to furnish Millennium Park with more works of art. After an independent audition process, the Crowns selected the artist Juame Plensa, over the artists Maya Lin and Robert Venturi.
Work was soon started on the Fountain, with its twin towers serving as a study in Plensa's knack for dualism. The largest amount of legwork involved in the project came next, as the likenesses of more than 1,000 Chicagoans were captured to adorn the sides of the fountain. While this project was going on, the fountain was being designed and built. The faces were to be displayed on LEDs, but the LEDs needed some sort of protection from the elements, but any such protection couldn't be so big that it would have interfered with the views of the folks looking at the faces. To address this problem, a glass plant in Mount Pleasant, PA was contacted to begin churning out glass bricks for the exterior of the sculpture. After many struggles, the fountain was dedicated in July of 2004 as part of the ceremonies opening Millennium Park.
Upon its opening, the Fountain faced more controversy due to the height of the two towers. The reason anybody would even care about this goes back more than 150 years. When Grant Park was first organized(the initial incarnation coming all the way back in 1836), the mantra was that the space would be 'forever open, clear, and free'. This status was cemented by Aaron Montgomery Ward(of department store fame) through several lawsuits that he filed in the 1890s that forced the city to abide by the original intent. Ultimately, the Fountain was allowed, on the grounds that it was a work of art rather than a building. A few years later, the city put surveillance cameras on top of the fountain,. this got everybody riled up about the rise of big brother and all that assorted stuff.
The Crown Fountain has scored rave reviews almost universally, being lauded as an "extraordinary art object", "public art at its best", and a "techno-fountain". Comparisons have also been derived between this and the Buckingham Fountain in Grant Park. Overall, the Crown Fountain is one more facet of Millennium Park that should keep locals and tourists alike talking for years to come.
Work was soon started on the Fountain, with its twin towers serving as a study in Plensa's knack for dualism. The largest amount of legwork involved in the project came next, as the likenesses of more than 1,000 Chicagoans were captured to adorn the sides of the fountain. While this project was going on, the fountain was being designed and built. The faces were to be displayed on LEDs, but the LEDs needed some sort of protection from the elements, but any such protection couldn't be so big that it would have interfered with the views of the folks looking at the faces. To address this problem, a glass plant in Mount Pleasant, PA was contacted to begin churning out glass bricks for the exterior of the sculpture. After many struggles, the fountain was dedicated in July of 2004 as part of the ceremonies opening Millennium Park.
Upon its opening, the Fountain faced more controversy due to the height of the two towers. The reason anybody would even care about this goes back more than 150 years. When Grant Park was first organized(the initial incarnation coming all the way back in 1836), the mantra was that the space would be 'forever open, clear, and free'. This status was cemented by Aaron Montgomery Ward(of department store fame) through several lawsuits that he filed in the 1890s that forced the city to abide by the original intent. Ultimately, the Fountain was allowed, on the grounds that it was a work of art rather than a building. A few years later, the city put surveillance cameras on top of the fountain,. this got everybody riled up about the rise of big brother and all that assorted stuff.
The Crown Fountain has scored rave reviews almost universally, being lauded as an "extraordinary art object", "public art at its best", and a "techno-fountain". Comparisons have also been derived between this and the Buckingham Fountain in Grant Park. Overall, the Crown Fountain is one more facet of Millennium Park that should keep locals and tourists alike talking for years to come.
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