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To Demolish or Not Demolish, That is the Question

Posted by
Steven (Chicagoland, United States) on 20 February 2008 in Architecture and Portfolio.

Currently at issue is a proposal for the redevelopment of the Chicago Athletic Association building (pictured), located at 12 S. Michigan Avenue. This proposal follows a recent trend along the Michigan-Wabash corridor of constructing large-scale towers behind the façades of historic structures. Examples include the Heritage Millennium, the Legacy at Millennium Park (within the Jewelers Row District), and the 80-story tower proposed as part of the YWCA building redevelopment at 830 S. Michigan Avenue. This would include a residential development which would result in complete demolition of its annex additions and a partial demolition of the building viewed here. The building, built in 1893, was designed by architect Henry Ives Cobb, designer of the University of Chicago. Additions located at 71-79 E. Madison Street were added to the structure in 1906 and 1926 respectively by architects Schmidt, Garden, and Martin. The Venetian Gothic style is rare in Chicago, and the Chicago Athletic Association exemplifies it to the fullest in its use of patterned brick and intricately carved limestone.


This building is an integral part of the Historic Michigan Boulevard District which extends from Randolph Street south to 11th Street. This landmark district was created in 2002 with the intention of preserving the architecture and scale of the 1885 to 1930 era buildings. The historic district frames the western edge of Millennium Park and Grant Park and is one of the most heavily visited streets in the city. It defines the “face” of Chicago when viewed from these parks and Lake Shore Drive.

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Michael Skorulski from Cigel, Slovakia

Beautiful building and certainly worth keeping the facade at least. Excellent crisp image.

20 Feb 2008 5:25am

Inés from Namur, Belgium

ce serait dommage de faire disparaître ce bâtiment !!! Je suis contre ;o)

20 Feb 2008 7:25am

MadScientist from Düsseldorf, Germany

Would be a pity to demolish it for just another stupid glass tower! Great shot!

20 Feb 2008 10:32am

ManuelaR from Hainburg, Germany

I agree, this should be kept!!!!!!

20 Feb 2008 12:50pm

Lemuel from United States

To totally demolish would be an absolute crime, punishable by death!! To keep the façade and build a modern monstrosity would just be a lesser crime. I vote for some kind of interior and/or structural renovation. This building seems to be too much of a treasure to lose. Destroying it, in my book, would be akin to the Taliban destroying the Buddhas in the mountains.

20 Feb 2008 1:12pm

vu@granby - Wolfgang Prigge from Granby, QC, Canada

I think the whole district should not be changed. Keeping the façades is just like a candy thrown to the people concerned about the destruction of the district.

20 Feb 2008 1:58pm

Ina from Krugersdorp, South Africa

Beautiful old building, hope it survives... excellent shot, great detail and color.

20 Feb 2008 2:33pm

MaryB from Staffordshire, United Kingdom

It's way to beautiful to demolish, far too many of these wonderful old buildings are lost every day, I really hope this one stays.
A wonderfully crisp image Steven.

20 Feb 2008 3:31pm

Calusarus from St Sorlin en Valloire, France

Very interesting architecture shot.

20 Feb 2008 7:24pm

standley from brou-sur-chantereine, France

Wonderful capture. Definitly "not demolish"!

20 Feb 2008 7:38pm

Earnest from Oklahoma, United States

Sets one to thinking...

20 Feb 2008 8:41pm

Viewfinder from Bradenton, United States

It would be insanity to demolish this beautiful old building when it could be rennovated from within. Greedy developers are too uncaring and IMO lazy to consider the cultural losses they bring onto the rest of us.

21 Feb 2008 2:16am

Elisa from Massachusetts, United States

so beautiful to be demolished! great shot!

22 Feb 2008 1:49am

JoeB from Brampton, Canada

This seems to be a trend through North America, to maybe keep the front of a building and build giant towers made of steel, cement, and glass. Its pure greed with no respect for the past. In Europe no one would there touch the buildings there part of a cultural heritage.

22 Feb 2008 2:24am