[wyliepoon]

Some views of the main shopping street in the Chicago Loop, State Street. Y'know, the one with the nice classical lighting, the gilded subway entrances, and the flowers and the trees... the street that our Bloor Street arguably wants to aspire to be.

Marshall Field's is now Macy's State Street. Many people in Chicago were not happy about the change in name, and Macy's is now the target of what appears to be a large scale boycott in Chicago.

The Reliance Building by Burnham & Root, built 1890-95. Today it houses the Hotel Burnham.

Marshall Fields store

Sidewalk sweeper outside the downtown Chicago Sears store

Carson Pirie Scott store by Louis Sullivan, built 1899. This is arguably the first modern building in Chicago, with its grid of large windows and clean design. The Carson Pirie Scott store closed in February of this year.

Louis Sullivan's nature-inspired ornamentation at the entrance to the Carson Pirie Scott store

Trouble in Paradise? The State Street subway was closed the Saturday I was there, forcing Red Line trains onto the elevated Loop.

Three views from North Michigan Avenue (The Magnificent Mile)

Night views. Note that some of the buildings have pink lighting on them, to promote breast cancer awareness.

Wrigley Building and Tribune Tower

Trump Tower site

View looking west from Wacker Drive and Michigan Ave

Looking south from the same vantage point

Buckingham Fountain... the lighting stayed on after the fountain was shut off for the day, creating an eerily quiet scene.

Congress Parkway

Michigan Ave skyscraper wall with Metra tracks in the foreground

Chicago's Guimard Paris Metro entrance. When I first saw this I was quite surprised, because I thought Montreal was the only city in North America to have one.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

nice thread. as usual i'm enjoying your tours... chicago looks great.

When I first saw this I was quite surprised, because I thought Montreal was the only city in North America to have one.

i believe that montreal and mexico city are the only north american cities with actual vintage guimard entrances. it's possible that the one in chicago is a replica.

 

[Hydrogen]

Excellent photos once again. Chicago has a most handsome downtown. These images bring back great memories.

 

[ganjavih]

Wow, what a beautiful downtown. Well-maintained, vibrant and gorgeous architecture. State Street could definitely be used as a model for the renovation of Bloor West.

 

[ShonTron]

I thought Michigan Avenue was supposed to be what Bloor was emulating?

My Michigan Avenue shots

 

[Observer Walt]

State Street ... that great street ... I don't think other streets would compare.

Thanks for these photos. Always great to see good views of other cities, especially those with great downtowns, new developments under construction, nice parks and architecture, etc. ... all of which Chicago has.

 

[b13]

I was just wodering does Chocago have a central business district or a prostegious business street like bay st?

 

[wyliepoon]

The Chicago Loop (including this stretch of State Street) is the CBD of Chicago. LaSalle is considered the main financial street in Chicago (with its terminus at the Art Deco Chicago Board of Trade building), and Dearborn also has a large collection of corporate skyscrapers.

 

[Long Island Mike]

Wylie: Good State Street and N Michigan Avenue pix! CPS is a classic and that METRA entrance is for the Metra Electric at Randolph or Van Buren Street in the Paris style? LI MIKE