Something Old, Something New
| Ageists begone! The 105-year-old Sullivan Center and the (about) 105-day-old Wit Hotel are hot topics. The Chicago Architecture Foundation offered a tour last week of the landmark former Carson Pirie Scott building, while Koo & Associates? Jackie Koo explained the design of Wit at the Chicago Cultural Center. |
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Joseph Fried & Associates' Norris Ebert at Sullivan Center shows off 19th century cast iron that's being restored. Thousands of such pieces were taken off the facade, photographed, numbered, and taken to a warehouse in the South Loop for cleaning and two coats of light-colored epoxy. The third coat will be the original dark green. (Today?s lesson: The first two coats are light so workers can tell if they missed a spot on the third layer.) |
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An iron-worker examines the space where the restored ornamentation will be attached over the next three months. The 12 and 15-story buildings that comprise the center are currently about 70% leased, but have a long way to go on the retail, Norris tells us. The first and second floors will remain retail while floors 3-15 will be offices, as well as some School of the Art Institute departments. |
