The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1922-08-15
BUILDING REVIVAL
IN CHICAGO LOOP
Unprecedented Activity In
Historic Center of City
This Season
SKYSCRAPERS RISE
ON FAMOUS SITES

Three Great Schemes" Being Carried
Out - New Illinois Central Station to
Be Started on Roosevelt ROad-Metl-
Odists Building Skyseraper Church
CHICAGO, Aug. 10 ASSOCIATED
Press Despite efforts of commercial
and civic organizations fighting the con-
gestion within the iron circle of the
union loop, that historic center of Chi
cago is enjoying an unprecedented build
ing boom. The boom, however, is not at
the expense of the outlying sections and
it is most noticeable on the fringe of the
elevated railroad circle
Three great schemes" are held re-
sponsible for the most noteworthy build
ing ventures near the heart of the city.
They are the South Water street plan.
which will change the famed fruit and
vegetable market into a double decked
thoroughfare with the upper level de-
voted exclusively to motor traffic; the
Union Station plan, and the Grant Park
plan.
These schemes which primarily are
traffic control and congestion relief ideas
havereceived the cooperation of the
realty owners III INe nelgnDOrhOOu and
| have received the cooperation of the
erection of intellectually harmonious
structures.
SIC, 900, 900 Union Station.
The Union station which is to be
erected just across the river from the
loop will cost about S10.000,000 but the
buildings which belong TO the scheme will
total as much gain. They include two
giant freight terminals and a United
States mail terminal, the latter nearing
completion.
Work is expected to start shortly on
the new Illinois Central station at
Roosevelt road, just south of the loop.
| The Field museum has just been com
pleted to the east of the station. The
city is planning to build. just south of
the museum, titanic stadium which
will be big enough to house the Olympic
games, and a syndicate has drawn up
plans for great hotel to be called the
Stevens, to the west of this group. All
these buildings will be of Ionic architec-
ture.
The Chicago Tribune las announced a
contest for architects fer the plans for
a building to be erected by the newspa-
per, just north of the Chicago river
which is to be ''the most beautiful build
ing in the world
Old Landmarks Go.
Within the loop proposed the streets
are filled with materials and sidewalks
are occupied by wrecking machinery.
Old landmarks such as the Stratford
hotel, the Grand Pacific hotel, the First
Methodist church building and McVick-
ers theatre have been demolished to
make room for modern structures, most
of them skyscrapers, which rapidly are
winging their way skyward.
On the last named spot a 20,00O,000
theatre is being erected, while two other
downtown theatres are nearing compile
ton. The Methodist church is building
magnificent skyScraper church in the
very heart of the loop. On the site of
the Stratford hotel a huge Office building
is to be constructed, while in the finan-
cial quarter the Federal Reserve Bank
building is about ready for occupancy,
while the steel framework is up for the
SS.0O0.000 Illinois Merchants Bank
building. block away.
The London Guarantee and Accident
building. another towering structure, is
under construction at the southwest cor
ner of the Michigan avenue link bridge,
Just across the Chicago river from the
White shaft of the Wrigley building.