Chicago April 15, 2006
Chicago (sha-k盲g,-k么-), noun. known as the "Second City," the "Windy City," the "City of Big Shoulders," and "Chi-town," (and other nicknames) is the third most populous city in the United States, following New York City and Los Angeles. Chicago is located in the Midwestern state of Illinois along the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. When combined with its suburbs and nine surrounding counties in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Indiana, the greater metropolitan area known as Chicagoland encompasses a population of nearly 10 million people. Growing from its 1833 founding as a frontier town of the Old Northwest into one of the world's premier cities, Chicago is ranked as one of 10 "Alpha" (most influential) world cities by the Globalization and World Cities Study Group & Network. Chicago was the site of the world's first skyscraper, and today is the architectural, financial, and cultural capital of the Midwest and transportation center of the country, with more rail lines and interstates radiating from the city than any other city in the country. Chicago also leads the country in the number of conventions hosted annually. The city has long been known around the world as a financial, industrial, and transportation center and for its ethnic diversity. Chicago's skyscrapers, local cuisine, political traditions, and sports teams are some of its most recognized symbols. A variety of colloquial nicknames reflect Chicago's unique character.
A portion of Michigan Avenue North of the Chicago River is referred to as the Magnificent Mile. It contains a mixture of high-class stores, restaurants, office buildings and hotels.
The area has a high concentration of the city's major media firms and advertising agencies, including the Chicago Tribune newspaper.
The grandeur of The Chicago Theatre often leaves its visitors breathless. The elegant lobby, majestic staircase and beautiful auditorium, complete with murals above the stage and on the ceiling, are components of an amazing building called the Wonder Theatre of the World when it opened on October 26, 1921. The Chicago Theatre was the first large, lavish movie palace in America and was the prototype for all others. This beautiful movie palace was constructed for $4 million by theatre owners Barney & Abe Balaban and Sam & Morris Katz. It was the flagship of the Balaban and Katz theatre chain. Built in French Baroque style, The Chicago Theatre’s exterior features a miniature replica of Paris’ Arc de Triomphe, sculpted above its State Street marquee. The vertical sign "CHICAGO," at nearly six stories high, is one of the few such signs in existence today. A symbol of State Street and Chicago, the sign and marquee are landmarks in themselves, as is the 29-rank Wurlitzer theatre pipe organ. During its first 40 years, The Chicago Theatre presented the best in live and film entertainment, including John Phillip Sousa, Duke Ellington, Jack Benny, and Benny Goodman. The Chicago
Theatre was redecorated in preparation for the 1933 Chicago World's Fair and "modernized" in the 1950s when stage shows, with few exceptions, were discontinued. In the 1970s, under the ownership of the Plitt Theatres, The Chicago Theatre was the victim of a complex web of social and economic factors causing business to sag. It became an ornate but obsolete movie house, closing on September 19, 1985. In 1986, Chicago Theatre Restoration Associates, with assistance from the City of Chicago, bought and saved the theatre from demolition and began a meticulous ninemonth multi-million dollar restoration undertaken by Chicago architects Daniel P. Coffey & Associates, Ltd. and interior design consultants A.T. Heinsbergen & Co. of Los Angeles, interior design consultants. The Chicago Theatre reopened on September 10, 1986 with a gala performance by Frank Sinatra. The Chicago Theatre remains a vital part of both the history of State Street and the future of the North Loop It will continue to be an active and vibrant venue offering a variety of entertainment, including stage events, concerts, dance, comedy and special events.
Trump International Hotel & Tower 401 North Wabash Avenue Chicago, IL 10/16/04: Donald Trump completed a $73 million transaction on Friday, which puts him in complete ownership of the Chicago Sun Times site. The next phase of the project is to demolish the 7-story former headquarters of the Sun Times, which has recently moved from it prominent riverfront location. Construction on the 90 story, 700 unit mixed-use condominium and hotel tower is expected to begin in 2005 and will likely be completed in late 2007 or early 2008. 02/09/05: Donald Trump reported that he closed on a $640 million construction loan to fund his condominium hotel project in Chicago. With a total cost of $740 million, Mr. Trump will make up the difference out of his pocket with help from pre-sales of the units, which stands at roughly 75% sold.
Museum of Contemporary Art
Chicago bans street performers from "Mag Mile"
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February 9, 2006- Street musicians have been banned from a stretch of the Magnificent Mile, the city's upscale shopping district along Michigan Avenue. The City Council passed the ordinance Wednesday, with some aldermen saying the performers and the crowds they draw create a safety hazard on the sidewalks, and others saying the noise disturbs residents living in nearby condominiums.
ABC 7 CHICAGO will debut its State Street Studio on Monday, April 10. The new State Street Studio is the first of its kind in Chicago. By situating the broadcasts toward the street, onlookers will actually be looking directly at the anchor desk, allowing for a front-row look at the most watched newscasts in the city.
February 28, 2006- Apple today announced iPod Hi-Fi, an allnew high-fidelity speaker system that works seamlessly with the iPod to redefine the home stereo system. iPod Hi-Fi delivers breathtaking acoustic performance and room-filling sound unlike any other speaker system designed for the iPod in an innovative, all-in-one design. I was walking down Chicago's Michigan Avenue yesterday and spotted this unique window dressing promoting Apple's new iPod Hi-Fi. Aside from the fact, the thing’s just a really fancy set of speakers, the execution is most certainly attention getting and speaks well to the proverbial window-breaking qualities of proverbially fantastic sound systems.
The 'L' is the principal ing Chicago, Illinois in quially known by several the 'L', CTA Trains, and
urban heavy rail and metro servthe United States. It is collonames: Chicago El, Chicago L, El, other variations.
The 'L' is the third busiest rail mass transit system in the United States, behind New York and Washington. According to statistics prepared by the CTA, 494,743 people ride the Chicago ‘L’ each weekday.
Millennium Park The $17 million Crown Fountain in Chicago proves the adage The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. The fountains - two 50-foot towers facing each other at opposite ends of a reflecting pool - are more than the art, architecture, and technologies that created them; they’ve become an experience unto themselves. It’s a piece of sculpture, it’s a piece of art, it’s a piece of architecture, it’s a fountain, says Mark Sexton, from Krueck & Sexton Architects.
Millennium Park’s monumental Cloud Gate sculpture is now completely finished and open to the public. Cloud Gate was first unveiled at the opening of Millennium Park in July 2004. It has already become one of the most recognizable and popular pieces of public art in the world, appearing on numerous magazine covers, in newspaper and magazine articles, and in the snapshots of many of the millions of people who have visited Millennium Park. at the end of March 2006.