Do you have nicknames for the buildings in your neighborhood? Many Chicago apartment buildings have formal names, and some have nicknames that enjoy broad usage. (“The Toaster” in Hyde Park, an early, ugly, I.M. Pei design, formally known as University Park Condominium, is one instance.)
Other nicknames are probably more obscure. I’ve heard this formidable-looking co-op building at 399 Fullerton referred to as “Stalag 399” because it’s notoriously hard to get into. (Legend has it you need something like 22 personal references to be approved.) And this classic building at 2130 Lincoln Park West has been dubbed “the Statue of Liberty building” because of the iron diadem above its door.
As for the modern building above, it’s referred to in our house as the “Pagoda building” because its cantilevered slabs bring that ancient building tradition to mind.
The Pagoda building (at 320 West Oakdale) was the first all air-conditioned apartment building in Chicago when erected in 1954. It was originally intended to be cylindrical, and its wrap-around floor-to-ceiling windows were excitingly innovative. Its architect: the 29-year-old Milton Schwartz, who eventually took up residence in its penthouse.
The nifty sales brochure originally drawn up to advertise the building has thoughtfully been made available here. Featuring Jetson-era line-drawings, it exudes the spirit of those mid-modern times.
AbstractUnknownBoy says
Hi Celia, I am writing a paper on buildings and consturction as being emblematic of Chicago, and I’d like to refer to your nicknames for buildings post above in my writing. Would that be alright? I will, of course, fully reference you and your ideas. If you have any other writing about Chicago’s buildings or constructions then I’d be delighted to see them, or if you could point me towards any other sources I’d be just as grateful. Thanks.
Celia says
Yes, of course you may refer to my post (or posts) in your writing–thanks for asking. Are you writing about building as a particular source of pride and identity to Chicagoans, or about the history of building in Chicago more generally? There are a number of excellent blogs about Chicago architecture (some of them listed in the left sidebar under “Select Chicago Bloggers” but in addition I’d be happy to recommend other things to read, depending on your interests.
I like the post about the Ferris’s invention of the Ferris Wheel over on Susan Barsy’s blog “Our Polity,” and there are some good posts about Chicago architecture on the blog “Clio’s Calendar” (which is just a great defunct blog, and in general a great read).
Best of luck (and write back if I can help further–with books, I mean–there are many),
Celia
Celia says
I should add that the Pagoda is definitely known as the nickname for this building. Mr C says that he knew of someone who lived there when he was a kid, and that the residents of the building always called it that.
AbstractUnknownBoy says
Thanks for your reply Celia. My essay title asks me to write about the significance of buildings and construction as emblematic of Chicago – so that could include both pride and identity in Chicagoans and the history of buildings and architecture in itself. I’ll check out the blogs and the posts you have recommended. Thanks for those links.
Celia says
There is also this, on the Monadnock Building, that Wikipedia once featured as its entry of the day.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monadnock_Building
AbstractUnknownBoy says
Ah, thanks. I’ll take a look – it looks interesting.
Harley says
Nice nickname for that building and indeed it does look like a pagoda. I wonder if-like real pagodas do-it has an odd number of floors; that would really be wild if it did!!
Celia says
never knew that about pagodas. . . . i wonder. . .
Celia says
It does indeed have 21 stories.