Archibleckture Award of the Week: The Provenance Condos @ 5230 North Kenmore

The last truly crappy building I showcased looked like a prison (Lakeview's Brighton) for both its construction and its lack of scale with the surrounding Lakeview neighborhood. This latest building, the Provenance at 5230 North Kenmore, troubles me for two similar reasons. First, it sort of resembles a spaceship plopped down in a turn-of-the century neighborhood. Second, the color scheme and massing does not match its neighbors; it is distinctly foreign looking, and too squat to boot. This type of building is best suited for an oceanfront community (or another planet). It does not belong in this part of Chicago.

Love, Mr. Archibleckture

115-year-old 666 State/Hotel Dana awaits its destruction

With mere hours until demolition, the 115-year-old Hotel Dana (with the great street address) sits gaptoothed and lonely, now missing its longtime neighbor to the south (which seemed to fall in a few hours). Its windows are missing or smashed, and its lovely stonework around the door will shortly crumble. Mr. Archibleckture feels that this might be the straw that breaks the camels back; Chicago no longer can hold claim as an architectural capital with all the destruction of its legacy, both large (Mercantile Exchange) and small (the Dana). Chicago cannot simply be a city of faceless towers; it must maintain the smaller gems against the tide of demolition or it will be an even colder place than it already has become.

Much sadness,

Mr. Archibleckture

PS-Heneghan Wrecking's slogan shows how heartless these demolition companies are...to them, this is but another moneymaking demolition.

BREAKING-666 State/Hotel Dana being demolished within week!

Photos to follow; the adjacent 19th-century building next door is already gone! Such a loss for the community, yet no one seems to care? Where is Preservation Chicago on this? I know this is but one small building (and a former SRO to boot), but it has been standing there for 100 years!

Love, Mr. Archibleckture