Here is the view at Broadway and Leland under the L tracks from 1926. This is the current day location of the "Majestic Men's Store." It's strange to see this CTA bridge in such pristine condition, but 80 years of wear, tear and neglect will do that to a bridge.
above photo courtesy: University of Minnesota archivebottom photo courtesy: "Mark2400" at Flickr.
Selling live poultry under the el tracks? Now I see why Alderman Shiller had to vote to rid us of the scourge of urban chicken-raising! It has been a blight on our community since the 1930s!
ReplyDeleteActually, as recently as the 1980s there was a store on Lincoln Ave. that sold live or freshly-killed poultry. I think there are still a few out on the Northwest Side.
ReplyDeleteQuestion please. Does that concrete train track ever get used? From the ground, it looks abandoned. If so, is this something we could champion to get torn down?
ReplyDeleteIt certainly casts a large shadow, both literally and figuratively, over an important retail section in Uptown..
Both the red and purple lines run on that track. I often go to the convenience store just south of the Majestic under the tracks. The roar of the train is so loud under there, I fear my ears will start bleeding. I don't know why, but the sound seems to magnify there. I can see why it is slowly crumbling into dust.
ReplyDeleteThe source of this photo is the University of Minnesota, which has a great collection of Chicago architectural images from the twenties and thirties. They charge a small, very reasonable fee for digital reprints. Details can be found on their site.
ReplyDeleteThanks Green Fairy. A reader emailed us this photo a while back but did not mention the source. We should have assumed it was the University of Minnesota. What a great resource for Uptown's past.
ReplyDeleteMy understanding is that this building isn't being renovated like the Uptown Broadway Building because the CTA wouldn't sell it.
ReplyDeleteAlthough not in the film itself, a segment for one of the Comcast OnDemand specials featured this as "Majestic Liquors"
ReplyDeleteYikes!
ReplyDeleteThis stretch in Uptown, is arguably the creepiest, most urine-soaked stretch in uptown.
I'm surprised to learn that because, the CTA didn't sell the building, it's the reason why it is so derelict?
How far is Shiller's office from here? And she's fine
driving by this mess?
How far is Shiller's office from here?
ReplyDeleteHas anyone actually seen Shiller in her office? I don't think she ever goes there, so it wouldn't matter how bad the surrounding area was. I think she enjoys spending her time in "The Heart Of Andersonville"
stark mad, my understanding is that the people re-developing the Uptown Broadway Building wanted to purchase that building too and develop it at the same time. But the CTA wouldn't sell. Of course, this is neighborhood gossip, so don't take that to the bank.
ReplyDeleteHave you been inside Majestic? It is a fine store with fantastic service. And you can't beat the prices. Definitely a gem with a vintage facade. With a little TLC it would be Majestic again!
ReplyDelete