The top photo from 1921 shows the "Rublof and Wolack" Building which housed the "Bull Dog And Whistle" on the corner of Wilson and Clarendon. It was designed by architect Alfred S. Alschuler. The middle photo shows the detail in the building. It has since been demolished and a high-rise now occupies the corner.Top & middle image: University of Minnesota Archives
Bottom image: Google Maps
I personally like the 1921 look. Is the high rise even occupied? It looks empty everytime I go by there.
ReplyDeleteVery Interesting......................
ReplyDeleteThis was where I first lived when I moved to Chicago about 10 years ago. I was here for an internship at a major recording studio downtown and rented a studio apt. here for almost 7 months.
My understanding of the building was that it was owned by Weiss Hospital at the time and was used as apts for interns and sometimes doctors. The building was originally a hospital and that the top two floors 13/14 were critical patient wards. I lived on the 13th floor and I honestly thought at one point that the floor was haunted, stories for another time.
My studio apt was HUGE. It over looked the lake with massive panoramic windows. The rent was cheep, $500 a month for such a large space.
About 7 months later the building was sold. They gave the residents 3 weeks to either sign a new lease for $715.00 a month or move out. That is when I moved to Lincoln Park.
Kinda funny, I was forced from Uptown to Lincoln park and found a place on Sheffield and Dickens for $450 a month (can you say completely different world). Although I enjoyed the beautiful ladies and walkability of that area, the mass collection of meatheads made me wonder how people could have so much money and be so stupid.
Looking at that picture brings back so many memories, I need to write some stories about my time there. One day.....
I am so saddened every time one of these old pics is posted, to see what Uptown was in it's day....then I go out on the street and see today’s reality...
ReplyDeleteThis must have been a glorious place, not too many years ago.
Bulldog Whistle?
ReplyDeletethe building pictured in the "now" picture is the covington apartments, where I currently live.
ReplyDeleteI have not yet seen any ghosts, but I am on the 5th floor and not the 13th.
The building is what I would call a mid-rise as it only has 14 floors. the building on the corner on the other side of the street is more of a high rise and I still don't know what sort of building it is. I assume that it is somewhat mixed among low income and not low income, but I am not sure. They have a lot of security inside though, almost always a uniformed guard or cop.
I am not sure how long my building has been here, but my guess is the mid sixties early seventies. My apartment is a very nice two bedroom, 1200 sq foot, with a lake view if you can see beyond the trees.
what a sweet picture. Wish that buliding was still there. I am a block South of Wilson on Clarendon. The building I am in is finally doing some rehab outside. My building was a hotel built in the early 20's. Not so ornate unless you look all the way at the top of the 9th floor.
ReplyDeleteHeya Andy, ask around and see if people on the top floors have any stories, I bet someone does.
ReplyDeleteDay one of moving to Chicago........Snowing, around 10:30pm.
Security Guard: Where are you going?
Me: Outside to enjoy the snow.
Security Guard: I wouldn't go outside at this hour if I were you, someone will hurt you. I'm serious don't go wondering outside.
Me: Um.....Thanks for the warning.
Two minutes later a lady asked me if I wanted to "party" followed by some kids asking me if I wanted any drugs. Welcome to Chicago.
My apt at the time looked no different than any hospital room right down to the special wall socket for hooking up medical equipment, like a breathing machine. My first girlfriend hated coming over because it reminded her of the room her grandmother died in while in the hospital, oh, and the fact that my blinds would randomly move like someone was scraping their hand across from one side to the other. I got woken up a few times from that lovely energy. It never really bothered me that much but is was unusual to say the least.
Hey Andy at Covington apartments: The reason the towers next to you have so much security is because they are projects owned by the Chicago Housing Authority. Very poorly managed projects, I might add. Until very recently, the Chicago PD was always there (oddly it is better recently...maybe because of increased security?). Also, there were always gangbangers and questionable activity on the Clarendon side of the park across the street from the project. Still, there are a lot of homeless people that camp out in the park.
ReplyDeleteI live a block away from this CHA project and hate walking around this part of the neighborhood. I try to avoid Wilson and this corner as much as possible.
There are some awesome blocks in Uptown, but this is not one of them. What a shame, tearing down an architectural masterpiece and replacing it with non-descript highrise housing! I have read somewhere that this was the grand idea of Mayor Daley Sr...building high-rise projects in Uptown, because the neighborhood had experienced a downturn. Thanks to such short-sightedness, I don't think we can look forward to an upturn in this part of the neighborhood anytime soon...unless, CHA would like to tear down these projects, too. And maybe put in some more appropriate low-rise housing with yards like other parts of the city. (Oh...wait...the current Daley administration is helping build MORE high-rise public housing in Uptown...not less...)
Sadly, I wish we lived in that beautiful old Uptown, instead of the current one.
new street:
ReplyDeleteSince moving here, I have noticed the cops there on occasion, but I walk down Clarendon all the time and I don't have any issues. There are homeless people in the park across the street, but I am actually more likely to get hit up for money at wilson and sheridan, or along broadway between wilson and lawrence than I am near my building.
I have noticed that it had a project feel to it, but I did not want to flat out assume so. I do see a mix of people going in and out of the building, lots of older people it seems.
The building at the corner,now The Covington Apartments, at one time housed offices for Weiss Hospital. I know this because my sister worked for Weiss and her office was in that building at one time.
ReplyDelete