Recognize this corner? It's Sheridan and Lawrence, circa 1936, looking west. Lawrence House was the "New Lawrence Hotel"; the ICA Building was the home to a Walgreens, an insurance agency, and a business college; and just a couple years after the end of Prohibition, there were wine and liquors being sold where JJ Peppers does the same today.
If you'd like to see more black-and-white historic shots of Uptown in the 1930s, some of the elves in Team UU have been uploading quite a few to our Facebook page. Check them out here. (You don't need to be a member of Facebook to enjoy them.) If you click on each photo, then hit "download," you can see the full-size original photo.
Wow that corner looks so much better without a minimall. That is such a bad place for a minimall. Chicago has way too many minimalls IMHO.
ReplyDeleteIt seems very hard to get rid of them because the owners are making good money, but its blight and causes alot of traffic.
i agree w/jeffo. the corner does look better w/the older apartment/retail bldg there than the current strip-maul.
ReplyDeletepossibly the building was lost to fire. but it would seem that the original building would generate more income for the owner (apartments for rent + ground-floor retail space to let as well) than what is currently there ... though at the time of its demise, the area was in serious decline & rents were stagnating & prob not covering upkeep required.
I agree mini-malls really suck. But I gotta feeling they have higher occupancy rates then average because of the parking.
ReplyDeleteMaybe the real problem is some Chicagoans drive and drive only everywhere. Just a thought.
love the old photo's keep'em cmn
ReplyDeleteYeah its true littleton, I hope there is a tipping point away from carbased anything in Chicago. Especially minimalls.
ReplyDeleteEventually the land should be worth more used at its highest use, a skyscraper or large multiunit building at that location lawrence and sheridan. ONLY NOW is there finally a building going up at that assinine jewel parkinglot at Clark and Division. So I think it will happen eventually, but it has to be market driven (condos/apts), maybe during the next real estate miniboom/upturn.
Love the pictures!
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