Sunday, July 15, 2012

Bridgeview Bank Featured In The Sun-Times

The Sun-Times has an article on the three-year restoration of the interior and exterior of Bridgeview Bank.
Climb the broad steps leading to the Uptown Bank Building’s lobby, and you discover a jaw-dropping grandeur — a coffered ceiling painted salmon pink and aquamarine, Tiffany-inspired lamps, glass-fronted teller “cages.”  Read the entire article here.
There are some beautiful pictures accompanying the article; the slide show is here

According to the article, the building is in the final stages of the restoration, but according to a schedule posted last year, it's all due to wrap up in December 2013.  Well, it's a gorgeous building, on a block full of other vintage restorations:  the Uptown Broadway Building, the Bank of America Building, and the former Borders.  We look forward to seeing its completion, whenever it happens.

2 comments:

  1. This is one of Chicago's treasure trove of fabulous old bank buildings. I keep a safety deposit box there so I have chance to hang out in it and stand in the fabulous old bank lobby for a while. I'm glad to see this beautiful space restored, even if it is used mainly as an event room these days.

    It's sort of sad that Bridgeview Bank closed the lobby for business and instead does business out of a tiny, modern lobby at grade level, that is all tricked out in screechy green and blue ultra-modern decor, and the aluminum-clad drive up addition on the south flank of the bank is an absolute tragedy. It destroys the appearance of the building as a whole.

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  2. My Grandfather was the general Auditor for Kemper Life Insurance during the 60s. When I was a kid he would drive me past this building and explain how he purchased it for Kemper, and used to meet my Grandma at the train to go dancing at the Aragon. I've always felt a particular fondness as a result. I'm thrilled to hear that it's being renovated. I hope it stands sentinal at Broadway and Lawrence for many years to come.

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