It doesn't sound like there is much hope for the 2-decade abandoned YWCA building.  I made this thread to discuss what should be done with it and any updates on what will.

 

http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/theskyline/2009/11/michigan-avenue-ywca-building-preservationists-strive-to-rescue-crumbling-landmark-.html

I never knew what that build is/was.  It's next to Johnson Publications.

If people knew what is getting saved, what should be getting saved, what we lost and what we are building, and what older building stock we have, you would likely agree that this building has got to go.  It's cheap for its time of construction.  The article had a lot of fluff, but I'm missing the part about lavish ornamentation.  This is actually pretty watered down in comparison to the rest of Michigan Ave.

 

If we save this building, we may be making sacrifices.  So many other beautiful buildings could come down for a tower that could have gone here.

 

Note this is virtually the only abandonment in the area on some of the most prime property.  It failed at getting renovated in at least two phases of building booms where restoration was a priority, especially in this area.  So something is very wrong with this structure.

 

 

Two older buildings almost immediately behind this structure have been demolished.  Reason for demolition, the owners said they were "vacant and boarded up"  Uh well okay...dumb reason, but I guess the site will be built on in the near future though. 

Two older buildings almost immediately behind this structure have been demolished. Reason for demolition, the owners said they were "vacant and boarded up" Uh well okay...dumb reason, but I guess the site will be built on in the near future though.

 

I would like to know which ones.  Do you have pictures or know the names of them?

Building being demoed are the red brick one on the right and the structure behind all the scaffolding (which has major sinking issues).  The red brick structure with the large glass windows on the left is being renovated.  Eventually E-W university will expand next door.....eventually....eventually............

 

You can actually see one tiny chunk of the back of the YMCA in the first photo below at the very far right where's there's a chunk of common brick at the top.

 

 

The YMCA is now gone.  Next up.....  The 21 story terra cotta consumers building to be replaced by a glass skyscraper.  Currently it is a working building