Category: September, 2016

Chicago’s Architecture: Fire Escape Exit!

bridgeview-building

I thought I’d switch things up a bit, and share with you a photo I took in the evening, as opposed to my usual daytime shots!  This is the, “Bridgeview Bank Building” (built in 1924) in “Uptown” (a neighborhood in Chicago).  Do you recall a few weeks ago I wrote a post about the amazing moment when I was in a lovely old building, the elevator doors opened, and I was so grateful to see an incredible, architectural beauty that isn’t accessible to the public?  Here it is:  Synchronistic Moments! 

The above photo is the back of that very building!  I love the fire escape stairs!  If you look closely to the right-hand side of the picture, you will see a neon sign with two martini glasses that says, “Uptown”; in its day, this was quite the neighborhood! The infamous gangster, “Al Capone” spent many ‘late nights’ in this area.

Have a peek at the detailing on this beauty.  It is referred to as the, “neoclassical style” in the architectural world.

Here is the front of the building (although I didn’t take this photo):

bridgeview-bank-front

Given the history of this particular area in the 1920s, I daresay it would be quite the convo if those fire escape stairs could talk! It might bring a new meaning to the phrase, “take the money and run”!