The Chicago Architecture Foundation’s “Open House Chicago” program is this coming weekend. I’m planning to see as many sites as I have time for. Any suggestions on must-see locations?
Here’s the site list, by neighborhood:
http://www.openhousechicago.org/sites/442+344,0,n/
The Elk’s Monument on Sheridan and Diversey is one entry, and well worth a visit, but I saw it earlier this summer. Highly recommended.
I’ll be stationed at the top floor of 190 S. LaSalle to answer peoples questions about the buildings visible out the windows. Come by and stump me!
O COOOOOL! So WISH I were back in Chicago for this event!!!
I would like to take a tour of the Pullman neighborhood … I never had time to do that when I lived in ChiTown 
I really like the Prairie Avenue District, although it’s gotten way too trendy.
Bronzevile … another must-see, IMHO.
Maxwell Street has been utterly trashed. SAD SAD SAD.
Wish they’d let me into the Rookery lobby these days …
The Rookery lobby is open any weekday. They even let us tour guides bring groups in on weekends, except when they’re setting up for a wedding reception.
The original Sears Tower is a good one. Last year we got to tour the Triple A building which is just gorgeous Art Deco.
I’m not sure what’s on the agenda this year, she’s been doing most of the planning.
With the re-branding of the Sears Tower as the Willis Tower, the phrase “original Sears Tower” has lost some of its meaning. Not everyone realizes that the original Sears Tower is in Homan Square
One that might be interesting to visit is the Krause Music Store, in Lincoln Square. A small green terra-cotta building designed by Louis Sullivan, it’s now architecture and planning firm Studio V.
I did not hear of the office building in the Sears catalog order facility being referred to as “Sears Tower”; I only heard the facility called “the warehouse”.
I attended Illinois Institute of Technology (long before the recent renovations) and think that Crown Hall deserves a look as one of van der Rohe’s best designs, and the McCormick Student Center as a good contemporary contrast (especially the “noodle” around the ‘L’).
I also like the stained glass in Saint Ita Church in Edgewater, but it is best seen when plenty of light is shining through.
I will always recommend the Robie House, but it’s open year round so you could always see it some other time.
If you do hit Robie please keep in mind that it is still undergoing renovations. It’s still an impressive building.