Question of the day
Tuesday, May 25, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* WTTW…
Aldermen unanimously advanced a measure Tuesday that would pave the way for the sale of the much beloved and equally loathed James R. Thompson Center in the heart of the Loop.
With the endorsement of the City Council’s Zoning Committee, the full City Council will consider on Wednesday the measure introduced by Ald. Brendan Reilly (42nd Ward) at the request of Gov. J.B. Pritzker.
The “rather simple” measure was designed to change the rules that determine what city officials would allow to be built at 100 W. Randolph St., Reilly said. The rules were changed by former Ald. Burt Natarus (42nd Ward) while the Helmut Jahn-designed building was under construction, Reilly said.
Rules for the Thompson Center site currently restrict what size building could be erected there. Reily’s proposal loosens those rules to meet those now in place on most other Loop properties, in order to speed the sale.
* The Question: Your “favorite” Thompson Center story?
- Boomerang - Tuesday, May 25, 21 @ 3:02 pm:
Favorite JRTC story: “Thompson Building for sale.” The end. /s
- EssentialStateEmployeeFromChatham - Tuesday, May 25, 21 @ 3:09 pm:
Its use as the “State Office Building” in Running Scared.
- Montrose - Tuesday, May 25, 21 @ 3:11 pm:
I don’t have a specific story, but recall being in multiple big meetings at JRTC over the years where I listened to diatribes about wasteful government spending while I looked at a carpet duct taped together to cover rips and snags and chipped and scuffed walls, and sat in chairs I feared would collapse if I moved wrong.
- anon2 - Tuesday, May 25, 21 @ 3:16 pm:
I learned how strongly race influences how we see the world in 1995 when everyone was watching the verdict in the OJ trial. Because of the open building structure, I could hear the reaction to the verdict from all the floors: the cheering was much louder than the groaning.
- DuPage - Tuesday, May 25, 21 @ 3:22 pm:
A total loss? Someone will have to tear it down while it is above the subway. Then build while above the subway. That is very dangerous and will involve expensive extra precautions. Unless and until the Chicago crime wave, (murders, car jackings, robberies, and revolving door bail system) is brought under control, they might have to sell it at a fire sale price.
- levivotedforjudy - Tuesday, May 25, 21 @ 3:29 pm:
Even with the round the clock security of the Secretary of State’s Police Department guarding the JRTC, someone was able to steal an ATM from it. A caper worthy of Danny Ocean.
- Grandpa2 - Tuesday, May 25, 21 @ 3:30 pm:
Water covering the Food Court floor in the Great Chicago Flood of 1992
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 25, 21 @ 3:31 pm:
===Unless and until the Chicago crime wave, (murders, car jackings, robberies, and revolving door bail system) is brought under control===
Are you just cutting and pasting this from “The Dark Knight” script… (sigh)
Favorite memory?
The earthy way rain that drops from the ceiling makes garbage cans grow from the floor like weeds. Magically, the garbage cans are harvested and the waiting for new cans to sprout up begins…
- Keyrock - Tuesday, May 25, 21 @ 3:32 pm:
There are so many. I did enjoy telling Southpaw that the White Sox didn’t need a mascot when he was in the basement for a gig with Jesse White.
- Give Us Barabbas - Tuesday, May 25, 21 @ 3:40 pm:
The time I got to ride the truck elevator down to the basement garage… It is huge, and you feel like you are standing still And the building is moving around you. At the bottom is a giant turntable on the floor just like the Batcave.
My other memory is helping tourists take selfies in the atrium. They were all foreigners visiting and the space just astounded them. Jaded workers there may not appreciate the cathedral-like qualities of the various views in there but it always makes me stop and look, when I’m up there. I’m going to miss it. And whatever replaces it will not likely be as striking, daring, or inspirational. Just another box, full of smaller boxes. Pity.
- Mongo - Tuesday, May 25, 21 @ 3:51 pm:
Did my law school externship there, for the AG (late 80’s). It was always exciting and bustling with activity. I have been back there since and agree with Montrose…crummy rooms, frayed carpet, mismatched and wobbly chairs. I will say that those state employees with whom I work with today are inspired and committed to public service.
- PMS - Tuesday, May 25, 21 @ 3:53 pm:
Sitting in a hearing room on 10 - I dropped a Tylenol on the floor, rather than pick it up, I decided to run an experiment and see how long it would sit there. I attended monthly hearings and that orange pill was in the same exact spot for 5 months.
Back when I smoked, when Blago would roll up, he’d have all the detail guys stand on each side of the Batman elevator to 16, blocking the publics view - he would run out of the SUV and into the vestibule. Best part, no one was waiting to talk to him. GHR, JE and JRT would just use the regular people elevators.
- Joe Bidenopolous - Tuesday, May 25, 21 @ 4:00 pm:
Meeting with an agency director in their conference room. The back wall had low-slung, wide filing cabinets that were apparently original before the conference room was done. And rather than, y’know, remove them, they just built the conference room wall right through, bisecting one of them. I asked the Director what was in the filing cabinet. They said that no one knows, they’ve never been able to get it open.
- Marine Life - Tuesday, May 25, 21 @ 4:03 pm:
4 words: Soul By The Pound
- Socially DIstant watcher - Tuesday, May 25, 21 @ 4:06 pm:
I miss the waterfall. From the food court or the entry doors it was lovely. Yes, it caused mold on the upper windows, but nothing’s perfect.
- Jason - Tuesday, May 25, 21 @ 4:15 pm:
Bed Bugs and the thousands spent to get rid of them plus all the time and energy along with seeing my doctor because I was attacked big time before they were discovered.
I loved the JRTC when it was first build but it was not maintained properly and it was not built according to specifications. I will miss it but not working in it. Also, I miss the water fall that used to go into the food court
- Red Ranger - Tuesday, May 25, 21 @ 4:18 pm:
A while back there was a restaurant that made a whole turkey every day and sliced off pieces for an outstanding fresh sandwich.
- Collinsville Kevin - Tuesday, May 25, 21 @ 4:22 pm:
I remember its general dinginess from a few trips in the late 1980s. Yet is wasn’t a bad place to sit at a desk and work.
- Reggaeman - Tuesday, May 25, 21 @ 4:23 pm:
Contractors layed the carpet over the electrical boxes on the floor and then had to come back find them. Handrails on every floor all around the atrium had sharp corners that had to be rounded off by workers with rat tail files after it had opened. The pattern on the lower level looking down must have looked like a bullseye and sadly attracted a few jumpers early on.
- Last Bull Moose - Tuesday, May 25, 21 @ 4:48 pm:
My office overlooked the atrium. One day I heard a commotion and looked down to see two policemen with a German Shepherd talking to a man. Suddenly the dog took the man by the left hand and pulled him to the floor. No barking, growling, or snarling. Just acted on command. Impressive.
- Hot Taeks - Tuesday, May 25, 21 @ 4:54 pm:
Only thing memorable to me is the food court with Taco Bell, Dunkin, etc. there and being next to/ at the Clark & Lake stop. Very convenient.
- Grdjut - Tuesday, May 25, 21 @ 4:55 pm:
Those turkey sandwiches were the bomb. I absolutely hated the people who would whistle while walking through the lobby.
- Proud Sucker - Tuesday, May 25, 21 @ 5:15 pm:
“…sadly attracted a few jumpers early on.”
My memory too. My wife was an RA in late 80’s. Had to let the parents into the girl’s room to empty it out. Not the buildings fault, per se, but still made her refuse to ever set foot in it (despite having had Jahn as a guest lecturer several times).
- Tom Bombadil - Tuesday, May 25, 21 @ 5:20 pm:
Back in the early 2000’s around Christmas they had some tap dancing Riverdance group perform on the lowest level in the middle of the atrium. We were on the 15th floor and you literally could not hear the person sitting across from you in a closed door conference room.
- JohninChicago - Tuesday, May 25, 21 @ 5:56 pm:
I worked for JRT when the building was being completed and remember how proud he was of the building..and his involvement in assisting with the public art on display throughout the building…and his work to get the Illinois Artisan Center and State Museum space in the building. So many years of neglect and lack of routine capital work on the structure has made it a sad embarrassment. I am guessing JRT was saddened by its condition in his final years.
- John Lee Pettimore - Tuesday, May 25, 21 @ 5:57 pm:
I met Mrs. Pettimore while we both worked there in the 80s.
I do remember the first suicide when a troubled young lady leapt from the 16th floor into the rotunda. Very sad and relieved it wasn’t a regular occurrence when I worked there.
- ChicagoBars - Tuesday, May 25, 21 @ 8:03 pm:
My favorite JRTC story was every one Steve Schnorf yold about it during delays in whatever ILCC meeting he was chairing there a few years ago.
My most favorite was his story that the conference rooms on the 2nd floor SW corner (behind the blood bank now) were meant to house a high end restaurant but that the area was built without any commercial HVAC needed for a kitchen.
- Nearly Normal - Wednesday, May 26, 21 @ 9:54 am:
House Bill 234 the Media Literacy bill passed the Senate 42-15. Vote was pretty partisan with only a few Republicans voting yes. Goes to the Governor for his signature next month.