Up the Front and Over the Top by CoreyBlack

Photography • Architecture • posted on Oct 10, 2011

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Description

This is the Uptown-Broadway Building. So named because of its location in the 4700th block of North Broadway in the Uptown area of Chicago. I've been fascinated by this place for over 25 years now. Built in 1926, it was designed by Walter W. Ahlschager, and has to be seen to be believed. In addition to the hyper-active facade, the building is roughly triangle shaped on the upper two floors, with a wide north wall and an extremely narrow south one, that, from certain angles, resembles the false front of a movie set piece. Lynn Becker, writing in the March 30, 2007 issue of the Chicago Reader described the buildings facade as being,"A riotous Spanish baroque inspired hallucination of polychromatic terra-cotta.." Couldn't have said it better myself. The Uptown-Broadway Building was added to the National Registry of Historic Landmarks in 1986. This picture was made at dusk (which occurs at about 10:30 in the morning in these parts in the winter) on February 18, 2011.

Comments (14)

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NefariousDrO

9:31PM | Mon, 10 October 2011

I love this shot, the building is spectacular in its own right, but the lighting on this really works to show it off in all its glory. I vividly remember the first time I saw it, a friend of mine had moved to Chicago a couple of years prior, and my first visit to her she absolutely insisted I had to see that building, and she was totally right to do so. It appeals to my tastes in so many ways, and makes me very happy that it's being well taken care of, too.

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Chipka

9:38PM | Mon, 10 October 2011

I've been waiting for you to post this for a long time...especially since it's one of the only reasons to go to the Uptown area now...Borders is gone and that was the main reason, but Target is still there...so that's something, at least. I also agree with Lynn Becker...this building has so many details. Its details have details and it does take on a nicely hallucinatory quality, especially since it's so over-done compared to the rest of the area...ah, but in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, when you say something is overdone, what you mean is it looks as if someone put some work into it. Don't you just love that? I guess it means that the architect, compared to today's crop was overskilled...or something. I love the lighting, the details, and all of that feverish, ancient Egyptian blue! This is stunning.

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Richardphotos

9:51PM | Mon, 10 October 2011

very ornate and beautiful building

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auntietk

11:19PM | Mon, 10 October 2011

What a cool building! No matter how many you see, there are still more waiting. Wow. Great capture of this wonderfully OTT building!

whaleman

1:09AM | Tue, 11 October 2011

OTT indeed! It drips with ornateness, but soooo interesting! The engineering side of me always wonders how those various pieces are attached, just what is corroding, and when will some of this actually drip down on your head. Perhaps it doesn't matter...no one gets out alive anyway!

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Feliciti

2:29AM | Tue, 11 October 2011

wonderful building with lots of ornaments and details !! excellent the lighting and pov too !!

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durleybeachbum

2:46AM | Tue, 11 October 2011

FABULOUS! What a treat for the senses! I almost wish I was up to a visit, but no chance.

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Bossie_Boots

8:43AM | Tue, 11 October 2011

Wow incredible and superb POV

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jeanebean

10:00AM | Tue, 11 October 2011

You picked the perfect time of day to shoot this. I love the blue and gold. What a glorious building. Looks like it came right off the "El Cid" movie set. Really great shot!

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