Maybe you just moved here and want to know what’s up with that Spire. Or perhaps you’ve lived here forever but still wonder about that green river. You’ve got questions; we’ve got answers. RedEye reveals the ins and outs of some of Chicago’s mysteries.
How clean is “The Bean”?
The Cloud Gate sculpture in Millennium Park, commonly referred to as “The Bean,” is given a total bath twice a year using a power-washer and laundry detergent, said Karen Ryan, spokeswoman for Millennium Park. It takes several days for four to six workers to clean the 110-ton stainless steel sculpture. The process is done in closed-off sections so parts of the sculpture can remain open. “The Bean,” measuring 66 feet long and 33 feet high, gets deep-cleaned once in the spring and once in fall, Ryan said. Fingerprints, though, are removed every afternoon using a micro-fiber cloth, to avoid scratching, and diluted laundry-detergent solution.
What’s happening with the lot where the Dominick’s on Broadway burned down in 2005?
Construction for a new Dominick’s Lifestyle store, which has more prepared foods than traditional Dominick’s stores, and a National City Bank branch is expected to begin this winter or when the permit process is completed. It is expected to take 18 months to complete construction after it has begun on the lot at 3012 N. Broadway. The cost of the project, which includes plans for a residential area at 3030 N. Broadway, will have exceeded $50 million once completed, said Jon Zitzman, president of JFJ Development, which owns the land in partnership with Michael O’Connor of Broadway Creations (this paragraph as published has been corrected in this text).
What’s the update with the Spire?
The completion date for the Chicago Spire, set to be the nation’s tallest residential skyscraper, is scheduled for 2011, said Julie Obiala, a spokeswoman for Shelbourne Development, the developing company for the tower. The construction for the foundation has begun for the 2,000-foot tower at 400 N. Lake Shore Drive and is expected to take a year. The Spire will house 1,193 units ranging from $750,000 to $40 million, the Tribune reported in September. Plans for the Chicago Spire, originally dubbed the Fordham Spire, have overcome hurdles including zoning issues, concerns that the tower’s height would impact bird migration and fears of increased traffic congestion. The project is estimated to cost approximately $1.5 billion.
Where does Oprah live?
According to listing information, Oprah still owns her massive, four-unit duplex in Water Tower Place, and in 2006, purchased a $6 million co-op unit on E. Lake Shore Drive. Aside from her properties in Chicago, Oprah also owns an extensive inventory of other residences including a $50 million, 42.77-acre estate in Montecito, Calif., more than $13 million of oceanfront property in Maui, a $3.6 million house in Greenwich, Conn., and two adjoining condo units in Atlanta for $1.515 million, according to Tribune reports.
Where does that chocolate smell floating around the city come from?
The Blommer Chocolate factory in the West Loop emits the intoxicating scent. The factory was issued a citation in 2005 from the Environmental Protection Agency for violating the limits on opacity, the amount of light obscured by their emissions, after some nearby residents complained of what came to be referred to as “choco-pollution.” Following the citation, Blommer announced the installation of new filtering equipment. Joan Steuer, host of Travel Channel’s “Best Chocolates in America” and president of Chocolate Marketing, said while there are no health benefits associated with smelling chocolate, which contains antioxidants, it’s possible that inhaling the aroma of chocolate could “strike a strong emotional chord and stimulate positive feelings of comfort and happiness.”
How do they get the Chicago River green for St. Patrick’s Day?
Beginning around 10:30 a.m. on the day of the parade, two boats unload dye into the river at Michigan Avenue and Columbus Drive and churn the color throughout the water, said Kevin Sherlock, parade coordinator. In about 15 minutes, the river is transformed. The tradition began in the 1960s when a plumber, who was using dye to test sewer lines near buildings along the river, returned to his office covered in the bright, green dye. When Steven Bailey, business manager at the office, saw the plumber’s coveralls, he thought of the idea to dye the river to celebrate the holiday. Sherlock said the city’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee, sponsored by the Chicago Journeymen Plumbers Local Union 130, has the formula for the dye “down to a science.” Many speculate as to what kind of dye is used, but the recipe isn’t likely to be revealed any time soon. “If I told you the secret, I’d have to kill you,” said Sherlock, who insists the dye is 100 percent biodegradable.
Has the Sears Tower lost tenants out of fear of terrorist attacks?
About 23 percent of the Sears Tower’s 4 million square feet is currently empty or available to lease, the Tribune reported in August, up from 3 percent in September 2001 after the attacks on the World Trade Center caused tower tenants to flee.
What’s the update on Block 37?
Construction for the Block 37 project, which includes plans for offices, apartments, restaurants, retail space and a new transit system, has begun and is scheduled to be completed in fall 2008, said Wanda Taylor, a spokeswoman for the CTA, which is involved in the project (this sentence as published has been corrected in this text). The transit system is planned to serve as a hub, providing express rail service to O’Hare and Midway. Construction on Block 37, which is bordered by Randolph, Dearborn, State and Washington Streets, began in September 2006, Taylor said.
