BKeezy mural in Austin (3/8/23), part of the Lyric Opera 2023 production The Factotum. Inspired by The Barber of Seville, the work is set in a South Side barbershop. A short video and a longer one about the process and production.
3944 W Lawrence Ave in Albany Park, 1922-23 (2/13/23). Polk’s 1928 Directory lists Manasse H Sons Investment and CB (and Irene) Bromberg, physician. Later there was glass (1951, pdf) then pool tables (1968, pdf). The present names on the front have no web presence and real estate sites have the building as multi-family.
Former Olson Rug Factory, in Belmont Gardens, built 1926, 1929 & 1935 (2/10/23). There was once a man-made waterfall in the rock garden behind accessible to the factory’s 1,800 workers. Sold to Marshall Field’s in 1965, today it’s The Field’s Lofts, Cermak Fresh Market and CubeSmart Self-Storage, among others.
Virgen de Guadalupe in Little Village by Héctor González (disrokone). The 2003 original (7/31/20) and 2021 restoration/update (1/24/23). His tribute to a loved one who passed away from cancer in 2001. The story from Southside Weekly.
2815 N Central Ave in the Cragin neighborhood (2/10/23). The city portal dates this as 1978. I’m dubious. The 1951 Sanborn map has auto repair in possibly the same building. To me it looks like a mini caravansarai (a Silk Road inn) and Yonan Carpets advertizes a location here as early as 1968 (pdf). I’m betting they are responsible for the brick. If I were a journalist I’d bug them about it 🙂 Later, Center Video (pdf), where one could buy Mattel hand-held sports games (pdf) [my childhood fav], and Marjen Discount Furniture (pdf). Since 2019, it’s been El Mercadito!
Single family homes in Hermosa, built in 1928 (2/10/23)
Annual 5k start/finish line in Berwyn, IL (1/24/23). 2023’s run is set for August 19.A previous mural on this North Berwyn Park District owned building was done by Berwyn school children.
“California” ranch style homes in North Mayfair (2/13/23) on the East side of the 5100 block of Kilbourn. Real estate sites say 1952, the city portal says 1956. Strangely, I haven’t been able to find much other web info, so I’ve got the feeling I’m missing something big. Check out how they standout in Google Satellite. Look inside 5125 & 5157.
Some wheatpaste wisdom from Clandestino (link to come) in Little Village (1/24/23) Google Translate: Buddy, stop being so insistent, if someone says no, it’s no, that’s it. Get away!
5900 W Rice St. block in the Austin neighborhood (l-r, Church year?, 1889,1914, 1912,1894) 3/14/23. One of the many block signs throughout the West and South sides. Please remember these signs when famous talk show cranks say people in Black communities do nothing to address neighborhood issues. The brown street sign honors Mrs Ruby Lee, a former resident known by many as “Grandma” (audio, 12 min mark, unfortunately the sound/vid are off). I think the 1889 house tucked next to the church may have moved between 1908 and 1950. The wood church has been First Swedish Baptist, Evangelical Lutheran of St Paul, and now Transformational Bible Church
Contact CBA for a custom guided ridethat includes some of these sights and for gift certificates for the cyclists in your life.Also, have a look atThe Map, where you can plan your own ride, run, or walk around Chicago.
