Post by Tomspy77 on Jan 24, 2014 10:37:35 GMT -6
High Above The West Loop Skyline, A Remnant Of The Past: Water Tanks
You may not see too many tourists from Iowa rushing past the Willis Tower to take pictures of the Chicago’s ancient water tanks. I don’t recall the tanks making the cut on the Architectural Foundation Loop walking tours, either. For that matter, travel brochures nearly always bypass water tanks in favor of The Bean.
I wonder, are water tanks the Rodney Dangerfield of Chicago structures?
West Loop Water TankThey certainly embody the city’s gritty, industrial heritage. When you look out over the buildings in the West Loop, especially west of Halsted, you’ll see a variety of tanks. Their numbers are dwindling, few are still functional, and some look as rickety as an old wooden circus roller coaster.
But the tanks have a picturesque quality. Many around town are now used as unusual and attention-getting outdoor advertising spaces. And the subtle beauty of water tanks certainly isn’t lost on local artist Larry Green, who uses the tanks prominently in his paintings of the Chicago skyline.
I wonder, are water tanks the Rodney Dangerfield of Chicago structures?
West Loop Water TankThey certainly embody the city’s gritty, industrial heritage. When you look out over the buildings in the West Loop, especially west of Halsted, you’ll see a variety of tanks. Their numbers are dwindling, few are still functional, and some look as rickety as an old wooden circus roller coaster.
But the tanks have a picturesque quality. Many around town are now used as unusual and attention-getting outdoor advertising spaces. And the subtle beauty of water tanks certainly isn’t lost on local artist Larry Green, who uses the tanks prominently in his paintings of the Chicago skyline.
