Millennium Park
| Millennium Park | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Type | Urban park |
| Location | Chicago, Illinois |
| Coordinates | 41°52′57.75″N 87°37′21.60″W / 41.8827083°N 87.6226667°W |
| Opened | July 16, 2004 |
| Status | Open all year |
Millennium Park is a public park located in the Chicago Loop community area of Chicago within Template:City-state, United States. It is a prominent civic center of the City of Chicago's Lake Michigan lakefront. In 2004, a 24.5-acre (9.9 ha) section of northern Grant Park, previously occupied by Illinois Central railyards and parking lots, was built over and redeveloped as Millennium Park. The park is bounded by Michigan Avenue, Randolph Street, Columbus Drive and East Monroe Drive. The park's design and construction has won awards ranging from accessibility to green design.[1] Millennium Park has become a major tourist destination of Chicago. Admission to the park is free.[2] Millennium Park is managed by the Chicago Park District.
Some of the parks most notable features include the Cloud Gate, Crown Fountain, Jay Pritzker Pavilion and Lurie Garden. The park is connected by bridges to other parts of Grant Park (BP Pedestrian Bridge, Nichols Bridgeway).
Background
From 1852 until 1997, the Illinois Central Railroad, owned the right of way that they used for railroad tracks that separated the downtown Chicago from Lake Michigan.[3] Briefly, in 1871, (because of the Great Chicago Fire) the Chicago White Stockings played home games at this location in what was then Union Base-Ball Grounds.[4][5] From 1878-1884, the location hosted team in both Lake Front Park I and Lake Front Park II, which had a short right field due to the railroad tracks.[4][5] During that Illinois Central Railroad years, the railroad property was forbidden fruit and Grant Park was planned around it by Daniel Burnham in his 1909 Plan of Chicago.[6] In 1997, when the city gained control of the land in the form of airspace rights, it decided to build a parking facility there.[3] Eventually the city realized that a grand civic amenity might lure private dollars that a municipal improvement would not and thus began the effort to create Millennium Park.[3] The park was originally conceived as a 16-acre (6.5 ha) landscape-covered bridge over an underground parking structure to be built atop the Metra/Illinois Central Railroad tracks in Grant Park.[7]
The community surrounding Millennium Park has become one of the most fashionable residential addresses in the city. In 2006 Forbes named, 60602 as the hottest zip code in the country in terms of price appreciation,[8] with upscale buildings such as The Heritage at Millennium Park (130 N. Garland) leading the way for other buildings such as Waterview Tower, The Legacy and Momo. The median sale price for residential real estate was $710,000 in 2005 according to Forbes, ranking it on the list of most expensive zip codes.[9]
Features
Millennium Park is a portion of the larger Grant Park, the "front lawn" of downtown Chicago. Millennium park itself is one of the larger public parks in metropolitan Chicago, and is a showcase for postmodern architecture. It features the McCormick Tribune Ice Skating Rink, Peristyle at Wrigley Square, Joan W. and Irving B. Harris Theater for Music and Dance, AT&T Plaza, Chase Promenade and Trees in Millennium Park. There are four major artistic highlights: Cloud Gate, Crown Fountain, Lurie Garden and the Jay Pritzker Pavilion.[10] Millennium Park is often considered the largest roof garden in the world, having been constructed on top of a railroad yard and large parking garages. Of its total 24.5 acres (9.9 ha) of land, Millennium Park contains 12.04 acres (4.87 ha) (524,358 square ft) of permeable area. The park's accessibility has won its project director the 2005 Barrier-Free America Award in recognition of individual leadership in making our country more accessible for all Americans.[11] In addition, the park was recognized in the Green Roof Awards of Excellence in the Intensive Industrial/Commercial category.[12] Green Roof considers the park to be the largest green roof in the world, as it covers a structural deck supported by two reinforced concrete cast-in-place garages and steel structures that span over Illinois Central Railroad tracks.[13][14] The park has a very rigorous cleaning schedule with many areas being swept, wiped down or cleaned multiple times a day.[15]
Jay Pritzker Pavilion
The principal signature of Millennium Park is the Jay Pritzker Pavilion, a bandshell designed by world-renowned architect Frank Gehry with 4,000 fixed seats plus additional lawn seating for 7,000. A Pritzker Architecture Prize honoree and National Medal of Arts winner, Gehry designed such landmarks as the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Der Neue Zollhof in Düsseldorf and the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. Characteristic of Gehry, the Pritzker Pavilion consists of curving planes of stainless steel resembling the graceful blooming of a flower or the unfurling sails of a massive ship.
The Pritzker Pavilion is the home of the Grant Park Music Festival, the nation's only remaining free, municipally-supported, outdoor, classical music series. The Festival is presented by the Chicago Park District and the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs.[16] Winding eastward from Pritzker Pavilion is the only bridge in the world designed by Frank Gehry. The 925-foot (282 m) pedestrian bridge, clad in the same type of steel sheet as the bandshell with a hardwood deck, winds like a fluttering ribbon across nearby Columbus Drive from the bandshell to a section of Grant Park along the lakefront.
Cloud Gate
AT&T Plaza is home to Cloud Gate, a three-story, 110-ton steel sculpture that has been dubbed by residents as "The Bean". The sculpture is the work of world-renowned artist Anish Kapoor and is the first of his public art in the United States. The piece was privately funded and the total cost was $23 million, which was considerably more than the original estimate of $6 million.
Cloud Gate is a highly-polished reflective steel sculpture that is meant to resemble a drop of mercury hovering at the point of landing on a plaza of the park. When Millennium Park opened in 2004, the grid of welds around each metal panel was still visible. In early 2005, workers polished out the seams. The curved, mirror-like surface of the sculpture provides striking reflections of visitors, the city skyline (particularly the historic Michigan Avenue "Streetwall") and the sky. Since its installation, Cloud Gate has probably become the most popular sculpture in the city.
Crown Fountain
Crown Fountain, named in honor of Chicago's Crown family, was designed by Catalan conceptual artist Jaume Plensa, and is the first of its kind in the world. Transparent glass block bricks are used to build two 50-foot (15 m) towers standing at either end of a long, black granite plaza submerged under an eighth of an inch layer of water. Behind the glass bricks are high-tech LED video screens. When the screens are illuminated they show the faces of nearly a thousand individual Chicagoans, which showcases the vast diversity of the city. Playing on the theme of historical fountains based around gargoyles with water coming through the open mouth of the creature, each video includes specific moments where the person purses his or her lips and water spouts from a point in the display, such that it appears as if the person is spitting the water out. This happens roughly every five minutes, and there is also a continuous stream of water that cascades over the images.
Lurie Garden
Lurie Garden is a 2.5-acre (1.0 ha) public garden located at the southern end of Millennium Park designed by Kathryn Gustafson, Piet Oudolf, and Robert Israel.[17] The garden is a combination of perennials, bulbs, grasses, shrubs and trees.[18] It is the featured nature component of the world's largest green roof. The garden cost $13.2 million and has a $10 million endowment for maintenance and upkeep.[19][20] It was named after Ann Lurie.[21] The garden is a tribute to the city whose motto is "Urbs in Horto," which is a Latin phrase meaning City in a Garden.[17]
BP Pedestrian Bridge
BP Pedestrian Bridge is a pedestrian bridge crossing Columbus Drive that connects Millennium Park to Daley Bicentennial Plaza in Grant Park. The girder bridge is the first bridge designed by Pritzker Prize-winner, Frank Gehry, and was named for British Petroleum who donated $5 million to the construction of the Park.[22][23] The bridge is referred to as snakelike or serpentine in character due to its curving form.[24] The bridge's design enables it to bear a heavy load and is known for its aesthetics. Additionally, it serves acoustic needs as a sound barrier and functional needs as a connecting link between Millennium Park and points east.[24]
McCormick Tribune Plaza & Ice Rink
McCormick Tribune Plaza & Ice Rink is a multi-purpose venue located along the western edge of Millennium Park in the Historic Michigan Boulevard District. It was the first attraction in Millennium Park to open.[7] The plaza was funded by a donation from the McCormick Tribune Foundation.[25] For four months a year, it operates as McCormick Tribune Ice Rink, a free public outdoor ice skating rink.[26] It is generally open for skating from mid-November until mid-March. It is known as one of Chicago's better outdoor people watching locations during the winter months.[27][28] For the rest of the year, it serves as Plaza at Park Grill or Park Grill Plaza, Chicago's largest outdoor dining facility.[29] The park grill hosts various culinary events as well as music during its months of outdoor operation.[29][30]
Wrigley Square
Wrigley Square is a public square located in the northwest section of Millennium Park in the Historic Michigan Boulevard District.[31] It contains the Millennium Monumen, a nearly full-sized replica of the semicircle of paired Greek Doric-style columns (called a peristyle) that originally sat in this area of Grant Park, near East Randolph Street and North Michigan Avenue, between 1917 and 1953.[31] The square also contains a large lawn and a public fountain.
Harris Theater
Harris Theater is a 1525-seat theater for the performing arts located along the northern edge of Millennium Park. It is the city's premier performance venue for small and medium sized performance groups.[32] It is the first new performing arts venue built in the city's theater district or downtown since 1929.[33] The theater was named for its primary benefactors, Mr & Mrs. Irving Harris.[34]
Exelon Pavilions
The Exelon Pavilions are a set of four solar energy generating structures in Millennium Park. The pavilions provide sufficient energy to power the equivalent of 14 star-rated energy-efficient houses in Chicago.[35] The Pavilions were designed in January 2001 and construction began in January 2004. The South Pavilions were completed and opened in July 2004 and the North Pavilions were completed in November 2004, with a grand opening on April 302005.[36] In addition to producing energy, three of the four pavilions provide access to the park's below ground parking garages and the fourth serves as the park's welcoming center.[35] Exelon and its subsidiary ComEd donated $5.5 million for the Pavilions.[37]
McDonald's Cycle Center
McDonald's Cycle Center is a 300-space heated/air conditioned indoor bicycle parking facility located in the northeast corner of Millennium Park. The facility provides lockers, showers, a snack bar with outdoor summer seating, bike repair, bike rental and other amenities for downtown bicycle commuters. The Bike Station also accommodates runners and in-line skaters.[38] In addition, the station provides space for a Chicago Police Department Bike Patrol Group.[39]
Boeing Galleries
Boeing Galleries are a pair of outdoor exhibition spaces within Millennium Park located along the south and north mid-level terraces, above and east of Wrigley Square and the Crown Fountain.[40]
Chase Promenade
Chase Promenade is an open-air tree-lined pedestrian walkway in Millennium Park. The Promenade was made possible by a gift from the Bank One Foundation.[41] Its 8 acres (3.2 ha) accommodate exhibitions, festivals and other family events.[41] It also serves as a venue for event planning on a rental basis.[42]
In addition to the above features the park sits atop a dedicated parking garage with 2181 parking spaces.[7]
2009 Pavilion projects
Template:Future building In 2009, Zaha Hadid and Ben van Berkel will each commemorate the 100th anniversary of Daniel Burnham’s Plan of Chicago by designing a pavilion in Millennium Park.[43]
Budget
The project was known for its notorious delays (it was originally intended to open in 2000 instead of 2004) and tripled costs. Some Chicagoans began to refer to the project deridingly as "next-millennium" park.
During development and construction of the park, many structures were added, redesigned or modified. These changes often resulted in budget increases. For example, the band shell's proposed budget was $10.8 million. When the elaborate, cantilevered Gehry design required extra piling be driven into the bedrock to support the added weight, the cost of the band shell eventually spiraled to $60.3 million. The total cost of the park, as itemized in the following table, amounted to almost $500 million.[44] Much of the fundraising was borne by local business leaders, including the Pritzker family and Crown family.
| Project | Proposed cost | Final cost | % of proposed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Garage | $87.5 million | $105.6 million | 121% |
| Metra superstructure | $43.0 million | $60.6 million | 141% |
| Band shell | $10.8 million | $60.3 million | 558% |
| Music and Dance Theater | $20.0 million | $60.0 million | 300% |
| Park finishes/landscaping | N/A | $42.9 million | |
| Design and management costs | N/A | $39.5 million | |
| Endowment | $10.0 million | $25.0 million | 250% |
| Crown Fountain | $15.0 million | $17.0 million | 113% |
| BP Pedestrian Bridge | $8.0 million | $14.5 million | 181% |
| Lurie Garden | $4.0–8.0 million | $13.2 million | 330%–165% |
| Cloud Gate sculpture | $6.0 million | $23.0 million | 383% |
| Exelon Pavilions | N/A | $7.0 million | |
| Peristyle/Wrigley Square | $5.0 million | $5.0 million | 100% |
| Chase Promenade | $6.0 million | $4.0 million | 67% |
| McCormick Tribune Plaza & Ice Rink | $5.0 million | $3.2 million | 64% |
| Misc. (fencing, terraces, graphics) | N/A | $1.6 million |
Criticism and controversy
The Millennium Park project has been the subject of some criticism since its inception. In addition to concerns about the cost overrun, individuals and organizations have complained that the money spent on the park might have gone to other worthy causes, specifically citing ongoing issues with poverty in Chicago and problems within the city's schools. However, others believe that Chicago's potential to become a new type of metropolitan Olympic city could boost investment and help to fund more long term social and educational causes.
Although the park's design and architectural elements have won wide praise, there has been some criticism of its aesthetics. Other criticism has revolved around the larger issue of corruption and political favoritism in the city; for example a July 2004 New York Times article [45] reported that an inflated contract for park cleanup had gone to a company that made large contributions to Mayor Daley's election campaign. Concerns have also been raised over the use of mixed taxpayer and corporate funding and associated naming rights for sections of the park. While a large monument in the northwest corner of the park honors the many private and corporate donors who contributed to its construction, entire squares and plazas within the park are named for their corporate underwriters, with the sponsors' names prominently indicated with stone markers (Boeing Gallery, Exelon Pavilion, AT&T Plaza, Wrigley Square); some critics have deemed this to be inappropriate for a public space. The park curfew and obvious presence of security guards is also cited in some quarters as working against the idea of a public park. For example, during the dusk to dawn event Looptopia, on May 11 and May 12, 2007, public access to the park was completely prevented by police enforcement of the park curfew. This was contrary to the purpose of the event, which was to encourage public access to the Chicago Loop area.
A controversy arose when the park enforced a requirement for professional photographers to obtain a paid permit to photograph the artwork in the park for commercial purposes. In doing so, the city cited the copyrights of the artists who created the works (particularly the popular Cloud Gate sculpture). The copyrights give the artists sole right to profit from their work, and thus applies to images taken for commercial purposes. However, enforcement of the permit requirement was inconsistent and sometimes heavy-handed, resulting in some non-commercial photographers and tourists being accosted while taking pictures of the sculpture, and leading to the incorrect public perception that they are banned from taking pictures of the park they helped pay for.
Notes
- ^ Ryan, Karen (2005-04-12). "CHICAGO'S NEW MILLENNIUM PARK WINS TRAVEL & LEISURE DESIGN AWARD FOR "BEST PUBLIC SPACE", AND THE AMERICAN PUBLIC WORKS ASSOCIATION "PROJECT OF THE YEAR" AWARD" (PDF). City of Chicago. Retrieved 2008-06-24.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ TIMOTHY J. GILFOYLE (2006-08-6). "'Millennium Park' the First Chapter". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 2008-07-1.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=and|date=(help) - ^ a b c Lewis, Michael J. (2006-08-06). "No Headline". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 2008-06-01.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b Gilfoyle, Timothy J. (2006-08-06). "Millennium Park". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 2008-06-24.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b "Untitled (Baseball Park Codes)". retrosheet.org.
- ^ "Park History". City of Chicago. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
- ^ a b c "Mayor Daley, McCormick Tribune Executives Cut Ribbon on Spectacular Skating Rink at Millennium Park" (PDF). Millennium Park News. Public Building Commission of Chicago. Winter 2001–2002. Retrieved 2008-06-02.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: date format (link) - ^ "Zip Codes With Greatest Appreciation". forbes.com. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
- ^ "#404 60602". forbes.com. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
- ^ Freemen, Allen (November 2004). "Fair Game on Lake Michigan". Landscape Architecture Magazine. American Society of Landscape Architects. Retrieved 2008-06-01.
- ^ Deyer, Joshua (2005). "Chicago's New Class Act" (PDF). PN. Paralyzed Veterans of America. Retrieved 2007-12-21.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help) - ^ "Awards". Green Roofs for Healthy Cities. 2005. Retrieved 2008-05-31.
- ^ "Contemporary Urban Waterscapes: designing public spaces in concert with nature". Retrieved 2008-06-01.
- ^ Bernstein, Fred A. (2004-07-18). "ART/ARCHITECTURE; Big Shoulders, Big Donors, Big Art". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 2008-06-01.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Spielman, Fran (2005-12-16). "New amenities for Millennium Park?: Company proposes baby strollers, Disney training for workers". Chicago Sun-Times. Newsbank. Retrieved 2008-06-01.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ http://www.grantparkmusicfestival.com
- ^ a b "Art & Architecture: Lurie Garden". City of Chicago. Retrieved 2008-06-01.
- ^ "Art & Architecture: The Plant Life of the Lurie Garden". City of Chicago. Retrieved 2008-06-01.
- ^ Herrmann, Andrew (2004-07-15). "Sun-Times Insight". Chicago Sun-Times. Newsbank. Retrieved 2008-06-01.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Freemen, Allen (November 2004). "Fair Game on Lake Michigan". Landscape Architecture Magazine. American Society of Landscape Architects. Retrieved 2008-06-01.
- ^ Raver, Anne (2004-07-15). "NATURE; Softening a City With Grit and Grass". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 2008-06-01.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "BP Pedestrian Bridge". Glass, Steel and Stone. Artefaqs Corporation. Retrieved 2008-05-31.
- ^ Cohen, Laurie (2001-07-02). "Band shell cost heads skyward - Millennium Park's new concert venue may top $40 million". Chicago Tribune. Newsbank. Retrieved 2008-06-01.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b Kamin, Blair (2004-07-18). "BP Bridge- **** - Crossing Columbus Drive - Frank Gehry, Los Angeles". Chicago Tribune. Newsbank. Retrieved 2008-06-01.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "Art & Architecture: McCormick Tribune Plaza and Ice Rink". City of Chicago. Retrieved 2008-06-02.
- ^ "Come Out and Skate". Chicago Park District. Retrieved 2008-06-02.
- ^ Davey, Monica (2008-01-18). "Winter Day Out in Chicago". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 2008-06-02.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Davey, Monica (2008-01-18). "5 Big Cities, 1 Winter Day (Slideshow)". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 2008-06-02.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b "Your Outdoor Table". parkgrillchicago.com. Retrieved 2008-06-02.
- ^ "Park Grill Events & Activities". parkgrillchicago.com. Retrieved 2008-06-02.
- ^ a b "Art & Architecture: Wrigley Square and Millennium Monument (Peristyle)". City of Chicago. Retrieved 2008-06-03.
- ^ "Art & Architecture: Joan W. and Irving B. Harris Theater for Music and Dance". City of Chicago. Retrieved 2008-06-03.
- ^ "History of the Harris Theater". Harris Theater for Music and Dance at Millennium Park. 2006. Retrieved 2008-06-04.
- ^ "I. B. Harris, 94, Philanthropist and Executive, Dies". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. 2004-09-28. Retrieved 2008-06-04.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b "Art & Architecture: Exelon Pavilions: Millennium Park Welcome Center and Garage Entrances". City of Chicago. Retrieved 2008-06-07.
- ^ "Art & Architecture: Exelon Pavilions Facts and Figures". City of Chicago. Retrieved 2008-06-07.
- ^ Brownsey, Anne (2005-12-15). "North Exelon Pavilions Receive a "LEED Silver" Rating from the U.S. Green Building Council" (Press release). Exelon Corporation. Retrieved 2008-06-08.
{{cite press release}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "Art & Architecture: McDonald's Cycle Center". City of Chicago. Retrieved 2008-06-08.
- ^ Kamin, Blair (2004-07-18). "Bicycle Station - *** - Near Randolph and Columbus Drives - Muller & Muller, Chicago". Chicago Tribune. Newsbank. Retrieved 2008-06-08.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "Boeing to Fund Open-air Gallery Spaces in Chicago's Millennium Park". Boeing. 2005-03-16. Retrieved 2008-06-10.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b "Art & Architecture: Chase Promenade". City of Chicago. Retrieved 2008-06-11.
- ^ "Private Rentals: Photo Galleries: Chase Promenade". City of Chicago. Retrieved 2008-06-11.
- ^ Cohen, Patricia (2008-06-24). "Footnotes". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 2008-07-02.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Ford, Liam (2004-07-11). "City to finally open its new front yard - Millennium Park's price tag tripled". Chicago Tribune. Newsbank. Retrieved 2008-06-01.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F70C1FF6355F0C708DDDAE0894DC404482
See also
External links
- Millennium Park map
- City of Chicago Loop Community Map
- Official Millennium Park Brochure
- City of Chicago Millennium Park
- Public Building Commission of Chicago Millennium Park Overview
- Chicagoist on the photography "ban"
- Chicago Public Radio special -- audio segments about the park
- ForgottenChicago.com [Little known elements of Chicago’s infrastructure, architecture, neighborhoods and general cityscape, existing and historical]
- Awards
- FAQs
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