It was the best of views, it was the worst of views, during my seven years living in (both towers of) downtown Chicago’s (in)famous Marina City. (For the “in” part–and there’s a lot of it–just browse my Marina City archives.) It was amazing to be able to look directly out at Loop high-rises every moment of the day and night from halfway up another high-rise. But having a floor-to-ceiling window wall in every room always gave me the feeling that I had to choose between having that view or having my residential privacy.
At our new Malibu East (that’s our odd building name, not a neighborhood) high-rise apartment eight miles north in Edgewater, the balance between window wall and actual wall is more pleasantly balanced (as I’m finding is everything about living in Edgewater.) The view is more balanced, too, split between the dual enormous, flat expanses of Chicago and suburbs on one side and Lake Michigan on the other, with Chicago’s trademark narrow strip of lakefront high-rise residential buildings mediating between the two.
What strikes me most about the new view is the feeling that Chicago and Lake Michigan might go on forever. We’re only 20 floors up in Edgewater (I was first 38 then 25 floors up in Marina City), but that’s high enough to clearly see that–no, dear Chicago uninitiated–you can’t see across to the other side. It’s also amazing how many moods Lake Michigan adopts in the course of a week. One day, it’s totally placid. The next, it’s a raging inland sea with wind-driven waves pounding the shoreline.
Below are two videos shot during my time at Marina City and two shot this week from our new Edgewater abode so you–and I as well–can ponder the differences. Especially that can’t-see-across-the-lake thing, because non-Great Lakes residents always have trouble with the concept of an inland sea.
Not to mention all my former hubris at being a work-from-home downtowner in my pre-Jewish (and pre-24/7 kippah) days.
(Bonus for Bob Newhart fans–see the lakefront video–in which Ryan cameos, too–for a glimpse of the Thorndale Beach condo tower from the opening credits of the 1970s series!)
The View from Marina City’s East Tower (2009)
(Can’t see this video in your news feed? Watch it here.)
The View from the Marina City Roofdeck (2009)
(Can’t see this video in your news feed? Watch it here.)
The View North from Horizon to Horizon at Malibu East in Edgewater (2012)
(Can’t see this video in your news feed? Watch it here.)
The View of Lake Michigan on a Windy Day from Thorndale Beach in Edgewater (2012)
(Can’t see this video in your news feed? Watch it here.)
Categories: Backstory CHICAGO Marina City Neighborhoods VIDEO BLOG
Mike
I’m an #OpenlyAutistic gay, Hispanic, urbanist, Disney World fan, New York native, politically independent, Jewish blogger in Chicago. I believe in social justice, big cities, and public transit. I write words and raise money for nonprofits. I’ve written this blog since 2005. And counting...
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