What Chicago residents do with empty lots: Chapter 1 (Buildings of Hope)
Matt Maldre / November 25, 2008 April 13, 2022 / 3 minutes of reading
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Once upon a time, there was a laundromat named D&L Coin Laundry next to my apartment building in Chicago. All was happy in this grand land of clean clothes. The laundromat even had my favorite arcade game, Crusin’ USA.
Then one day in the Spring of 2008, the laundromat was torn down. Men came and carried away all the bricks. The once happy laundromat is now gone. In its place is now an empty lot. Well, not exactly empty.
Chunks of concrete are left behind, scattered about. Sad sad lot. The lot sits for months with nothing getting built. My creative neighbors decide, “if they aren’t going to build anything on this lot, WE WILL!” In July 2008, my constructive neighbors stack all the lonely concrete blocks creating little statues.
A rock community is built upon this empty lot. Skyscrapers of rock tower over the gleaming linoleum-tile foundation. Eclectic delight is spread throughout the land of 2206 West Lawrence as each building had its own unique design. Some squat, some tall; each creatively built with care.
One of the cornerstones of the rock’n’roll schedule at the Cement Cultural Center is the in-house band, the Rolling Stones.The Cruisin’ USA Complex This is the approximate location of where the arcade game Crusin’ USA used to stand. This complex of rocks makes me want to sit and pretend like I’m racing through Chicago.A restaurant resides on the wooden board floor of the Wooden Center. The rock people like to go to this restaurant as it’s a 4-star restaurant with excellent service.The Rock Condos is the hottest place for the rock people to live. They all clamor for its rockin’ style.On the outskirts of Rocktown is the Boron Oxide Terrace Tower. They have a nice forest right next door. The rock residents like to frequent the forest and sit in the giant chair.The delightful Masonry Cove wraps around the Masonry Bay. A hotspot amongst the rock people, the waters are warm all year long. The extensive lifeguard system constantly watches over rock swimmers as rocks often sink into water.Boasting one of the best skylines in the world, 2206 West Lawrence has an amazing mix of architectural gems.One of the tallest buildings at Rocktown, Slag Tower is built upon a strong structure of multiple horizontal stones. Locals and tourists alike visit the observatory to gasp at the dramatic views from Slag Tower.The dual-tower construction of Mineral Mart allows it to have an incredible amount of floor space for a varying array of interior design stores. Only the hippest trends in retail merchandising for the finest of rock people’s tastes. When Mineral Mart opened, it was the largest building in the world with its massive construction, it truly stands out in night views.Another striking view of the Wooden Center with the unconventional wooden floor.Home to many of Rocktown’s favorite cultural events, the Cement Cultural Center continues to entertain with an immensely popular program of rock’n’roll music.One of the cornerstones of the rock’n’roll schedule at the Cement Cultural Center is the in-house band, the Rolling Stones.A fine example of the innovative architecture at 2206 West Lawrence is Phosphorus Plaza. A fantastic open-air plaza is created by one large stone built on just two bricks. During the warm months, farmers’ markets are held on this plaza.Scandium Spire is one of the newer buildings at 2206 West Lawrence. The striking simplicity of single-rock-stacked construction is shown at its finest.
this is so funny! I love the cute little descriptions you came up with for the different “buildings.” did you actually see people stacking these up at any point? or did you really do it all yourself? haha, the little code word I have to type in before I can post my comment is “really27.” and I am really 27!
Ooooh! Wait until there’s enough snow and then build a snow laundromat! Snow washers and dryers, with snow people putting snow quarters into them. Folding their snow pants!
@Sarah: Thanks! I’m glad you liked my descriptions. They just kinda started happening. Originally I was just gonna stick the same caption on for each photo, but then that gets kinda boring. So I started writing what I like about each building, and it kinda morphed into fun little descriptions. I did not see them stacking the bricks. I did, I would have TOTALLY gone out and joined them. I know who stacked the bricks, cuz… heh… not to reveal the identities of the parties involved. I was talking with ’em after they did it. i love when the captcha word has some truth to it. Right now it says weeks71. Now it hasn’t been 71 weeks since these buildings were made, but it certainly has been a good number of weeks. In fact the folks who stacked these bricks were asking when I was gonna get the photos online! hehe. @Sparx: Ooooo. An ice laundromat. Wow! Just don’t wash your clothes in hot water! @moose: concrete mix would be nice. Actually there’s a slight fourth chapter development going on just this week! AND IT INVOLVES CONCRETE! dum dum DUUUUUUUM! *cliffhanger* @Dre: Dude! That is SO cool! I didn’t know these had a name! They are cairns! TOTALLY. Maybe these carins were dedicated to the former memories from the laundromat. Like the one that was built upon the former location of arcade game Cruisin’ USA. Man, I <3’ed that game. They used to have one in Union Station too. I should build a Cairn in the arcade alley there in memory of Cruisin’ USA. Actually, there’s a Cruisin’ USA at the Burrito Palace on Cornelia and Halsted. I wonder if they still have it. If not, I smell a cairn coming on! Gimme a bucket of bricks!
According to public records, the property history for 2206 West Lawrence Ave: Sold February 17, 2005 for $1,525,000 Sold January 11, 2013 for $595,000
Looks like someone bought the property in 2005. Then three years later, tore down the laundromat. And left it sit as an empty lot for five years. Then sold it for nearly a million dollar loss.
this is so funny! I love the cute little descriptions you came up with for the different “buildings.” did you actually see people stacking these up at any point? or did you really do it all yourself? haha, the little code word I have to type in before I can post my comment is “really27.” and I am really 27!
Ooooh! Wait until there’s enough snow and then build a snow laundromat! Snow washers and dryers, with snow people putting snow quarters into them. Folding their snow pants!
i got two words for you: concrete mix.
perhaps? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cairn
@Sarah: Thanks! I’m glad you liked my descriptions. They just kinda started happening. Originally I was just gonna stick the same caption on for each photo, but then that gets kinda boring. So I started writing what I like about each building, and it kinda morphed into fun little descriptions. I did not see them stacking the bricks. I did, I would have TOTALLY gone out and joined them. I know who stacked the bricks, cuz… heh… not to reveal the identities of the parties involved. I was talking with ’em after they did it. i love when the captcha word has some truth to it. Right now it says weeks71. Now it hasn’t been 71 weeks since these buildings were made, but it certainly has been a good number of weeks. In fact the folks who stacked these bricks were asking when I was gonna get the photos online! hehe. @Sparx: Ooooo. An ice laundromat. Wow! Just don’t wash your clothes in hot water! @moose: concrete mix would be nice. Actually there’s a slight fourth chapter development going on just this week! AND IT INVOLVES CONCRETE! dum dum DUUUUUUUM! *cliffhanger* @Dre: Dude! That is SO cool! I didn’t know these had a name! They are cairns! TOTALLY. Maybe these carins were dedicated to the former memories from the laundromat. Like the one that was built upon the former location of arcade game Cruisin’ USA. Man, I <3’ed that game. They used to have one in Union Station too. I should build a Cairn in the arcade alley there in memory of Cruisin’ USA. Actually, there’s a Cruisin’ USA at the Burrito Palace on Cornelia and Halsted. I wonder if they still have it. If not, I smell a cairn coming on! Gimme a bucket of bricks!
According to public records, the property history for 2206 West Lawrence Ave:
Sold February 17, 2005 for $1,525,000
Sold January 11, 2013 for $595,000
Looks like someone bought the property in 2005. Then three years later, tore down the laundromat. And left it sit as an empty lot for five years. Then sold it for nearly a million dollar loss.
Back in 1934, there used to be another building at 2206 W Lawrence Ave: Mother’s Wet Wash Laundry. http://digital.chipublib.org/digital/collection/rvw/id/4684/