Ever noticed the shuttered former SEARS store on Lawrence in Ravenswood?
Opened in 1925, this windowless behemoth takes up a massive stretch of land between Wolcott and Winchester and was once one of the original eight department stores in Chicago that helped grow the SEARS brand that we grew up with.
The crazy part? It wasn’t always as depressing as it currently appears. After some developments in fluorescent lighting and air conditioning, windowless retail gained momentum and SEARS began developing all future locations under this model.
That big tower in the middle? It was used to disguise the building’s water tank and acted as a beacon to motorists below.
As a neighboring resident, I’m super excited to see this property undergo a $40M renovation, set to include 59 apartments, parking, and street level retail.
Is there a building near you being redeveloped? What do you think of this one? Tell me in the comments below!
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Cory
According to Cory 