Former Sun-Times architecture critic comes out swinging against OPC design, placement in park

HP Herald ^ | 11/27/19 | AARON GETTINGER

[Libloather]

While promoting his book “Southern Exposure” about architectural design on the South Side, former Sun-Times architecture critic Lee Bey questioned both the design of the Obama Presidential Center and its proposed placement in Jackson Park.

“The design of the library, I do not like. I think that that tower is foolishness. I think the design is foolishness,” Bey said. “It’s clad in limestone or granite; it’s shoved in this park. If it’s going to be in a park, I think I say in the book, it needs to be a more organic and alive building.”

He further questioned the necessity of establishing it in a park at all, suggesting a site in Washington Park near the Garfield Green Line station would be a better option as a “vertical, modern, transit-oriented asset to the neighborhood,” spurring applause from attendees of his Nov. 26 talk at the Silver Room, 1506 E. 53rd St.

[Libloather]

“That’s theft by ledger,” he said. “The billions that were taken out of these neighborhoods through ledger, it’s going to active investment to put it back. As long as the mayor understands that, then we good, right? I want my wallet back, all of it, and that’s what we intend to do.”

Whew. The locals seem to be awfully ticked about getting ripped off.

[CivilWarBrewing]

OBAMA LIBRARY:

GRAND MOSQUE OF MECCA:

[livius]

Exactly. Anybody who can’t see that is willfully blind.

[perfect stranger]

Both are simply ugly blocks of hate and resentment.

[laweeks]

Notice that it’s not being called a “Library” any more since they found out that there was no book to put in it.

[null and void]

Notice that it’s not being called a “Library” any more since they found out that there was no book to put in it.

To be fair, it will have a queeran...

[BenLurkin]

It is certainly ostentatious...

[NRx]

I am not a fan of these presidential ego trips. They may be built partly or entirely with private funds but they end up being run on the public’s dime. We have a giant, very modern building in DC, built at great expense, whose purpose is to house government records and official papers. It’s called the Archives building. That’s where presidents should send their official papers and records.

[BenLurkin]

(I know, I know. Godwin's Law....}

[NRx]

I am not a fan of these presidential ego trips. They may be built partly or entirely with private funds but they end up being run on the public’s dime. We have a giant, very modern building in DC, built at great expense, whose purpose is to house government records and official papers. It’s called the Archives building. That’s where presidents should send their official papers and records.

[Wilhelm Tell]

It looks like the type of “modern” building they would put up in the former East Germany. Or maybe it looks like Darth Vader’s summer home.

[RummyChick]

What’s that mess on the top. Are those letters?

[BenLurkin]

Good question. Looks like “ISMU” over and over again.

[Conservative4Ever]

Yeah, I get it, but the building looks like an ugly tenement apartment building one would see by the hundreds in the old USSR Moscow. Big blocks of grey cement, devoid of any beauty or grace.

[Flick Lives]

A building devoid of form or substance. Wait. It’s perfect.

[Libloather]

Acronym Definition
ISMU Irkutsk State Medical University (Russia)
ISMU Indian School of Mines University (Dhanbad, India)
ISMU Intelligent Shanghai Mono University (band)
ISMU Information and Studies on Multiethnicity (sociology)
ISMU Indigenous Space Materials Utilization
ISMU In-Situ Materials Utilization

Iran Strategic Military Unification?

[Lurkinanloomin]

Just another finger in the eye of America by the Kenyan from Indonesia.

[minnesota_bound]

#5 the building is empty like obama.

[House Atreides]

Hmmmm... so THIS is where his REAL BIRTH CERTIFICATE, his public SCHOOL RECORDS (INCLUDING IQ & APTITUDE SCORES) and his full COLLEGE RECORDS will be housed and displayed?

[deadrock]

The proposal is absurd.