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(Click on an image to view the newsletter as an Adobe Acrobat Document)
May 1964
July 1964
April 1965
July 1965
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From Marina City newsletters (1964-65)
In May 1964, Marina City Management launched a newsletter, “From Marina City.”
“Living in Marina City is unlike living anywhere else in the word,” announced the first issue. “Those who live and work in this ‘city-within-a-city’ are participating in an experiment in urban living which attracts world-wide attention and interest.”
Highlights of the first issue included an article about scenes filmed at Marina City for Mickey One, which was released the following year by Columbia Pictures. It was directed by Arthur Penn, whose work includes The Miracle Worker, Bonnie and Clyde, and Alice’s Restaurant.
The film starred Warren Beatty as a nightclub comic fleeing the Detroit Mob for Chicago. (Yes, you read that right.)
According to the newsletter, scenes were filmed inside a residential unit, at the skating rink, and nearby on the Chicago River.
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The second issue, published in June 1964, covered marina operations, which could launch a boat in five minutes. A typical story was about the grocery store, owned by Chalmers Herold (pictured at left).
Herold described how shopping habits changed for Marina City residents from doing a week’s worth of shopping on the weekends, to realizing it was more convenient to buy groceries daily.
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Marina City Finer Foods was located on the concourse level in space now occupied by Smith & Wollensky restaurant. It was open every day, selling meat, produce, groceries, baked goods, prepared foods, and sundries.
There was a free delivery service – either to your apartment if you lived at Marina City, or to your car if you worked there.
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The issue also described a “communications center” located in the package room in the northeast corner of the concourse level. The center contained a switchboard for the entire complex, television monitors, and controls for exterior flood lights. Today, this room is just a package room and security has its own office on the plaza level.
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A. J. Robinson, Receiving Room Attendant, who started working at Marina City in 1972 as a security officer, says there were 8-10 monitors against a wall which now has a sliding glass window. The monitors watched different areas of the complex and an intercom system allowed security personnel to speak to people in the areas.
An elevator in the room still leads down to the marina level, where delivery trucks can park relatively close. A wall with a door in the middle now divides the room into two spaces. One is a storage area for delivery items and the other is an office for the attendant.
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In April 1965, a “census” of residents was reported, showing a population of 1,279. Adult residents were evenly divided into three categories – married couples, single men, and single women. Four percent of residents were younger than 21 years old. Three percent were over 65. Most residents were 26-50 years old and earned more than $10,000 (or $66,884 in 2007 dollars).
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The statistics were compiled by Morris Swibel, Vice President of Marina Management Corporation, seen at left with John Kolpack, a tailor for Marina City Valet Service.
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Of course, the big news in July 1965 was the visit from actor Gary Lockwood. At the time, Lockwood was a minor star of television and stage. A more visible career in television and film was still ahead of him. But he made a good impression on Marina City personnel.
(Left) Actor Gary Lockwood at Marina City Restaurant with manager William Curtis.
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Solomon was the brother-in-law of Chicago Sun-Times columnist Irv Kupcinet and a friend of comedian Lenny Bruce. He had a wife, Sofia, and two daughters, Jerilyn and Kiki. An original resident at Marina City remembers him as “a nice guy, a wonderful story-teller, and he was never without a cigar.”
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(Left) Wine tasting party at Marina City Drugs & Liquors in mid-1965. Left to right: E. Leonard Solomon (1921-2002), a wine consultant and co-owner of the pharmacy, Mrs. William Lyon, William Wasserman, and Mrs. Ronald Meyers.
In the foreground, a replica of Marina City has been fashioned from cream puffs.
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