Written by Steven Dahlman
Acknowledgements
Special thanks to...
- Geoffrey Goldberg
- Howard Swibel
- The Portland Cement Association for video capture of their film, This is Marina City, which has been digitally enhanced for presentation here.
- Vanderbilt Television News Archive for the loan from their collection of the 1976 story from CBS Evening News.
- David Amponsah, Area Manager, System Parking, Inc., for production assistance.
- Mike Chunko for historical images.
- Mike Kobluk for historical images.
- Earl Meech for historical images and documents.
- Michael Michalak for research assistance.
- Anthony Owen for DVD copy of Mickey One.
- Douglas Pierce for historical images.
- Mike Rivest of Rivest’s ultimate list of movie theatres for 1970 Marina Cinemas ad.
Thanks to the following for property access...
- 400 North LaSalle Condominium Association – Diana Breting, Property Manager
- Courtyard by Marriott Chicago Downtown/River North
- Hard Rock Hotel Chicago – Rick Hulse, General Manager
- Hotel 71 – Steve Shern, General Manager – Greg Naylor, Director of Sales & Marketing
- Hotel Sax – Mario Mazzini, General Manager
- Jefferson Beach Yacht Sales – Bob Godek
- Marina Management Corporation – Shari Vass, President
- Marina Towers Condominium Association – David Gantt, Property Manager
- Renaissance Chicago Hotel – Catherine Mrowiec, General Manager – Alissa Infante, Marketing Manager
- Smith & Wollensky – Peter Norton, General Manager
- Transwestern Commercial Services – Robert DeMarke (Property Manager), Tiffany Moore, and John Herbst
These fine web sites...
Vintage post cards from...
- Jeff Holeman
- Peggy Glotzbach
- Ritchie’s Enterprises LLC
Production...
- Film processing: Gamma Imaging
- Scanning: Digigraphics/Photos Inc.
Also...
- Abilene Christian University
- A. J. Robinson
- Aaron Freeman
- Betty J. Blum
- Bob Dearborn
- Brijus Properties
- Burton F. Natarus
- Carl Renaghan
- CEE Alumni Association
- Chicago Historical Society
- Chicago Magazine
- Chicago Public Library
- Chicago Sun-Times
- Chicago Transit Authority
- Chicago Tribune
- ColeTaylor Bank
- Community Association Banc
- David Bernstein
- David K. Fremon
- Downtown Partners Chicago
- Early Chicago, Inc.
- Federal Highway Administration
- Gemstone Resorts International, LLC
- Google Maps
- Illinois Department of Natural Resources
- Illinois State Archives
- Isaac Tigrett
- Jenner & Block LLP
- John Palmer
- Lee Hillerich
- Leo Burnett Worldwide
- Michael Casey
- Paramount Pictures
- Peter Bernotas
- R. Kymn Harp
- Randel Aaron
- Rich Koz
- Rolling Stone
- The Art Institute of Chicago
- The Irish Fellowship Club of Chicago
- Thomas Yanul
- Vera Washington
- Vrdolyak Law Group, LLC
All other photographs by Steven Dahlman.
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About the author
Steven Dahlman is a writer and photographer who happens to live at Marina City in downtown Chicago. He has written for radio, television, newspapers, magazines, and web sites. His photographs have appeared in magazines, newspapers, annual reports, books, and web sites. One image is used in the background of a television news studio in the Twin Cities.
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From 1984 to 1990, he was News Director and morning co-host for personality-oriented contemporary music radio stations, including one large market. He was a regular contributor of news reports to ABC Radio Networks. During that time, he was also afternoon news anchor and reporter for a news-intensive station in Iowa’s capital city.
In the early 1990s, Steven was a news anchor for a regional radio network based in Minneapolis. He’s worked at more than a dozen radio stations and networks.
As a newspaper columnist for Skyway News (now Downtown Journal), he answered reader questions about computers and the Internet. In February 2003, he wrote the cover story for Twin Cities Business Monthly about a Minneapolis company defrauded by a rogue executive of Internet darling Cisco Systems.
He attended University of Iowa. Honors include Marquis Who’s Who in America (2007), Marquis Who’s Who in the Midwest, Marquis Who’s Who of Emerging Leaders in America, and Mensa, although you would hardly suspect it.
About this project
Unless you’re talking about the White House, it’s difficult to find a residential building in the United States with more interesting history than Marina City.
Built on unused railroad property in the early 1960s at a cost of $36 million, Marina City was a Chicago icon that is now known throughout the world.
It was built by visionaries with the nicotine-and-alcohol-fueled, “can do” spirit of the 1960s. It is a rags to riches to rags to riches story, with plenty of high points and low points. Adored, then neglected, then brought back to life. Marina City enjoys respect and occasional awe today. But its past is often described as “checkered” or, in polite company, “interesting”.
“City within a city” is a phrase coined by its architect, Bertrand Goldberg, to describe Marina City. Many people built Marina City, but it’s doubtful it could have survived and thrived for so long without Goldberg’s relentless parenting.
It is arguably the most photographed Chicago landmark, by tourists and movie companies alike. I moved to Marina City in 2005 and I started photographing it. And then I started researching its history, and was surprised that no one has written a book about it. One 1985 book of photographs from the 1960s has long been out of print. It shows up in books about Chicago architecture, of course, but Marina City has earned its place in history, has many stories to tell, and I am uniquely qualified to write its biography.
I have studied more than 2,000 newspaper articles. I have leads on additional research material and I am arranging to interview people who helped build Marina City. I am working with the property managers and commercial tenants to extensively photograph the complex. Architectural images are photographed on 2¼” color negative film and I capture building details using a digital camera.
I am putting my work-in-progress on this web site. This helps me organize the project and promote it to people who can help with my research. My photographs of Marina City are also available online...
Reviews
“For anyone who ever thought MC’s modern-day shenanigans (regular readers know the towers are a veritable vertical Peyton Place) are anything out of the ordinary, think again. As Dahlman demonstrates, the corncobs have been quirky for years. If you’re interested in the history of downtown Chicago, you owe it to yourself to read this site.”
– Mike Doyle, Chicago Carless, Marina City to Owners: Ask and We Shall Fine
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