What's the most shameful monstrosity ever built in your city?

the urban politician · #1 Posted **Nov 1, 2006, 1:14 AM**

Name one building (pictures as well) in your city that you curse and wish to spit at every time you pass it by. This building should embody everything you hate in architecture--in fact it should be so bad that if you had a daughter you wouldn't let her go near it because you believe it embodies everything evil in this world.

spyguy · #2 Posted **Nov 1, 2006, 1:21 AM**

There a number of ones I'd pick, but recently it would have to be Grand Plaza

kenc · #3 Posted **Nov 1, 2006, 9:11 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by spyguy

There a number of ones I'd pick, but recently it would have to be Grand Plaza

Now I have to disagree....I really like these buildings. Why do you dislike them so much ?

StormFire · #4 Posted **Nov 2, 2006, 3:36 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenc

Now I have to disagree....I really like these buildings. Why do you dislike them so much ?

You just might be the first person on the forum to ever like these buildings. Honest. The picture actually makes them look a bit better than they look - you may really have to see them live (but pray you don't). They are just horrible. Maybe we are spoiled in Chicago. But honestly, they (counting them as one) are one of the three ugliest buildings downtown, you have to see the setting - maybe a good part is in the context. And I work in the Sun-Times building posted in #21 (I tell people I work in the ugliest building in downtown Chicago). Again, the picture ALMOST makes it look good, but it on a piece of land where the Chicago river spilts and faces one of the best buildings in Chicago (333 W. Wacker) and a lot of other great buildings. Let me tell you, the Sun-Times (or the Apparel Center) has great views, but they (people in those buildings) all have to look at us. The other building in Chicago is a set of apartments at Lake and Dearborn. Ugh.

VivaLFuego · #5 Posted **Nov 2, 2006, 7:52 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenc

Now I have to disagree....I really like these buildings. Why do you dislike them so much ?

Rather than going all out brutalist-slab-of-concrete (think: nearby Millenium Centre), it goes soft on you. those penthouses on top. those spires. It's the worst kind of PoMo imaginable.

mountsac · #6 Posted **Mar 26, 2007, 7:16 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by VivaLFuego

Rather than going all out brutalist-slab-of-concrete (think: nearby Millenium Centre), it goes soft on you. those penthouses on top. those spires. It's the worst kind of PoMo imaginable.

Quote:

Originally Posted by StormFire

You just might be the first person on the forum to ever like these buildings. Honest. The picture actually makes them look a bit better than they look - you may really have to see them live (but pray you don't). They are just horrible. Maybe we are spoiled in Chicago. But honestly, they (counting them as one) are one of the three ugliest buildings downtown, you have to see the setting - maybe a good part is in the context. And I work in the Sun-Times building posted in #21 (I tell people I work in the ugliest building in downtown Chicago). Again, the picture ALMOST makes it look good, but it on a piece of land where the Chicago river spilts and faces one of the best buildings in Chicago (333 W. Wacker) and a lot of other great buildings. Let me tell you, the Sun-Times (or the Apparel Center) has great views, but they (people in those buildings) all have to look at us. The other building in Chicago is a set of apartments at Lake and Dearborn. Ugh.

i think grand plaza is more boring than ugly. it's just a regular residential tower(s), and it doesn't really stand out. i was surprised to see people having strong reactions to it...

i also think that context is less important to me unless it looks horrible. for example, i think the trump tower chicago is pretty okay, even though i think it totally doesn't fit in to where it is being built.

personally, i think he marina city looks ugly, but i know it's a city symbol, and people love it and will lynch me for not liking it. so i'm gonna pick the UIC library tower for chicago's ugliest highrise.

ikcyzrteip · #7 Posted **May 1, 2007, 8:24 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenc

Now I have to disagree....I really like these buildings. Why do you dislike them so much ?

oh my god I hava always hated those ugly pos's

CGII · #8 Posted **Nov 1, 2006, 2:06 AM**

Milwaukee Post Office

It fits the definition of monstrosity, it's really friggin huge and disgustingly concrete and absolutely filthy. The areas near the roof are simply slathered in bird shit. Thankfully, nothing was demolished to make way for it, it simply replaced a rail yard. The US Post Office said years ago they wanted to replace it, but sadly never elabourated and whatever plans they had now sit far in the back corners of limbo.

Of course, the dainty in comparison Amtrak station next door makes it look like a Mies...

The latter is currently being renovated:

LostInTheZone · #9 Posted **Nov 1, 2006, 9:33 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by CGII

The latter is currently being renovated:

gah... trading one short-sighted architectural fad for another... I actually prefer the older facade, it's at least got more logical order.

DetroitSTAR · #10 Posted **Nov 1, 2006, 12:55 PM**

Photo courtesy of DetroitYes.com

It looks like...hell, I dont even know, but not like a proud riverfront structure. Ford Auditorium, only in use for 25 years or so is a big waste of space on the Detroit Riverfront at Hart Plaza. It is now slated fore demolition and an amphitheater to be put in it's place, but it never should have even been built.

Honorable mention would be Joe Louis Arena. It has no architectural qualities at all. It's widely known as "The warehouse on the river".

toddguy · #11 Posted **Nov 1, 2006, 1:41 PM**

Lincoln Tower OSU campus:

And it's ugly twin sister tower, Morrill Tower as well:

I would love to see these monstrosities imploded.

the urban politician · #12 Posted **Nov 1, 2006, 3:57 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by toddguy

Lincoln Tower OSU campus:

^

Those are too ugly even for this thread. Please remove those pics immediately or this forum will self-destruct

EmpireCityGuy · #13 Posted **Jan 29, 2007, 11:24 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by toddguy

Lincoln Tower OSU campus:

And it's ugly twin sister tower, Morrill Tower as well:

I would love to see these monstrosities imploded.

lollollol-- Those are hideous!

stormkingfan · #14 Posted **May 22, 2008, 10:40 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by toddguy

Lincoln Tower OSU campus:

And it's ugly twin sister tower, Morrill Tower as well:

I would love to see these monstrosities imploded.

Are these on a college campus or are these part of a correctional facility? Who the hell would want to live in something that doesn't have any windows?

CGII · #15 Posted **Nov 2, 2006, 12:37 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by LostInTheZone

gah... trading one short-sighted architectural fad for another... I actually prefer the older facade, it's at least got more logical order.

You obviously haven't seen it up close...or been inside it.

Looks like something out of 1984 or Mad Max.

As opposed to:

NEWNANGuy · #16 Posted **Nov 2, 2006, 7:45 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by LostInTheZone

gah... trading one short-sighted architectural fad for another... I actually prefer the older facade, it's at least got more logical order.

i completely agree. this new type or achitecture will be bashed in 30 years time as well. i prefer the current old facade myself. it just needs to be fixed up, repainted, etc. im just not one for the weird angles and the 'shards of glass' look in buildings.

edit* but i will add, that the inside willbe much nicer with the natural sunlight from the new design. so who knows.

vid · #17 Posted **Nov 1, 2006, 2:22 AM**

I don't think Thunder Bay has anything like that.................. but if it did, this would be it:

Buckeye Native 001 · #18 Posted **Nov 1, 2006, 2:30 AM**

For Orange County, take your pick:

Disneyland
Crystal Cathedral
Knotts Berry Farm
Chapman University
Cal State Fullerton
UC Irvine
Irvine
Laguna Beach
Newport Beach

All of it. Suburban waste.

bjornson · #19 Posted **Nov 1, 2006, 4:44 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buckeye Native 001

For Orange County, take your pick:

Disneyland
Crystal Cathedral
Knotts Berry Farm
Chapman University
Cal State Fullerton
UC Irvine
Irvine
Laguna Beach
Newport Beach

All of it. Suburban waste.

Oh, you're good. Too good. Irvine is the worst of them all! Disneyland is a close second.

Dalton · #20 Posted **Nov 1, 2006, 6:33 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buckeye Native 001

For Orange County, take your pick:

Disneyland
Crystal Cathedral
Knotts Berry Farm
Chapman University
Cal State Fullerton
UC Irvine
Irvine
Laguna Beach
Newport Beach

All of it. Suburban waste.

What's so bad about Irvine? I kind of like it there - the Spectrum (with the new parking structure you can finally find a parking space there!), the clean well-maintained wide streets, the 50 mph speed limit on Alton, the pleasant lush landscaping, the bike paths. Are you just upset because there aren't any skyscrapers and mass transit there? Well get over it - not every place has to be "downtown". The people are generally nice, well-educated, middle-class folks who work in the numerous tech-related small companies headquartered there, they seem happy to be living there, and there's seemingly little crime and no blight in the area. Why the hate?

Anyway, if you really want "suburban waste", try Schaumburg, IL. Irvine is paradise in comparison.