One of the cool things about living in a three-sided city is there is nothing east of downtown — or the North Side or much of the South Side — to block views of that magnificent skyline.

The sprawling Chicago Vocational Career Academy is in line for a significant renovation that would include a new addition, athletic facilities and demolition of portions of the architecturally-significant campus, according to documents made public last week.

Motorola Mobility joined the ranks of other companies fleeing the suburbs for downtown when it announced Thursday that the company will move all 3,000 workers from the Libertyville campus to the upper floors of Chicago's Merchandise Mart. 

One of State Street's bright spots has been the reuse of the former Carson Pirie Scott flagship store. Now, five years after Carson's departure, a new CityTarget store opens in the historic space.

Beverly's PNC Bank, which is currently for sale, has one good thing going for it: All things considered, it is pretty good piece of architecture: It takes the "temple of money" style and gives it a modernist turn

A North Side congregation has bowed out of its bid to purchase and architecturally alter the historic Portage Theater, according to the office of Ald. John Arena (45th).

Many of you emailed Lee Bey, saying you attended events at the demolished McCormick Inn after he wrote about it last week. But the most entertaining response came from Epstein Global, the 91-year-old Chicago architecture and engineering firm that designed the hotel.