(photo by Lee Bey)I took a stroll down State Street yesterday and took these photographs of the cast-iron restoration work at the former Carson Pirie Scott store.

Cook County commissioners today unanimously approved a $108 million plan to preserve the gray lady of Harrison Street--the historic Cook County Hospital building--and convert the 96-year-old building into a hospital administration building.

(photo by Lee Bey) The old church--once a synagogue--crumbles on west Douglas Boulevard.Built in 1913 as temple Anshe Kenesseth Israel, the house of worship was one of a handful of synagogues on Douglas‚ during North Lawndale's days as a Jewish community.

(photo by Lee Bey) A reader told me to go look at the vacant Columbus Maryville complex on Montrose just west of Lake Shore Drive. "I'm not sure what they were trying to do there," he said.

(photo by Lee Bey)The venerable "M-plate," the special municipal license plate bearing the prefix 'M'‚  that has been affixed to police cars for generations, is being slowly retired by the Chicago Police Department this year, according to a spokesman. Its replacement?

(photo by Lee Bey)Apologies for the poor photo quality above.

(photo by Lee Bey)It's been more than 20 years--can it be?--since NBC Tower popped up on Cityfront Center. An Art Deco building 60 years after the fact; a piece of the 30 Rock that had landed in the Midwest.