The first phase of Navy Pier’s reconstruction is set to begin next month. The re-design seeks to turn the pier into a unique waterfront promenade. But Chicago Tribune Architecture Critic Blair Kamin is concerned about the re-do, and wonders if reworking the pier will take away from its populist appeal. He wrote about the redesign and discusses the Pier and other architectural issues around town. Photo: Flickr/Bernt Rostad