Photos: Rare View Of Lincoln Park From Hospital's Helipad Before Demolition

By Rachel Cromidas in News on Oct 20, 2016 6:22PM

Lincoln Park's Children's Memorial Hospital is soon to be completely demolished, but a local photographer recently got a rare glimpse of the defunct hospital's helicopter landing pad last month.

Demolition began earlier this year on the aging hospital complex, which has sat unused for years on Lincoln Avenue near the Orchard Street intersection. Lincoln Park is one of Chicago's most expensive and dense neighborhoods, but the blocks around Children's Memorial Hospital have struggled in recent years to attract and keep businesses. But the coming changes will be big: the area is slated for a $350 million redevelopment with 600 new "luxury" apartment units and a shopping center.

In the meantime, Matt Tuteur says he and other urban exploration photographers have tried, some unsuccessfully, to gain access to the high-up helipad, which features broad southern views of downtown Chicago. His photos, above, also offer a view of the construction site that over the next two years will be transformed into a new residential and commercial hub.