Over 40 Chicago architecture-loving bike riders came out on the rainy Saturday afternoon of May 18, 2019 to explore the bountiful Art Deco architecture woven into the fabric of Chicago. Due to the popularity and success of the event, additional architecture bike tours will be offered throughout the warmer months.
Chicago’s Art Deco architectural details are usually hidden in plain sight and often overlooked by passersby. The late afternoon ride set the stage for excellent views of Chicago’s architecture and delivered a new experience for many adventure cyclists.
Experts from the Chicago Art Deco Society and Preservation Chicago rode with the tour to provide architectural information and share some preservation stories about the many Art Deco buildings along the route.
Thank you to our fantastic and fascinating docents, Amy Keller and Henry Wykowski of the Chicago Art Deco Society, and Mary Lu Seidel and Cathie Bond from Preservation Chicago who shared preservation stories for many of the buildings.
A special thanks to Paul Sanders, project manager involved with the Old Main Post Office restoration, who gave us a behind-the-scenes tour and information on the project.
And a very special thank you to Tom Limon of Biketropolis who led the tour with his amazing Biketropolis volunteers. Despite the rain, it was an excellent tour and a fun afternoon of biking and architecture.
Due to the rain, the bike tour focused on downtown locations including the Merchandise Mart, Commonwealth Edison Substation One North LaSalle, 105 West Madison, 39 South LaSalle, Field Building, Chicago Board Of Trade, Board of Trade Fountain, The Palmer House, The Pittsfield Building, Chicago Motor Club Building, Carbon and Carbide Building and the Palmolive Building.