How Long to Read Chicago's North Michigan Avenue

How Long Does it Take to Read Chicago's North Michigan Avenue?

It takes the average reader 6 hours and 4 minutes to read Chicago's North Michigan Avenue by John W. Stamper

Assuming a reading speed of 250 words per minute. Learn more

Description

Since its opening in the 1920s, Chicago's North Michigan Avenue has been one of the city's most prestigious commerical corridors, lined by some of its most architecturally distinctive business, residential, and hotel buildings. Planned by Daniel Burnham in 1909, the avenue became the principal connecting link between downtown and the wealthy, residential "Gold Coast" north of the Loop. Some thirty buildings were constructed along its path in the ten-year period before the Depression, an urban expansion comparable in significance to that of Pennsylvania and Park Avenues. John W. Stamper traces the complex development of North Michigan Avenue from the 1880s to the 1920s building boom that solidified its character and economic base, describing the initiation of the planning process by private interests to its execution aided by the city's powerful condemnation and taxation proceedings. He focuses on individual buildings constructed on the avenue, including the Renaissance- and Gothic-inspired Wrigley Building, Tribune Tower, and Drake Hotel, and places them within the context of factors governing their construction—property ownership, financing, zoning laws, design theory, and advertising. Stamper compares this stylistically diverse mixture of low- and high-rise structures with earlier, rejected planning proposals, all of which had prescribed a uniformly designed, European-like avenue of continuous cornice heights, consistent facade widths, and complementary stylistic features. He analyzes the drastically different character the avenue took by 1930, with high-rise towers reaching thirty stories and beyond, in terms of the clash among economic, political, and architectural interests. His argument—that the discrepancies between the rejected plans and reality illustrate the developers' choice of economic return on their investment over aesthetic community—is extended through to the present avenue and the virtual disregard of the urban qualities proposed at its inception. Generously illustrated, with an epilogue condensing the avenue's history between the end of World War II and the present, this is an exhaustive account of an important topic in the history of modern architecture and city planning.

How long is Chicago's North Michigan Avenue?

Chicago's North Michigan Avenue by John W. Stamper is 356 pages long, and a total of 91,136 words.

This makes it 120% the length of the average book. It also has 111% more words than the average book.

How Long Does it Take to Read Chicago's North Michigan Avenue Aloud?

The average oral reading speed is 183 words per minute. This means it takes 8 hours and 18 minutes to read Chicago's North Michigan Avenue aloud.

What Reading Level is Chicago's North Michigan Avenue?

Chicago's North Michigan Avenue is suitable for students ages 12 and up.

Note that there may be other factors that effect this rating besides length that are not factored in on this page. This may include things like complex language or sensitive topics not suitable for students of certain ages.

When deciding what to show young students always use your best judgement and consult a professional.

Where Can I Buy Chicago's North Michigan Avenue?

Chicago's North Michigan Avenue by John W. Stamper is sold by several retailers and bookshops. However, Read Time works with Amazon to provide an easier way to purchase books.

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