Dick's Last Resort's vs. Marina Towers

I don't know enough about Dick's Last Resort to care one way or the other, but the Marina City Condo board often seem like idiots.

In the contentious and checkered history of two iconic corncob towers along the Chicago River, a new spat over a boisterous establishment downstairs hardly registers as a blip.

But the flap does signal a fresh chapter for Marina City, and a renaissance of one of Chicago's most recognized locales.

For decades, the Marina City towers have been featured in movies, TV shows and postcards. For much of that time, the complex itself was fighting for its life.

Only 15 years ago, Marina City faced bankruptcy and its decay was so severe that one Chicago judge said he feared it would fall into the river. Residents still joke that even the rats wouldn't move in during the early 1990s.

But they now find themselves living at one of the city's most desired addresses—making it a lure for tourist-seeking businesses such as Dick's Last Resort, the intentionally in-your-face tavern that plans to move from its River East location to empty commercial space at the bottom of one of the towers.

Worried about the image of the towers, more than 100 condominium owners have raised objections over Dick's moving in, hoping for a higher-toned neighbor.

[Click to read more of Dick's Last Resort's interest in Marina Towers has condo owners circling the wagons -- chicagotribune.com]

Realistically, I wouldn't want a bunch of Dicks in my condo building either, but then we have a by-law specifying that no restaurants can be located here. There is a Smith and Wollensky already established in Marina City, so it doesn't seem like the residents could veto another chain restaurant from moving in.

More of my photos of Marina City here