Imagine splashing in a pool while looking out at the Chicago skyline. The Ida Crown Natatorium is special. It was named after the Crown family. They were residents of the Eckhart Park neighborhood in the 1890s. The building was designed by Stanley Engineering Company. The architects were Marvin Werner and Dimitri Nesterenko. Nesterenko created the dramatic roof canopy. It looks like a wave of concrete about to crash onto the shore of Chicago Avenue. This was the architect’s vision in 1961, a way to blend interior and exterior spaces and create the feeling of an outdoor pool, even when inside. The massive concrete structure was poured in a single day. The natatorium is one of two in the city. It was dedicated by Mayor Richard J. Daley himself in 1961. Today, the Ida Crown Natatorium continues to be a place of recreation and exercise for generations of Chicagoans. It’s hard to tell now but the building was meant to be used year round. The architect designed the natatorium at 1360-1370 West Chicago Avenue, Chicago with large glass panels. In the summer, these panels slide aside to open up the building and provide direct access to a 40 foot deep sun deck. So, you can soak up the sun and enjoy the skyline while swimming.
Congregation Or Torah
Rabbi Zvi Engel’s leadership guides Congregation Or Torah. This impressive Modern Orthodox Synagogue stands proudly in Skokie Illinois. It’s one