Michael Goldwater, President of One River Place Condominium Association

RESTORATION AND REINSTALLATION OF STATUE AT FORMER MONTGOMERY WARD ADMINISTRATION BUILDING

Iconic Spirit of Progress statue, beacon of what is now One River Place Condominium Association in River North, was returned to her perch September 6th on the Chicago skyline after an extensive repair and restoration.

Chicago, IL September  2025: The Board and Homeowners of One River Place Condominium Association (formerly the Montgomery Ward & Company Administration building)  located at 758 N. Larrabee Street, at Chicago Avenue and the east bank of the Chicago River, have been performing projects to maintain and restore the building and important elements that contribute to its historic presence in Chicago.  As part of those projects they are pleased to announce the restoration of the iconic statue crowning our building: Diana, The Spirit of Progress.  Over the last 9 months the statue has undergone an extensive inspection, cleaning, and restoration and is now ready to reascend to her place of honor as a beacon of the Chicago skyline.

History: The building was originally constructed in 1928.  A statue of the Spirit of Progress (also referred to as Diana or the Goddess of the Hunt) was erected on top of a pedestal at the northeast corner of the building in 1929.  Made of bronze and standing 22.5 feet tall, this statue has been an icon of the Chicago skyline for almost a century.

The building, along with the original Montgomery Ward Catalog House building across the street, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.  We are presently seeking City of Chicago Landmark status.  The Statue was installed in its present location by Montgomery Ward & Company and is an updated version of the bronze statue that topped the former Montgomery Ward office at 2 N. Michigan Avenue, which itself was created and patterned after the statue on top of the Agriculture Building at the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago.

Details on restoration and reinstallation: The statue was removed December 2024 and sent to the renowned Conservations of Sculpture and Objects Studio for restoration.  Over the past 9 months the statue has been repaired, cleaned, and her mounting has been reconstructed to ensure she will be securely attached to the building for many years to come.

Crane placement began at 8:00 AM Saturday September 6th: The Statue delivery and crane placement took place at the property at 758 N. Larrabee Street at 8:00 AM, and raising and reinstallation occurred between 10-Noon.  Viewing of the reinstallation was possible on the east side of Larrabee Street and also on Chicago Avenue.   After the statue’s reinstallation, final masonry work on the pedestal and refinishing will occur and additional lighting will be installed to highlight our beacon of the skyline.  This work and scaffolding removal are expected to occur before year-end 2025.

The Chicago Police Department (CPD) is proud to announce the launch of its new podcast series, “Roll Call,” produced by the Bureau of Patrol. The series offers candid, unfiltered conversations with members of CPD, residents, and others who work closely with law enforcement.

The premiere episode features an intimate conversation with CPD Superintendent Larry Snelling. Listeners will hear Superintendent Snelling reflect on pivotal moments in his career as well as the personal toll of policing and what it means to serve the city where he grew up.

You can listen to “Roll Call” wherever you get your Podcasts. For more information, CLICK HERE.

Update from Ward Alderman Brian Hopkins – Chairman of the Committee on Public Safety for the 2023-2027 term.

Dear Neighbors,

Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke and her office are spearheading a renewed focus on mitigating chronic retail theft after years of leniency from the previous administration. 

In the spirit of that renewed focus, I had the honor of joining the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office (CCSAO) along with other officials this week to hear from a group of retailers hardest hit by chronic retail theft and criminal recidivists in the downtown and near north communities. 

It was clear from their urgent accounts that retail theft is not only not “harmless” or “victimless” — but, in fact, one of the most serious classifications of crime in our city right now. In most cases, chronic retail theft leads to violence against vulnerable employees, sometimes tens of thousands of dollars in lost merchandise per incident, faltering confidence on the part of investors to do business in Chicago, and additional cascading negative effects. 

Retailers shared how employees refuse to take certain shifts out of fear for their safety, with one retailer describing an incident that led to their hospitalization and subsequent surgeries after being battered by a recidivist…simply for asking the individual to leave their store. 

I commend State’s Attorney O’Neill Burke on her efforts to prosecute these crimes, but her office alone cannot address the issue entirely. I am calling on the state legislature to make the relevant amendments to the SAFE-T act to address chronic retail theft as the serious issue it is. We cannot allow chronic recidivists to keep being released to commit repeat crimes almost daily. 

I will be communicating updates on this matter in this newsletter in the near future. 

 Sincerely, 

Brian Hopkins

Alderman, 2^nd Ward

One Minute Survey: Should the Chicago Police Department be PROHIBITED from Conducting Certain Traffic Stops?

Please complete the one-minute survey below.

WE WANT YOUR VOICES TO BE HEARD! 

Background – On July 31, 2025, a majority of the Community Commission on Public Safety and Accountability (the Commission) voted to support new PROHIBITIONS on CPD’s ability to conduct certain traffic stops. This is NOT the final vote and the Commission has requested additional public input.

Proposed Prohibition: “The Chicago Police Department shall be PROHIBITED from conducting a traffic stop or temporarily detaining a driver of a vehicle that is not a commercial, livery or chauffeured vehicle where the primary basis for the stop is any of the following violations:

THE RESULTS OF THIS SURVEY WILL BE ACCUMULATED, PRESENTED TO DECISION-MAKERS, AND SHARED WITH ALL THOSE RESPONDING.

Click on the box below to complete the One Minute Survey and VOICE YOUR OPINION.

The Chicago Department of Public Health installed air quality sensors on several light poles throughout the 42nd Ward the weekend of August 15. These sensors are part of the Chicago Air Sensor Network, which aims to help residents understand the air conditions in their area.

These sensors only record air quality and are not equipped to record audio or video. The program’s results will be shared with the public. Installation of these sensors will continue through the end of the summer.

On August 4th, the Mayor’s Casino Advisory Council met.  RNRA has had a representative on this committee since the disucssions on the casino began.

This council is made up of:

• Neighborhood Representatives
• Issue Experts

Other participants in the CAC meetings include:

• Aldermanic Offices
• City Staff including Department of Planning members
• Bally’s and Development Partners

Please CLICK HERE to see the August 4th presentation with the most current information.

RNRA has and will continue to post updates on our website RNRAChicago.org under the menu item Chicago Casino.  You will find history and current information at this link.