MMMmmmm... Polar Bear!

Lincoln Park

POLAR BEAR!

Last, but not least. Who wants to help find Cocky? Why would Cocky the dog want to run away from home? He has such a beautiful little house... that he is chained to...

The New Children's Memorial Hospital

Recently, my organization, Children's Memorial Foundation, took a tour of the new Children's Memorial Hospital (soon to be the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago) to see what we've been working so hard on over that past few years and is scheduled to open June 2012.

A view from the front door of the hospital at 225 East Chicago Avenue in downtown Chicago. It's right across the street from the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) and Water Tower Place on Michigan Avenue.

Here's a view of the hospital from Superior Street.

This is the loading dock.

A view of the road that will run through the first floor so people can be dropped off at the door and ambulance have a place to stop. Just down the way is where the main lobby will be that will have Blue Whales hung from the ceiling.

Some guys working on installing walls.

Those who know me know that I'm not too keen on heights. So, climbing into an "elevator," which is really a dog kennel painted red with some pulleys on it, hung on the outside of the building isn't something I'll jump into. But, it really wasn't bad.

Here we are on the 22nd floor.

Not a bad view of Lake Michigan, eh?

There's Navy Pier.

These guys are like astronauts. They are doing some exterior work on the "Crown Sky Garden," All the ropes you see are their lifelines. We were told before going into the building that we would not be allowed to go onto the roof to see the helipad because the wind was too strong and it would blow off our hard hats. Apparently, people forget they are 20-some odd stories up in the air when their hats fall off and try to chase them down. So, no helipad...

Looking toward the Loop

The top of the Children's Hospital

With views like these, everyone just stares out the window...

Lake Michigan with Northwestern Memorial's Prentice Women's Hospital, which will be connected with ours so newborns and new mom's can be close to each other.

The views never get old.

Water Tower Place along with the rest of Michigan Avenue

Just in case you ever wondered what the roof of the Museum of Contemporary Art looked like, here you go.

The Children's Hospital with the Allerton Hotel in the background

Darnella and I pretending that we are actually building this place.

Heating ducts with protective plastic to keep the dust out.

Back in the elevator

Checking out the 16th floor

The top half of the Children's Memorial logo on the glass

The Crown Sky Garden is pretty amazing even without all the stuff that they are going to put in it.

There's the guys we saw working on the exterior of the Crown Sky Garden earlier.

Construction humor

A little drywall and paint going in.

Look at all the stuff getting crammed into the ceiling.

I didn't notice this until I starting going through the pictures, but Mary is always right on the edge of the cage in the elevator.

And now it's time to go home after a fun and interesting tour.

As you know, June 2012 is still a long ways away and a lot of work still needs to be done. Walls need to be installed and painted. Some interior elevators added. A few lights here and there. So, I hope you'll check out our website at: www.heroesforlife.org for ways you can help and hospital updates.