City Within a City: The Biography of Chicago’s Marina City
Snapshots of the 1970s
1970s
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August 18, 1974. A boat speeds past Marina City in a race that was part of Chicago’s 17th annual Lakefront Festival. Racers reached speeds of 85 mph as they competed for cash prizes, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Bob Fila captured this image. People at Marina City are watching the race from the marina level – under the large “Apeco Marina” sign – and from the plaza level.
“Apeco” stood for American Photocopy Equipment Company, which manufactured and marketed photocopy machines starting in 1952. In 1968, Apeco entered the marina products industry. In 1977, Marc Berman purchased Apeco Marina, where he had worked since 1975, and renamed it Marina City Marina. It was the only privately-owned full-service marina in Chicago. When his lease was over in 1995, Berman moved to Florida and started BAM Marine. |
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November 18, 1975. Jose Martinez is the first person to walk from the west tower to the east tower without using the plaza or lower levels. He used a tightrope suspended about 60 feet up between the two towers. He performed a variety of tricks along the way. Martinez, who was from Ecuador and performed around the world, was in town to promote newly expanded facilities at Chicago Health and Tennis Club, located at Marina City. This photo by Gene Pesek, which appeared in the Chicago Sun-Times the next day, was taken from the west tower parking ramp. It shows the tightrope anchored to the east tower at about the seventh floor. |
Written by Steven Dahlman
Presented for nonprofit educational purposes
Presented for nonprofit educational purposes