Worth the Wait

Mairi Beautyman -- Interior Design, 6/1/2004 12:00:00 AM

Perennially committed to the beautification of its architectural landscape, Chicago patiently awaits the opening of Millennium Park, four years behind schedule. The $450 million, 25-acre lakeside cultural and entertainment attraction, formerly a rail yard and parking lot, is now home to numerous ambitious structures.

Frank Gehry designed the Jay Pritzker Pavilion, a band shell clad in sumptuous stainless-steel curves and reached via his serpentine pedestrian bridge. Anish Kapoor contributed a 110-ton jelly bean in mirror-finished stainless steel, while Jaume Plensa's interactive fountain features two glass-block towers that screen videos.

The park opens with a bang on July 16, followed by a week of performances by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Grant Park Orchestra and Chorus, and other groups.