The Hyde Park Borders (Handout photo)
It’s been more than three months since the closing of Borders’ Hyde Park location at 1539 E. 53rd St., one of many across Chicagoland and the country to bite the dust this year amidst the bookstore chain’s bankruptcy filing. Since then, the two-story, beige brick building that was Borders’ home has become something of a white elephant presence on the corner of busy Hyde Park Boulevard. Its windows and entrance are now covered from the inside with brown paper where only months before pedestrians got a street-level view of books, book racks and customers milling about for merchandise.
The brown paper covering — much of which has become spotted with unattractive rainwater and precipitation seeped through the windows — doesn’t completely obscure the interior, and looking in from the front door entrance on 53rd Street, the empty space presumably offers enough square footage for any new venture to come and set up shop, provided anyone wants to do so in a tough economic climate, on a quarter-block wide edifice along Lake Park Avenue. The ceiling lamps remain turned on from the inside, and the old Borders signage alights at night from the outside, and both are like clarion calls beckoning new businesses to take a chance on a now-quiet commercial space.
As it currently stands, the future of the vacated structure is unknown. In a call to the Hyde Park Chamber of Commerce, executive director Lenora Austin told Red Eye that the organization is not aware of any potential plans for the property from developers. New Ald. Will Burns (4th) was not available for comment when contacted by RedEye, although his predecessor, Shirley Newsome, said that she was not able to comment on any potential plans with the property when RedEye contacted her earlier this year.
The University of Chicago, which in the last few years has been behind the purchase of various properties along 53rd Street, might be regarded as the primary kingmaker-in-waiting for the Borders property. But as of now, the university has made no public statement as to what, if any, stake it has in the building’s future.
Given all the room for a prospective proprietor to roam around with their wares, just what should be done with the structure? Should a new business take over the spot as it already stands, with some structural modifications or renovations? Should the structure be completely demolished and a new one take its place? What kind of establishment should take over the property? Or should the structure be demolished and converted to parkland, or returned to its former use as a parking lot for customers elsewhere in the ‘hood?
Tell us Hyde Park, what suggestions do you have?
