by Hank Morris
Broadmoor Hotel
The Broadmoor Hotel, 7600 North Bosworth was built in 1922-23 by developers Louis Rubin and Abraham Marks, this six-story building was one of the most luxurious buildings of its day. It had 90 apartments and 7 stores, which were accessible from the lobby and the street. From 1924 to 1927, WBBM radio station (there are many explanations for these call letters, including ‘‘We Broadcast From the Broadmoor”) broadcast live jazz and big band programs from its ballroom as well as such popular shows as Amos and Andy and Fibber McGee and Molly. The ballroom included an elegant restaurant and a dancing area. The lobby floor was laid with terrazzo tiles and the ceiling was decorated with Roman and French style ornamentation. A 1982 Tribune article is quoted as saying “The Broadmoor’s charm kept her 90 apartments occupied most of the time, and on Saturday nights, women in silks and furs and men in top hats and tails flocked to her ballroom to dance.” The outside of the building was clad with terra cotta. The Sopcic family acquired the building in October 2007 and recently completed the renovation of the interior, including the lobby and other common areas and the rental units. An important part of these renovations was the replacement of the old steam boiler by a new energy-efficient heating system. It consists of ten small boilers that can operate in a staged fashion, significantly reducing energy costs. The system can also be used to provide air conditioning to the individual units. The owners also installed energy-efficient units and doors, replaced all the water pipes, and upgrade the electrical wiring.