The late, great Columbia music department founder, William Russo, left some big shoes to fill when he retired from his post as music department chairman. His contributions to the college and Chicago music scene were widely celebrated; so much so that upon his passing Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, declared April 16 William Russo Day.

For the past year, a search committee made up of college deans and the provost took on the challenge of replacing a legend. How do you replace a legend? With another legend of course.
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Enrollment bump creates space crunch
College expands housing to 2 E. 8th building

The University Center of Chicago is set to accept Columbia students on Sept. 15, but the new state-of-the-art facility, which provides housing for nearly 700 incoming Columbia students, is not enough.

Through the University Center, as well as the Residence Center, 731 S. Plymouth Court, and 18 East Congress Parkway, nearly 1,400 undergraduates will be ushered into the Residence Life program this fall. A joint arrangement between Columbia, and DePaul and Roosevelt universities, the University Center houses close to 1,700 students from each of the respective schools, with 40 percent of the space allotted to Columbia students.
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South Loop residents get a new ‘taste'
Local church hosts its second neighborhood festival

The South Loop is changing—developers are staking their claim and colleges are expanding their foothold—and the congregation of the 2nd Presbyterian Church, 1936 S. Michigan Ave., is determined to be a part of the change. The 104-year-old church made its presence in the expanding community known on Aug. 7 with its annual Taste of the South Loop festival.

Now in its second year, the Taste of the South Loop, sponsored by the Women's Association of the 2nd Presbyterian Church, is starting to take off.
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Weekend demolition removes a piece of history
Historic sign became safety hazard

The building at 624 S. Michigan Ave. looks a little less recognizable today. Demolition crews took the historic Torco sign off the building in the wee hours of the morning , Sunday July 18.

According to Mike Debish, vice president of facilities and operations at Columbia, the sign had to be removed because four years of disrepair made it a safety hazard. The yellow and white sign has not been lit in years
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Click here to view the photo slide show of the Torco sign removal.

Click below to view the video of the Torco sign removal, by Andrew J. Scott and Carrie Bergagna.
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In an effort to revitalize Columbia's "frumpy" buildings, school officials announced July 30 their plans for a $1.2 million project aimed at bringing unity to 100,000 square feet of campus hallways.

Dubbed the "corridor blitz," Alicia Berg, vice president of campus environment, said the project is a small step toward creating a coherent campus environment.
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Millennium Park makes its debut

Despite being four years behind schedule, a ballooning budget and a barrage of criticism, Millenium Park, which officially opened to the public on July 19, received an enthusiastic welcome from an endless crowd of visitors. During its first week, Chicagoans and tourists alike got their first look at the park that encompasses the steel structures and two towers of faces that have been peaking the curiosity of passers-by for months.

Throughout its opening week the $475 million, 24.5-acre park welcomed visitors from as far away as India to those who live and work right across from the park. The site offers architectural eye candy in the form of the Jay Pritzker Pavilion, the steel structure that some liken to a lion; the silver “bean” or as the artist Anish Koopur, who designed the sculpture, calls it “Cloud Gate”; and the Crown Fountain, the two 50-foot high towers, made out of glass block, featuring a water element and faces that look down on Michigan Avenue.
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Click here to view the photo slide show of Millennium Park.