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Chicago circa 1911. "Grant Park, south from Art Institute." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size.
Below is the same view from June of 2017.
As Michael R points out, most of the Michigan Avenue buildings from the 1911 photo still stand.
The tower in the far distance at the left of the 1911 photo is Central Station (demolished 1974). The view looking north from the station at the Art Institute is in the Shorpy photo Chicago: 1901.
Another look at the Art Institute from the south is this 1915 Shorpy photo.
The big skyscraper with the giant sign is the first phase of the McCormick Building, at the northwest corner of Michigan Avenue and Van Buren Street, designed by Holabird & Roche and built 1908-1910.
The addition, in the cleared space to its right, was completed in 1912. The whole building was converted to condominiums several years ago. With the exception of the small six- and seven-story buildings to the right of the McCormick Building, just about everything else you see in this view of the Michigan Avenue "Wall" is still standing.
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