CHICAGO | 1620 N. LaSalle Drive (Old Town Canvas) | 494 FT | 44 FLOORS
 

Old Town Canvas
1620 N. LaSalle Drive
44 Floors
500 units
494'
GREC Architects

https://uniim1.shutterfly.com/render...&ts=1711069106

https://uniim1.shutterfly.com/render...&ts=1711069993

https://uniim1.shutterfly.com/render...&ts=1711069640

https://uniim1.shutterfly.com/render...&ts=1711069583

https://uniim1.shutterfly.com/render...&ts=1711070826

https://uniim1.shutterfly.com/render...&ts=1711065486

https://uniim1.shutterfly.com/render...&ts=1711070914


There was a community meeting this night offered by the developers. They got to some questions, but more than 150 were unanswered due to time constraints.

Traffic/parking was the biggest concern.

Around $3 million in property taxes annually.

30% studios

750 sq ft for 1 bedroom
1200 sq ft - for 2 bedrooms
1800 sq ft for 3 bedrooms

Kinda boring but an official skyscraper nonethless

What firm is doing the architectural design?

. . .

GREC Architects

This was supposed to be Adjaye, but he got quietly fired from the project after several women accused him of harassment/assault.

GREC is doing a nice job with this, though. I love the color palette, we have an extremely monotone skyline and this manages to be a breath of fresh air without looking garish.

Here's a petition to support the development, since there's been a lot of opposition: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/su...es-in-old-town

I like the redesign. The street level brick columns on the tower portion tie things together nicely and will look good. The wider Walgreens part is much better. It looks like a building in it's own right, rather than a tacky add on.
No painted concrete, warm colors. Build it.

Yikes, just because of the area?

I hope this can go through.

Fern Hill really went out of their way to be thoughtful and considerate of all the community feedback and concerns, just to elicit this kind of response from the usual suspects.

For me, a lesson not to waste time or energy trying to appease the NIMBY wolves...

That page talks about replacing two gas stations which sounds like a larger project including east of LaSalle. Is there more defined or only the one lot shown here.

Unless they can influence the project being built or not.

Not sure how it is in Chicago but in some cities they are successful.

Looks good, nice density. What's the parking ratio?

And they're certainly not appeased. Formed a new NIMBY group in fact... Old Town Friends for Responsible Development

https://oldtownfriends.com/


PDF of the project:
https://img1.wsimg.com/blobby/go/127...=1711566164671

Lmao, why is "developer" in quotes in the top banner? Are they trying to suggest that Fern Hill is in fact not a developer?

"DENSITY: We are not opposed to development at this site but the scale is staggering for Old Town. Constructing a towering 500-unit building will create a level of density that is unsustainable for the neighborhood."

The renderings posted on their own website shows just how this development would blend in with all the other numerous towers in the area. What a bunch of outstanding idiots. Nice geocities-esque website, guys. :haha:

Community Meeting
 

Community Meeting
Fern Hill Proposal for 1600 N. LaSalle
Tuesday, May 7 at 6:00 PM at Latin School Auditorium (59 W North Blvd)

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...HV0pg/viewform

Tons of NIMBYs at the meeting tonight. Couldn't attend in person but tuned in via Zoom, but Zoom attendees weren't given the ability to be chosen in the lottery to speak.

Typical complaints about height and traffic and neighborhood character. Laughable considering a handful of the residents speaking to this live in the surrounding tall, ugly ~70s condo buildings.

So sick of these people. Wish they would move to the suburbs

Agreed. Would it still be built at a shorter height or will the complaints cancel the project entirely?

Or can they just ignore them?

Ridiculous. This is why we have a housing crisis in this city and country. No one wants anything built anywhere, and then go on and complain that they can't find any affordable places to live.

These people don't own that property. The city should have a planning and zoning department that can construct a grand plan for city development, developers can submit plans that are then reviewed by the planning board, and everyone else can literally shut the $%@# up.

Build. Build. Build. Drown the city with supply, and watch housing prices and rents start to moderate and fall. The city will flush with new property tax dollars and we can fund all sorts of things to help our communities.

So unbelievably frustrating. :hell:

Extremely frustrating. It's still all up to the alderman, who said he hasn't made up his mind. I suspect it'll be chopped a bit because these are a particularly vocal group of people, but who knows. It's outside the historic district and not exactly replacing anything worth preserving, but people were pleading with him like their life depended on it. It was surreal. There were some YIMBY voices there but most called up to speak were against.