New parkland on the lakefront at Fullerton Avenue: 5.8 acres. From Curbed:

Speaking of the South Side, L.A. Fitness to Expand to Douglas

The 40,000-square-foot fitness center at the northeast corner of 35th Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive will open in the spring. I hope the owner, Draper and Kramer, still pursues adding 7,000 housing units to the neighborhood.

http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20130...expand-douglas

Yeah, I saw this.

It's not a good sign for the Lake Meadows megaproject - the first phase of that project was supposed to be a total replacement of the Lake Meadows Shopping Center, which would be mixed-use and include enough new apartments to relocate some tenants from existing buildings so they could be torn down/replaced in future phases.

I've driven by that building a number of times and I just don't see it being big enough to host an award show. It doesn't seem like it's big enough for that, at least not from the outside. What is its seating capacity?

Edit - I found this pic of its interior and it does look fairly small:

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8159/7...8bfa2bf6_c.jpg
Balcony by MattLambros, on Flickr

capacity is 2250.

The place has been the center of some very notable performers and it's also on the landmarks list:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Regal_Theater

People who have performed here:
Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, James Brown, Jerry Butler, Cab Calloway, Gene Chandler, Nat King Cole, Bill Cosby, Miles Davis, Sammy Davis Jr., Earth Wind & Fire, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, The Four Tops, Red Foxx, Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, Dizzy Gillespie, Al Green, Herbie Hancock, Isaac Hayes, Billie Holliday, Whitney Houston, The Impressions, The Isley Brothers, Jackson 5, Etta James, Louis Jordan, BB King, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Ludacris, Curtis Mayfield, The Nicholas Brothers, Pearl Jam, Richard Pryor, Lou Rawls, Smokey Robinson & the Miracles, The Temptations, Dionne Warwick, Dinah Washington, Jackie Wilson, Stevie Wonder, etc


That is an incredibly impressive lineup history.

There are now so many damn award shows, I'm sure we can find something that fits. I suggested Soul Train, which has been held at similar-sized venues in recent years, and the TV show began here in Chicago so it has a strong connection.

This is all kinda wishful thinking after reading The Third Coast, though... to the extent that America can tolerate a third media capital, Atlanta's already got a huge leg up, especially (but not exclusively) for the black community.

I think some of the those oldest performers actually performed at the original Regal Theater.

New Bulls' practice facility, 15 S Wood, issued a building permit yesterday ($25 Million) about 1.5 months after the ground breaking.

I'm not sure why you've gotten so sour on this Chicago being a media center thing. Perhaps this book you are talking about has had an outsized influence. Forest for the trees I guess.

I really hope to see More investments such as this one for the south side, that part of town badly needs it that's for sure.

Anyone know if the Clark park boathouse is open, I remember reading that they planned on opening August 3rd. I am curious how it looks

I'm pretty sure you're right about that.

Wow, the price for the theater was only $99,000. Some real cool pics here. I really love the Middle Eastern/Moorish architecture of this thing. The place looks like a gem.

http://afterthefinalcurtain.net/2012...gal-theatre-2/


Speaking of Theatres. I wish some of these would be restored and re-opened so badly:
http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Ma...Movie-Palaces/

It's comparable in size to the Gateway/Copernicus Center, except with a bigger lobby and balcony, and overall much more elaborate. And, importantly, it has a large stage and ample support spaces. Many people may not realize there are several other large theaters still on the South Side, all of which are now churches (Beverly, Highland, Grove). At this sale price, I really thought the New Regal would wind up as a church too.

Fulton Market
 

Old tower going down 8/13


8/23 - down

Columbia's doing a sort of park there as a temporary use until they can build their campus center. But being careful to not make it too nice, so they don't end up with a People's Park situation.

Jones College Prep High School opens Monday:

http://i.imgur.com/gYt1lWG.jpg

^^nice. I was happy to see they got rid of the all white facade choice on Jones Prep. I think it appreciates the neighborhood.

Children's Memorial redevelopment
 

We haven't heard much news on this one lately. Ald. Smith's attempts to kill off economic development in her ward seem to be working:

Lincoln Ave. a Dead Zone Without Children's Memorial, Business Owners Say

St. James Catholic Church demolition
 

Sic transit gloria mundi.

http://i.imgur.com/LPn5hiu.jpg

Sad to see it being demolished. Beautiful structure along with the rectory. A hold out from Chicago's past until it became very institutional around there with IIT and public housing.