CHICAGO | Highrise Projects & Construction, v7

[SolarWind]

June 10, 2016

[SolarWind]

June 10, 2016

[SolarWind]

June 10, 2016

[harryc]

6/02


Once the piling hits it's sticking point the top is clipped off - and recycled.

[LouisVanDerWright]

Holy mega updates batman. Thanks guys! Really capturing the volume of construction now!

Since this conversation doesn't really belong anywhere else, I'm posting the following to illustrate my point about lots in the Near West Loop:



All red boxes indicate large lots not tied to a condo board or back lot for a specific business. All blue outlines are sites with a serious proposal by credible developers. All green outlines are completed buildings since the recession. All yellow outlines are under construction.

As is obvious, we've wiped out maybe 1/4 to 1/3 of all surface lots in this area in the past 8 or 9 years. IF we continue at this rate, there were be only a handful of lots remaining after the next cycle comes an goes (probably about 10 years). Sam can claim I'm "excessively exuberant " until he's blue in the face, but I'm just observing facts that literally anyone with eyes who has been in the near West Loop over the past few years can see. I have a feeling that we will start seeing taller buildings proposed for the few remaining half and full block parcels in the next cycle now that all the like sites along and East of the river have been wiped out. As it is right now, including lots West of the freeway occupied by nasty auto oriented retail, there are only 6 or 7 quarter block + sites remaining. Anyone who thinks there will be more than 3 or 4 such sites come 2026 is delusional.

Edit: Also interesting is that almost all of these large lots are not contained to a nine square block box roughly bounded by Jefferson, Adams, Halsted, and Washington. Most of the lots to the North and to the South of these have been eradicated.

[HowardL]

Awesome graphic. I work in one of those Clinton Street econo-boxes and the West Loop's transformation in recent years has been remarkable.

To me, it feels that if a few key parcels were to get substantial development and IF the Kennedy cap were to happen, the dynamics of the area would be noteworthy.

Unless, of course, FOTPL decides that protecting car parks is more important than the health of the city. (Off-topic, little mini-rant over)

[ardecila]

Also worth noting that Amtrak's recent RFP for Union Station development includes the Union Station garage. That's arguably the most desirable office site in West Loop because it has virtually no design constraints for highrise other than the need to replace the lost parking spaces. It's almost a full block. Plus it will have underground connection to Union Station platforms, Clinton Blue Line, and right on top of the main downtown CTA bus terminal.

The site itself has 900k SF available to build, with the option to increase up to 3 million SF after air rights are transferred from the Union Station headhouse and plaza areas.

[spyguy]

Originally Posted by LouisVanDerWright

Holy mega updates batman. Thanks guys! Really capturing the volume of construction now!

Since this conversation doesn't really belong anywhere else, I'm posting the following to illustrate my point about lots in the Near West Loop:

All red boxes indicate large lots not tied to a condo board or back lot for a specific business. All blue outlines are sites with a serious proposal by credible developers. All green outlines are completed buildings since the recession. All yellow outlines are under construction.

As is obvious, we've wiped out maybe 1/4 to 1/3 of all surface lots in this area in the past 8 or 9 years. IF we continue at this rate, there were be only a handful of lots remaining after the next cycle comes an goes (probably about 10 years). Sam can claim I'm "excessively exuberant " until he's blue in the face, but I'm just observing facts that literally anyone with eyes who has been in the near West Loop over the past few years can see. I have a feeling that we will start seeing taller buildings proposed for the few remaining half and full block parcels in the next cycle now that all the like sites along and East of the river have been wiped out. As it is right now, including lots West of the freeway occupied by nasty auto oriented retail, there are only 6 or 7 quarter block + sites remaining. Anyone who thinks there will be more than 3 or 4 such sites come 2026 is delusional.

Edit: Also interesting is that almost all of these large lots are not contained to a nine square block box roughly bounded by Jefferson, Adams, Halsted, and Washington. Most of the lots to the North and to the South of these have been eradicated.

I forget what this is related to (McD HQ news I'm assuming) or what point this is trying to make (development will be forced to go in a new direction - but where?). But there are still some additional parcels missing from your map that I think will get redeveloped - the huge old Post Office of course, multiple development sites around 311 S Wacker, those parcels/lowrises around Lou Mitchell's including the Toyoko Inn site, the old Staples store along the highway. As more of the low-hanging fruit is picked, I'm sure more interesting/complex sites (private parking garages, SSA building would be amazing) will start making sense and come into play.

Plus from a residential standpoint, this area may have to compete with all of the mega developments proposed along the south branch (Riverline, Grand Central, future Roosevelt Collection tower, Related site, etc.).

---

Awesome construction updates everyone.

[harryc]

6/08




6/09


6/12











I really want one of these South units

[harryc]

5/25


6/08
(from DDS Reisinger's office)








back on street level

[emathias]

Originally Posted by SolarWind

June 10, 2016



Site hasn't changed much since an excavator was ripping up the pavement in February.

That's true, although there was a period of time where the western half still had cars parking on it regularly. I think that has stopped.

[SamInTheLoop]

Thanks for the great update on this one, Harry. (also thanks to Solar for all the awesome updates as well) This makes me wonder - will Riverline (assuming subsurface conditions will be quite similar) be all/mostly driven steel pile foundations as well??

[SamInTheLoop]

Originally Posted by LouisVanDerWright

Holy mega updates batman. Thanks guys! Really capturing the volume of construction now!

Since this conversation doesn't really belong anywhere else, I'm posting the following to illustrate my point about lots in the Near West Loop:

All red boxes indicate large lots not tied to a condo board or back lot for a specific business. All blue outlines are sites with a serious proposal by credible developers. All green outlines are completed buildings since the recession. All yellow outlines are under construction.

As is obvious, we've wiped out maybe 1/4 to 1/3 of all surface lots in this area in the past 8 or 9 years. IF we continue at this rate, there were be only a handful of lots remaining after the next cycle comes an goes (probably about 10 years). Sam can claim I'm "excessively exuberant " until he's blue in the face, but I'm just observing facts that literally anyone with eyes who has been in the near West Loop over the past few years can see. I have a feeling that we will start seeing taller buildings proposed for the few remaining half and full block parcels in the next cycle now that all the like sites along and East of the river have been wiped out. As it is right now, including lots West of the freeway occupied by nasty auto oriented retail, there are only 6 or 7 quarter block + sites remaining. Anyone who thinks there will be more than 3 or 4 such sites come 2026 is delusional.

Edit: Also interesting is that almost all of these large lots are not contained to a nine square block box roughly bounded by Jefferson, Adams, Halsted, and Washington. Most of the lots to the North and to the South of these have been eradicated.

Nice try. Few things missing from your thought process here: First, last I checked, there's this thing could demolition (which happens all the time here in Chicago for new high-rise construction) of non-historical/architectural significant/protected sites, which also count as candidates for development. Second, just because there is a development plan for a particular parcel doesn't mean it will be developed as such this cycle - or the next.....some could also be sold for other plans, that may also not get off the ground this cycle or the next. Third, there's this little thing called 'east of the river' where there are still lots of potential development sites (many/most involving demo as well of course)......Again, you're too enthusiastic with this stuff....typically you allow yourself to get somewhat carried away......

[UrbanLibertine]

On this month's Plan Commission agenda, they have the rezoning of 768 N. Abderdeen (from M1-3 to RT-4) for an 11-story mixed-use (condo and retail). Does anyone know anything about this project? And, I thought that site was zoned C1-3? Am I looking at the wrong site (I'm thinking it's the small parking lot just north of the Subway and Dags)?

[LouisVanDerWright]

Originally Posted by SamInTheLoop

Nice try. Few things missing from your thought process here: First, last I checked, there's this thing could demolition (which happens all the time here in Chicago for new high-rise construction) of non-historical/architectural significant/protected sites, which also count as candidates for development. Second, just because there is a development plan for a particular parcel doesn't mean it will be developed as such this cycle - or the next.....some could also be sold for other plans, that may also not get off the ground this cycle or the next. Third, there's this little thing called 'east of the river' where there are still lots of potential development sites (many/most involving demo as well of course)......Again, you're too enthusiastic with this stuff....typically you allow yourself to get somewhat carried away......

You just love distracting from the topic at hand. We are not talking about what sites "could be" crated, we are talking about which existing surface lots remain versus how many there used to be. Stop trying to expand the conversation to include all of God's creation. So please, explain to me why developers who have largely been chewing through parcels of vacant land in the near West Loop are going to suddenly shift strategy and start looking for teardowns in the Loop Proper?

My point is very simple, there is not a lot of nuance to it: in 2008 there were about 20 large surface lots in the section of town I posted. Now there are only about 10. What makes you think that suddenly everything is going to change and that trend will cease? You can leave your "you are carried away" attitude at the door and respond with facts. I am not speculating, I am observing what has, in objective fact, happened. I can drive down there and see each and every one of the developments that have replaced lots with my own eyes.

Finally, when did I ever say a proposal is guaranteed to happen? Again you are just making shit up to attempt discredit a simple observation: those parcels have serious active proposals. That is a fact and you can't deny it. Second you yourself just said in another thread that proposals (or at least the parcels they are planned for) are likely to get developed when backed by serious serial developers like Related or Fifield. That was the only reason I even mentioned proposals.

So again, oh great wise sage, explain to me the future tectonic shift that will occur making tear downs in the loop attractive when companies like McDonalds are choosing to locate all the way over on Morgan Street. You were the one who made the first statement that McDonald's is just chasing trends by locating there, so please share your great wisdom as to why walking 8 blocks West from Union station is any different than walking 8 blocks East. Because so far all you've done is repeat your claims without even an argument, let alone hard stats or facts, supporting it. You made the statement that the CBD shouldn't or wouldn't ever push into the West Loop, so the burden of proof is on you to explain why it's not going to happen because it's already happening.

[marothisu]

Curbed shows renderings of the hotel for Hubbard & LaSalle. 17 stories (200 feet). I do like how it shows it is or might be an Andaz Hotel. Surprised Chicago doesn't have one yet actually (not like there's a lot in the US/World anyway - somehow Miami doesn't have one).

http://chicago.curbed.com/2016/6/13/...own-high-rises

Source: Curbed (above link)

[i_am_hydrogen]

217 North Jefferson

The JDL Development team will present their proposal for the development of a 27-story building containing approximately 94 residential units with ground floor retail and commercial space. The existing 6-story commercial building will remain on the property. 96 accessory off-street parking spaces will be provided.

From Crain's

LaSalle and Hubbard

Representatives of PG Development, LLC will present their plans to construct an 18-story, 224-foot tall building containing approximately 6,000 SF of retail space on the ground floor for a restaurant tenant, and a new hotel with 199 rooms.

From Curbed

[The Lurker]

217 N. Jefferson will rise right between River Point and Left Bank in this view. Pic is obviously old but Ive been dying for a solid proposal for that gap

[LouisVanDerWright]

Originally Posted by i_am_hydrogen

From Crain's

The Near West Loop will be full of parking lots forever at this rate!

[rlw777]

Originally Posted by i_am_hydrogen

From Crain's


From Curbed

I'm liking both of these. Also it's worth noting that the Jefferson proposal is a condo project.