CHICAGO | General Developments - Page 633

sentinel · #**12641** Posted **Apr 27, 2011, 4:50 AM**

^ Interesting.

lawfin · #**12642** Posted **Apr 27, 2011, 6:39 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nowhereman1280

^^^ They don't have any parking garages in Manhattan?!??!

Alliance, the Hyatt is OK, could be better, but it will really depend on the materials. If they use real metals the results could be stunning, but if its fake engineered precast and metal it will look very bland. Just look at some of the buildings in Milwaukee. They are nothing but boxes, but they are covered in fancy shingle like metal tiles that make them epic...

They sure as hell do. When I was in Manhattan last I stayed in Chelsea. This was about 2 blocks from my hotel:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sour...23.23,,0,-9.67

Rizzo · #**12643** Posted **Apr 27, 2011, 12:58 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by spyguy

260 parking spots, physician offices, pharmacy, restaurant, surgical center

Yay, more parking podiums to look at! Don't those mesh screens, floors 2-4 just make your day......

i_am_hydrogen · #**12644** Posted **Apr 27, 2011, 3:07 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hayward

4/25 Ogden School

Cool photo!

the urban politician · #**12645** Posted **Apr 27, 2011, 4:06 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hayward

Yay, more parking podiums to look at! Don't those mesh screens, floors 2-4 just make your day......

^ Considering that it contains office space, a surgical center, retail space, and a restaurant, along with the fact that it already replaces a giant surface parking lot--I'll take it!

Beta_Magellan · #**12646** Posted **Apr 27, 2011, 4:22 PM**

Although it really doesn’t help that the whole building looks like it’s dedicated to parking (at least in the rendering)—the slats on the top three floors look like they come from a sixties parking deck. The massing doesn’t help, either, with the prominently-displayed circulation in the middle or the strange way the windows on that one corner of the building are framed.

I guess our only hope is that the building’s colors and textures come out better in real life, although given that much of it just seems to be run-of-the-mill precast paneling I wouldn’t hold out on it.

the urban politician · #**12647** Posted **Apr 27, 2011, 4:36 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beta_Magellan

Although it really doesn’t help that the whole building looks like it’s dedicated to parking (at least in the rendering)—the slats on the top three floors look like they come from a sixties parking deck. The massing doesn’t help, either, with the prominently-displayed circulation in the middle or the strange way the windows on that one corner of the building are framed.

I guess our only hope is that the building’s colors and textures come out better in real life, although given that much of it just seems to be run-of-the-mill precast paneling I wouldn’t hold out on it.

^ What's wrong with the massing?

It is flush with the street, large, and overwhelms in 'take no prisoners' fashion. Chicago needs more of that.

But the best part is, it has active street level uses and replaces that damn lot. If you look at the rest of the Swedish Covenent campus, it is essentially the usual street-hating hospital crap. I wouldn't give this project an A, or even a B, but I think it deserves a C+

Loopy · #**12648** Posted **Apr 27, 2011, 5:31 PM**

...

k1052 · #**12649** Posted **Apr 27, 2011, 7:28 PM**

^

lol....I was wondering why I saw a few random protesters holding anti-coal signs at Harrison and Wells today

i_am_hydrogen · #**12650** Posted **Apr 27, 2011, 8:09 PM**

Speaking of parking structures...

Quote:

Meanwhile, gourmet grocer Fox & Obel plans to park its second location in the Greenway garage, 60 W. Kinzie St., where the company has signed a long-term lease for 16,000 square feet.

The new store will most likely open during the first quarter of 2011, according to Bill Bolton, who leads the investment group that bought Fox & Obel in 2008. Mr. Bolton is a former CEO of Supervalu Inc., which owns Jewel-Osco.

The new location, which would have close to 300-feet of frontage along Kinzie and Clark streets, is to include a market, café and bistro seating area with a wine bar, much like the flagship store in Streeterville, which opened in 2001 at 401 E. Illinois St. One of the unique features is an outdoor dining area that's to be open during the warmer months.

The grocer first announced its intent to expand back in 2006 but in 2008 scuttled plans to open a store in the former Carson Pirie & Scott building on State Street.

Read more: http://www.chicagorealestatedaily.co...#ixzz1Kjkx8fA9
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Beta_Magellan · #**12651** Posted **Apr 27, 2011, 8:21 PM**

I’m amazed they were fooled by that. The coal plant on the pamphlet is pretty amateurish (see the upper right corner—sorry, no higher res—via sloopin):

In the comments to the follow-up post, someone says Fioretti’s office has confirmed these as being connected to the campaign to close Fisk and/or Crawford. To which one commenter, being a true South Looper, reacts with (to paraphrase), “Those people from Little Village got me all worked up over nothing, so they deserve their carcinogens!”

Nowhereman1280 · #**12652** Posted **Apr 27, 2011, 10:06 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loopy

http://www.sloopin.com/2011/04/power...nters-row.html

Lol, I don't know about you guys, but I heard this is true and they are actually building a coal plant. Supposedly the lot along the river north of Roosevelt will be a coal heap with a conveyor up Wells to supply the plant with coal that is barged in.

Kippis · #**12653** Posted **Apr 28, 2011, 12:19 AM**

^ Sounds like a hoax to me. Edison would sooner build a coal-fired power plant in Grant Park before they put one up on prime riverfront property that's zoned for mixed use development. Just sounds incredibly stupid to me...

ardecila · #**12654** Posted **Apr 28, 2011, 12:29 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nowhereman1280

Lol, I don't know about you guys, but I heard this is true and they are actually building a coal plant. Supposedly the lot along the river north of Roosevelt will be a coal heap with a conveyor up Wells to supply the plant with coal that is barged in.

Too bad it's not true. The coal heap would provide nice scenery from the Roosevelt bridge, and the power plant would increase downtown employment. Think of how many hipsters would go take abstract, skewed photos of the conveyor!

Rizzo · #**12655** Posted **Apr 28, 2011, 12:49 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by the urban politician

^ Considering that it contains office space, a surgical center, retail space, and a restaurant, along with the fact that it already replaces a giant surface parking lot--I'll take it!

Oh I'll definitely take it too.

It's just me and my obligatory, complain about the expressed parking post.

You need at least 50% open facade for a garage that isn't mechanically exhausted. As solid as those panels look (assuming they wrap the whole structure) they won't be as opaque as the rendering shows.

The ground level looks nice. It just sucks having to look up from the street and see 3 levels of parking. I know they could do better. Perhaps they could just have done solid cladding on the front and left the alley sides of the building entirely open to meet code. Using screens and meshes over parking garages is in-vogue throughout the architecture industry. It's a trend I don't like...because when it comes down to it, I still see a damn garage behind it.

Rizzo · #**12656** Posted **Apr 28, 2011, 12:52 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beta_Magellan

I’m amazed they were fooled by that. The coal plant on the pamphlet is pretty amateurish (see the upper right corner—sorry, no higher res—via sloopin):

In the comments to the follow-up post, someone says Fioretti’s office has confirmed these as being connected to the campaign to close Fisk and/or Crawford. To which one commenter, being a true South Looper, reacts with (to paraphrase), “Those people from Little Village got me all worked up over nothing, so they deserve their carcinogens!”

Yeah I agree. The pamphlet design is very sophomoric. They could've done better!!

Any company can for-real build a powerplant or factory by me though. I can relive my childhood memories of the foundry smoke that would waft over my neighborhood. It smelled like burning grease.

Loopy · #**12657** Posted **Apr 28, 2011, 4:09 AM**

...

Nowhereman1280 · #**12658** Posted **Apr 28, 2011, 1:41 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kippis

^ Sounds like a hoax to me. Edison would sooner build a coal-fired power plant in Grant Park before they put one up on prime riverfront property that's zoned for mixed use development. Just sounds incredibly stupid to me...

Of course its a hoax. If that land had sold we'd all know about it. However, that doesn't mean that I didn't take it upon myself to jump into the fray and stir up the angst even more. I posted a couple anonymous posts on NIMBY websites claiming to be a ComEd worker who could confirm the rumor because "ComEd has been concerned the grid in the South Loop is getting weak due to the heavy power consumption of the luxury condo towers and their parking garages". I also told them that Fioretti is lying because he got heavy contributions from the energy industry and wants to downplay the likelihood of the plant getting constructed so they could sneak it through the back door before anyone noticed.

Nothing like causing a little chaos in the NIMBY world and messing with their organization!

emathias · #**12659** Posted **Apr 28, 2011, 3:05 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by i_am_hydrogen

Speaking of parking structures...

Check the date on that article.

Given that currently Fox&Obel is on the verge of losing their lease on their main location on McClurg and Illinois, I suspect that a location in that garage - as much as I'd like to see it happen - isn't going to come through.

Kippis · #**12660** Posted **Apr 28, 2011, 7:35 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nowhereman1280

Of course its a hoax. If that land had sold we'd all know about it. However, that doesn't mean that I didn't take it upon myself to jump into the fray and stir up the angst even more. I posted a couple anonymous posts on NIMBY websites claiming to be a ComEd worker who could confirm the rumor because "ComEd has been concerned the grid in the South Loop is getting weak due to the heavy power consumption of the luxury condo towers and their parking garages". I also told them that Fioretti is lying because he got heavy contributions from the energy industry and wants to downplay the likelihood of the plant getting constructed so they could sneak it through the back door before anyone noticed.

Nothing like causing a little chaos in the NIMBY world and messing with their organization!

Lol yeah, well see there might be a shred of truth in what you posted on those NIMBY sites.

I recently put up more track lighting in my condo and added rope lights to the balcony. I ain't living in a fancy, luxury condo tower but I can assure you that I tax the power grid just like any self-respecting condo owner in the South Loop does