CHICAGO | General Developments - Page 1762

Rizzo · #**35221** Posted **Oct 25, 2016, 6:19 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by the urban politician

^ Ha, I once hired a shady as shit contractor and we got a stop work order. They just peeled off the orange sticker and kept working. City did nothing.

What do you expect? I don't think people get it. They think inspectors are just driving around town with some 6th sense to sniff out illegal construction. Reality is citations are written when neighbors complain. In certain areas of the city, people complain about everything and the city is obligated to resolve that complaint.

the urban politician · #**35222** Posted **Oct 25, 2016, 8:01 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SamInTheLoop

That's quite admirable of you.

Of me? What makes you think I did that? I never even knew about it until a while later. Either way I fired the contractor but that was for other reasons.

r18tdi · #**35223** Posted **Oct 25, 2016, 8:19 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by woodrow

The "Boardwalk" is bad folks, especially after walking through the other rooms. Clearly no money.

They should rip out the sod and build an Apple store.

maru2501 · #**35224** Posted **Oct 25, 2016, 8:26 PM**

Walked it today. At least some new city perspectives. City will grow into it. A lot of it is wired for electricity, so clearly they expect booths down there

emathias · #**35225** Posted **Oct 25, 2016, 11:53 PM**

Crews are removing the planters in front of the building at Huron and Lasalle that used to have the Blue Frog in it. Perhaps that means they're getting close to starting the renovation.

k1052 · #**35226** Posted **Oct 26, 2016, 12:11 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by emathias

Crews are removing the planters in front of the building at Huron and Lasalle that used to have the Blue Frog in it. Perhaps that means they're getting close to starting the renovation.

Adjacent to this noticed the moving signs on the Erie-Lasalle Body Shop the other day. I presume they sold. Anyone know if there is a plan for this site?

emathias · #**35227** Posted **Oct 26, 2016, 1:46 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by k1052

Adjacent to this noticed the moving signs on the Erie-Lasalle Body Shop the other day. I presume they sold. Anyone know if there is a plan for this site?

I don't know if there is a plan, but losing the parking lot at Lasalle/Huron and also soon the parking lot on Wells between Huron and Erie would make their business very difficult to manage because they store cars in both those lots all the time. So even if there isn't a plan for the site currently, I'm sure Erie-Lasalle saw the writing on the wall a while ago.

ardecila · #**35228** Posted **Oct 26, 2016, 5:23 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Via Chicago

i dunno, i see it turning into something like pritzker park, which also had promised to be a "flexible space", but remains underutilized due to design and location. i dont know about anyone else, but unless you have a blanket (which most loop officers workers arent going to have), i cant say im a fan of laying on bare grass in Chicago, considering the amount of piss from both human and animal that tends to get deposited. and this section, you still have the grossness of lower wacker belching all over you.

A) this section is unfinished. I mean, the detailing is still terrible, but I believe there will be some kind of fence or hedge barrier between lower wacker and the riverwalk. Also, there is a whole 40' wide storage area (under cover) between the lower wacker lanes and the riverwalk property, currently used for construction staging. You don't really notice Lower Wacker there.

B) The rest of the riverwalk is a popular picnic spot, as is Chase Plaza and a few other open areas around downtown. Formerly, the AMA Building in River North had a lawn that was extremely popular with office workers looking to catch some rays and eat lunch in the grass. As long as the city keeps dogs out, I think the lawn on the Riverwalk should be quite popular in the warmer months.

streetline · #**35229** Posted **Oct 26, 2016, 5:39 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by r18tdi

They should rip out the sod and build an Apple store.

Nah, build an all glass Apple Store and keep the sod. Imagine how awesome a perfect square of green will look there in the dead of winter.

In all seriousness, I hope they do get some kind of retail tenants to build out their own spaces in the area under Wacker they're using for construction storage now. There needs to be some kind of every day draw to get people down there, not just special events. And that's not to mention that they need rent to pay off the loans that built the river walk, and with no obvious retail spaces in the final phase that could be a problem.

Via Chicago · #**35230** Posted **Oct 26, 2016, 6:45 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ardecila

B) The rest of the riverwalk is a popular picnic spot, as is Chase Plaza and a few other open areas around downtown. Formerly, the AMA Building in River North had a lawn that was extremely popular with office workers looking to catch some rays and eat lunch in the grass. As long as the city keeps dogs out, I think the lawn on the Riverwalk should be quite popular in the warmer months.

even if they keep dogs off, good luck with the geese. they are going to be eating and shitting all over that grass, esp given its proximity to the river bank.

i mean i could be wrong and this will be a hit, but im not betting on it

ardecila · #**35231** Posted **Oct 26, 2016, 7:59 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Via Chicago

even if they keep dogs off, good luck with the geese. they are going to be eating and shitting all over that grass, esp given its proximity to the river bank.

i mean i could be wrong and this will be a hit, but im not betting on it

Hopefully the geese fly kamikaze missions into River Point and 333N before they make it down to the river bank.

Vlajos · #**35232** Posted **Oct 26, 2016, 10:19 PM**

I'm not following all the hand wringing over one small section of the river walk. The vast majority of the walk is a huge success. If one tiny section gets less use, I'm not seeing the problem.

Via Chicago · #**35233** Posted **Oct 27, 2016, 3:18 PM**

i think its just that we all know the high standard that was applied to the rest of the walk, and the potential it had. the High Line dosent have 80% thats great and then 20% thats half assed...it feels like a cohesive, well designed project. i think people just would have liked to see this have been completed as originally billed.

woodrow · #**35234** Posted **Oct 27, 2016, 3:52 PM**

^^This. Perfect analogy. I am still happy that i can walk the river from Lake to the lake, but disappointed that the design and finish in this Boardwalk section is so half assed compared to the other room.

I do think(hope?) that they will upgrade and fix.

LouisVanDerWright · #**35235** Posted **Oct 27, 2016, 4:10 PM**

Random update:

We now know what they are doing with that space between the Logan Twins. They have built a really nice plaza with 4 or 5 HUGE boulders arranged in a Japanese zen garden-esque setup. I didn't think I would be pleased if they went with a plaza, but this is really nice and complements the buildings. Also, looks like there will still be plenty of retail in the base of each tower and that the retail spaces fronting the plaza will have access to it so we may see a neat bar or cafe here activating the new public space. I'll try to grab some pics next time I go by.

ardecila · #**35236** Posted **Oct 27, 2016, 5:34 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by LouisVanDerWright

Random update:

We now know what they are doing with that space between the Logan Twins. They have built a really nice plaza with 4 or 5 HUGE boulders arranged in a Japanese zen garden-esque setup. I didn't think I would be pleased if they went with a plaza, but this is really nice and complements the buildings. Also, looks like there will still be plenty of retail in the base of each tower and that the retail spaces fronting the plaza will have access to it so we may see a neat bar or cafe here activating the new public space. I'll try to grab some pics next time I go by.

Yeah, the plaza allows them to make money off the open space by charging rent for the outdoor seating areas.

They also put in a gabion wall to screen the plaza from the parking in back. Looks pretty good.

r18tdi · #**35237** Posted **Oct 27, 2016, 5:43 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ardecila

Yeah, the plaza allows them to make money off the open space by charging rent for the outdoor seating areas.

For real?

ardecila · #**35238** Posted **Oct 27, 2016, 5:47 PM**

^ Of course. Usually the use of the outdoor area is folded into the rent paid for the retail space. Outdoor areas are at a premium in a place like Logan Square...

Rizzo · #**35239** Posted **Oct 27, 2016, 6:05 PM**

I'm sure they'll finish it. The ramp is pretty crude...as if they were thinking...this will be finished in a couple years. They could clad it, put in lighting and new railings. I do like the open expanse of grass though.

nomarandlee · #**35240** Posted **Oct 27, 2016, 10:54 PM**

While I think the Lake portion of the riverwalk is a quasi-embarrassment for the moment I am not going to panic over it. I can't imagine with the high visibility and success that it already has proved to be that some private entity will not fork up some real cash to make a finish of it. Apple is essentially throwing many tens of millions? for a somewhat similar space and yet this is already half finished for a prospective user.

Also the city will work tirelessly to see that a mixture of public/private money can shore it up sooner rather then later considering what a pet project it is and how much the city has put a priority on making the whole entity happen.

This is not an afterthought pocket park which the city feels it can give it a number of years to sit on to see if it can be made to attract visitors with some programming or a few minor upgrades to be updated down the road.