Want To Stop The Central Loop Exodus? A LaSalle Street ‘High Line’ Is Not The Answer

[badrunner]

Originally Posted by edale

Desperate? Nah, you just sound clueless. Proposing a concept that has existed for many years just a few blocks from this latest proposal for Lasalle St as if it's something completely novel.

Ummm, it's not even the same concept. Wacker dr is below grade, with the upper level at grade. It's not that special, there are examples of it all over the world. It's basically just an underground road. What I was talking about, and what is proposed for Lasalle st. is completely different with the lower level at grade and the upper level above grade. Just look at the pictures. If you think that's the same thing as Wacker dr I don't know what to tell you

[JManc]

It doesn't jive at all with the aesthetic of the area. Especially with the Chicago Board of Trade at the end of La Salle.

[Crawford]

Originally Posted by The North One

There is a central loop exodus? With large office vacancies?

This is the first time I'm hearing this.

There has been a shift of office demand from the Central Loop to West Loop for 40-50 years now. As the region suburbanized, it made more sense to have companies near the Metra stations.

Wacker Drive was a backwater 50 years ago. It's been the prime Chicago office street for a couple decades. But way back, State & Madison was the best location. You see lots of office-to-residential conversions in the Central Loop.

[Steely Dan]

^ correct.

"decades-long shift" would have been more accurate than "exodus", but it doesn't make for a very gripping headline.

[ardecila]

This concept is pretty meh, but I don't think anyone is seriously proposing it.

I do think the city could pedestrianize LaSalle south of Washington, though (southbound traffic would disperse on Wacker and Randolph/Washington). It's not a heavy traffic street since it dead-ends at Jackson. Outfit it with cafe chairs and such like NYC did on parts of Broadway, and allow people to enjoy the architecture and dramatic urban canyon.

I think all the buildings on that stretch are serviced by alleys, so there shouldn't be issues with deliveries so long as the alleys continue across the plaza from Wells to Clark. It would need to be carefully programmed with activity, though - it's a real snoozefest at night along LaSalle. Maybe open the plaza to food trucks 24/7? There's such a strong restriction on food trucks in the city that this would naturally funnel activity to this area.

The growing residential population in the Loop will need open space to enjoy - not really feasible to provide green space but plazas are a better fit.

[SIGSEGV]

Originally Posted by ardecila

This concept is pretty meh, but I don't think anyone is seriously proposing it.

I do think the city could pedestrianize LaSalle south of Washington, though (southbound traffic would disperse on Wacker and Randolph/Washington). It's not a heavy traffic street since it dead-ends at Jackson. Outfit it with cafe chairs and such like NYC did on parts of Broadway, and allow people to enjoy the architecture and dramatic urban canyon.

I think all the buildings on that stretch are serviced by alleys, so there shouldn't be issues with deliveries so long as the alleys continue across the plaza from Wells to Clark. It would need to be carefully programmed with activity, though - it's a real snoozefest at night along LaSalle. Maybe open the plaza to food trucks 24/7? There's such a strong restriction on food trucks in the city that this would naturally funnel activity to this area.

The growing residential population in the Loop will need open space to enjoy - not really feasible to provide green space but plazas are a better fit.

Also the money museum in the Federal Reserve building is pretty cool, but annoyingly mostly open only during banker's hours making it difficult to visit. Most of those buildings have very ornate interiors that are unfortunately mostly inaccessible to the public. Some sort of finance museum in the basement of the Board of Trade could be really cool.