CHICAGO | General Developments

[wierdaaron]

I wrote up the current situation with Lake Meadows, thanks everyone for the input. http://chicago.curbed.com/archives/2014/10/29/is-this-epic-lake-meadows-redevelopment-back-on.php

While I was trying to track down Draper & Kramer, the firm who originally came up with the redevelopment plan, it was like trying to find a ghost. Their website hasn't been updated (including their news & development page) since 2008, and I couldn't find any solid mentions of them in news in the last few years. Only stuff like a VP from D&K donating a few million to the boy scouts this month, and them securing loans for projects but never any talk of the projects moving forward. I sent an email to their published address and it bounced back.

Does anybody know if the firm still exists? Are they just really quiet?

edit:

Looks like it's just "Draper & Kramer" that's silent. Their sub-companies are still in business.

http://www.dkcondo.com/

http://www.dklivingapts.com/

They could definitely use some SEO.

(thanks jz)

[Mr Downtown]

The small site (currently a parking lot, just 165 feet of frontage) just south of River City is set to be purchased by CMK, says Crain’s. (http://www.chicagobusiness.com/realestate/20141029/CRED03/141029764/river-city-ii-condo-developer-to-buy-site-south-of-housing-complex) This is not the much larger vacant parcel that stretches south to Roosevelt Road.

Meanwhile, across the street at 859 S. Wells, a parking lot that closed recently south of Paper Place Loftominiums, Michigan Avenue Partners plans four-story condos, a total of 86 units. I’m surprised the land was cheap enough for these to pencil out. The developers have two similar projects finished in the West Loop, and two more under construction there. I'm not crazy that the ground floor of these will be parking (1:1) with blind windows, but it's hard to make much of a case for the retail required in B2-3. I wish they'd at least do the traditional urban solution of putting the parking a half-level down, so occupied units would be only a half-level up from the sidewalk.

http://i.imgur.com/Ye4d8r0.png

[wierdaaron]

I was hopeful when I heard about CMK buying that lot south of river city, because despite the terrible floor plans of 1345 Wabash CMK is big enough to know what they're doing.

Those townhouses, on the other hand, are gross.

When thinking about that strip of Wells you have to keep in mind that the Wells-Wentworth connector is going to completely change the dynamic of that street, changing it from a dead-end desert into a major thoroughfare for traffic between downtown and chinadown and further south. Boring townhomes might make sense for the context of now, but in the future context they're a huge miss.

If RC's next phases take off, they'll be almost surrounded by highrises. Ugh I hope whoever the hell is the alderman there come january (Solis?) can stop this.

[Mr Downtown]

^They don't need a PD or variation, except to allow ground-floor residential rather than the retail required in B2. Since this is the part of Wells that's unlikely to ever be widened, I'm not sure how retail could ever be comfortable here. The Wells-Wentworth Connector will bring lots of cars past the front, but CDOT (maybe even IDOT) is likely to operate it as a four-lane street, with no possibility for generous sidewalks or protective curb parking.

[wierdaaron]

Since most of the Wells-facing land in the area is currently undeveloped, is there any hope of getting walkability added to the WWC plan? I'm sure McCaffery would be interested in making the area around RC pedestrian-friendly, and wont someone think of the little british kids??

[munchymunch]

Great Development spot

Amalgamated Bank of Chicago put its longtime State Street headquarters up for sale as it prepares to join its banking brethren in the city's financial district.

The bank hired the local office of Cushman & Wakefield Inc. to sell its headquarters at 100 and 112 S. State St., adjacent buildings it will leave next year for about 60,000 square feet in the office tower at 30 N. LaSalle St., said Amalgamated Chairman and CEO Robert Wrobel.

Amalgamated will open a retail branch on the building's ground floor, he said.

“We've been here almost 45 years. State Street has been very good for us,” Mr. Wrobel said. “(But) we have really run out of space here.”

“My sense is there's enough interest and ability to have a deal work from a retail standpoint,” said Cushman Senior Director Michael Marks, one of the brokers working on the sale. “That's what I think will drive the demand.”

But a buyer could tear down the two buildings and develop something taller, he said.

“If someone does a retail deal and puts a tenant in with a 10- or 15-year term, either they or the next owner will be in position to build in that future cycle,” he said.

The property is offered without an asking price. Pricing will depend on whether a buyer values the property with income in-place with a retail tenant or expects to knock down what's there and redevelop the 14,400-square-foot parcel, according to Mr. Marks. Mr. Wrobel said the market will determine a price.

Amalgamated’s buildings are a block north of another significant batch of State Street properties awaiting a new life: four long-vacant buildings in the 200 block of the street that are owned by the federal government. This summer, a federal agency sought ideas from developers and others on what to do with the buildings.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/realestate/20141029/CRED03/141029806/amalgamated-bank-to-exit-state-street-puts-hq-buildings-in-play

[wierdaaron]

Not really relevant, but I hate the little half-jog State makes right at that bank.

[joeg1985]

^^ Oh this is great news. Walked past this building every week day for a year and a half. It's nothing special but I did really like the large canopies at the doors. Hopefully a new development could incorporate something similar or better.

It's funny that they say they are running out of room in that building. The first floor lobby/bank always looks so empty.

And the jog is a block north at Maddison.

[ardecila]

Renovation on Goose Island

1071 W Division St - Interior and exterior alterations to 4-story building to include removal of top level (4th floor), masonry chimney, and adjacent 1 story structure. interior demolition and remodel of space. proposed multi-tenant office building with adjacent parking lot

http://i57.tinypic.com/6h5hlj.jpg

[george]

Renovation or demolition? ^

10/19

Northwest Tower boutique hotel rehab

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/901/EKGdYb.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/p1EKGdYbj)

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/661/iTjKwR.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/idiTjKwRj)

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/912/otqTLj.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/pcotqTLjj)

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/538/rSsixN.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/eyrSsixNj)

[ardecila]

Renovation or demolition? ^

Yes... I edited my post with the permit description. Sucks to lose the top floor but I'm glad they are reusing this super urban building.

[SamInTheLoop]

The small site (currently a parking lot, just 165 feet of frontage) just south of River City is set to be purchased by CMK, says Crain’s. (http://www.chicagobusiness.com/realestate/20141029/CRED03/141029764/river-city-ii-condo-developer-to-buy-site-south-of-housing-complex) This is not the much larger vacant parcel that stretches south to Roosevelt Road.

Meanwhile, across the street at 859 S. Wells, a parking lot that closed recently south of Paper Place Loftominiums, Michigan Avenue Partners plans four-story condos, a total of 86 units. I’m surprised the land was cheap enough for these to pencil out. The developers have two similar projects finished in the West Loop, and two more under construction there. I'm not crazy that the ground floor of these will be parking (1:1) with blind windows, but it's hard to make much of a case for the retail required in B2-3. I wish they'd at least do the traditional urban solution of putting the parking a half-level down, so occupied units would be only a half-level up from the sidewalk.




http://i.imgur.com/Ye4d8r0.png


Capital "T" is right!

This is a joke, right?

4 story piddley wink shit in the 800 block of S. Wells? In 2014?? 6 blocks south of Willis Tower?!

Nauseating...........


Uh, for a preview of things to come if this nonsense actually gets built, see super-suburbanite NIMBY situation at 400 W Huron....



And not only that - what's with this design? It looks like pure unadulterated ass.....

[SamInTheLoop]

I was hopeful when I heard about CMK buying that lot south of river city, because despite the terrible floor plans of 1345 Wabash CMK is big enough to know what they're doing.

Those townhouses, on the other hand, are gross.

When thinking about that strip of Wells you have to keep in mind that the Wells-Wentworth connector is going to completely change the dynamic of that street, changing it from a dead-end desert into a major thoroughfare for traffic between downtown and chinadown and further south. Boring townhomes might make sense for the context of now, but in the future context they're a huge miss.

If RC's next phases take off, they'll be almost surrounded by highrises. Ugh I hope whoever the hell is the alderman there come january (Solis?) can stop this.



Promising whenever CMK lands a new piece of land, from an architectural addition standpoint. Regarding their floorplans, they might be sketchy, but since I have no plans to move to a CMK building, I couldn't possibly care less......

[SamInTheLoop]

Great Development spot



http://www.chicagobusiness.com/realestate/20141029/CRED03/141029806/amalgamated-bank-to-exit-state-street-puts-hq-buildings-in-play


Exciting times for State Street indeed. This, the GSA-owned buildings, obviously Block 37, I'm sure there will be other things popping up as well. Still a damn shame that Joey Chetrit decided to lease the Sears State St frontage right away to CVS. What a wasted opportunity there. If that douche had the slightest bit of patience, he could have landed something(s) both much more energetic for the overall Street and equally - and I'm sure likely more (perhaps much more) financially lucrative......

[denizen467]

I’m surprised the land was cheap enough for these to pencil out.
How can this be happening. Two blocks north on an even smaller site, somebody built Vetro, a residential high rise, about a decade ago. Did soil testing reveal Mrs O'Leary's cow is buried somewhere underfoot and they can't sink caissons where needed?

[the urban politician]

^ I don't mind an occasional low scaled building intermixed with highrises, but the design of this one is just awful (although all we have to go by is that one pic Mr. D provided).

It looks like the ground level will be pretty much dead, with perhaps some sort of courtyard-like entrance set far back from the street. Retail would have been nice

[Mr Downtown]

^Much as I like the theory that there would be retail spaces on the ground floor, it's hard to see that as realistic for this block. River City's retail is all empty, the Roosevelt Collection focuses any retail energy on Roosevelt Road, and there's no visibility to transit. I don't know that we need a bunch of mortgage brokers and dentists offices with the blinds drawn—like you see all along Division or Lincoln or Damen—just because the B2 zoning requires ground-floor retail.

[Ryanrule]

can we like start leaving flaming dog shit on aldermans lawns until they behave themselves?

[Baronvonellis]

Wither goes the Spire? I thought the deadline is tomorrow??

[george]

Yes... I edited my post with the permit description. Sucks to lose the top floor but I'm glad they are reusing this super urban building.

That's great, glad to see it re-purposed. The old cornice dental is a nice feature to top out the structure.

[spyguy]

Montrose and Honore TOD
Ground floor retail, 24 apartments, top floor office space
http://i58.tinypic.com/155mg4z.jpg
http://i61.tinypic.com/15qdd6r.jpg
http://i61.tinypic.com/2eq7wjb.jpg

[Baronvonellis]

^ Wow! I love it, that is perfect for the area! Although 6-8 stories would be even better. I'm glad it's not going to stay a community garden for the next 10 years.

[SamInTheLoop]

^ Yeah, looks interesting. Given its location, of course agree that it should have 2x as many units at least. The top floor office space is an interesting aspect, and a bit strange. Don't see somthing like that too often.....

[gallo]

Nice proposal for a tricky parcel at the Montrose Brown Line. I'd like to see something similar at other CTA "remnant" properties such as the two adjacent to the Belmont red/brown/purple stop.

[Ryanrule]

hope they soundproof that well.

[Baronvonellis]

Also, next to the Roscoe brownline. It's kind of crazy the land has been vacant for what 8 years in booming Roscoe Village.

[wierdaaron]

Looks like an upgrade to me, and a clever use of that tight opening.

http://i.imgur.com/bGoGxeJl.jpg (http://imgur.com/bGoGxeJ)

Being near a stop isn't always as loud as being near the tracks.

[ChickeNES]

Nice proposal for a tricky parcel at the Montrose Brown Line. I'd like to see something similar at other CTA "remnant" properties such as the two adjacent to the Belmont red/brown/purple stop.

The spots beside Belmont RBP won't be filled in until after the Clark junction flyover is built, as, IIRC, the CTA plans on using them for construction staging.

[wierdaaron]

MDP from space

http://i.imgur.com/MgJfVidl.jpg (http://imgur.com/MgJfVid)

[LouisVanDerWright]

Looks like there might be some movement with this project:

http://www.chicagoarchitecture.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/rendering_focal_point_campus_courtyard_view_large2.jpg
http://www.chicagoarchitecture.org/2013/02/05/saint-anthony-hospital-moving-to-new-campus-video/

Article in Crain's today:

Hospital project seeks Emanuel administration's help acquiring land

The price of an ambitious plan to create a health care, retail and school campus on the Southwest Side that would include a new St. Anthony Hospital has soared to nearly $560 million as the nonprofit spearheading the project seeks to double its footprint.

Chicago Southwest Development Corp., created by St. Anthony's parent organization in 2012 to pursue the development, wants to buy a nearly 400,000-square-foot site at 32nd Street and Kedzie Avenue in the Little Village neighborhood. The land is near an 11-acre parcel already designated for the project that housed the former Washburne Trade School. Together, the two sites would provide 22 acres for the development, known as Focal Point.

The goal of the project is not only to replace the 116-year-old hospital, but also to embrace St. Anthony's evolving role as a provider of community services in an impoverished area.

But Chicago Southwest has been unable to acquire the additional site, the former home of Azteca Mall, and is asking the Emanuel administration to help, including potentially using its power of eminent domain.

'WE WANT TO BE RESPONSIBLE'

“We had put an offer in," but the counteroffer "was almost double” the original figure, said Chris Raguso, Chicago Southwest vice president. “We want to be responsible in the development, and we still need to make sure that we spend our dollars wisely.”

She declined to say how much Chicago Southwest offered to 3200 South Kedzie LLC, which owns the $4.4 million mortgage on the property, according to Cook County Circuit Court records. Attorneys representing 3200 South Kedzie and a representative for its manager, BD Kedzie Avenue LLC, did not return messages seeking comment.

Chicago Southwest took its case to the Community Development Commission, a public board that makes recommendations to the City Council about city-owned property in areas targeted for redevelopment. Earlier this month, the commission gave the green light for the Emanuel administration to acquire the Azteca Mall site.

Pending City Council approval, city officials could offer to pay the owner no less than its fair market value, according to a staff report for the Oct. 14 commission meeting. The city could use eminent domain to acquire the property if they can't reach a deal, the staff report said.

“Ideally these entities are going to resolve the land acquisition on their own and not require the city to take a direct role,” said Peter Strazzabosco, deputy commissioner of the Chicago Department of Planning and Development.

The city would then sell the land to Chicago Southwest. It's not clear how much the city would ask, but the Emanuel administration previously said it planned to sell the Washburne site, owned by Chicago Public Schools, for $1.
Municipalities generally like to make a deal with a property owner before using eminent domain, experts said. It saves both the owner and the municipality from having to go through a costly court process that could drag on for years.

“If they can settle with each other, that's going to get the project moving a whole lot faster,” said Daniel Mandelker, a professor of law at Washington University in St. Louis...

More Here: http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20141029/NEWS03/141029800/hospital-project-seeks-emanuel-administrations-help-acquiring-land

[Ch.G, Ch.G]

The parking garage is massive... but I kinda like it. A lot.

[wierdaaron]

Ample parking at hospitals/medical centers is necessary and excusable in my book.

[UrbanLibertine]

It's great that it's not surface lot parking either. :tup:

Ample parking at hospitals/medical centers is necessary and excusable in my book.

[Rizzo]

I think the majority of that is a super ramp to access floors above the retail levels. Still about 900ish spaces which is a lot, but reasonable considering the main component is a hospital and parking is essential

[the urban politician]

The parking garage is massive... but I kinda like it. A lot.

Clearly none of you have looked at the latest renders, where more land is consumed and there is surface parking. It's a let down.

[LouisVanDerWright]

Oh come now, it's not that bad. The surface parking shown in the latest designs is really just on the additional parcels they are trying to aquire. If anything it looks like a placeholder for future expansions of this campus.

http://www.focalpointchicago.org/images/renderings/fp-aerial-medium.jpg
focalpointchicago.org

[wierdaaron]

omgomgomgomgomg

That parking lot in the south loop at State and Harrison through Balbo is sold!

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BrggpiqCUAAB_H2.jpg

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/realestate/20141031/CRED03/141039969

The School of the Art Institute (SAIC) wants to make it a classroom/gallery thing. They could make it a god damn bowling alley for all I care, that lot is the last missing piece for a completely built-out State Street and a contiguous south loop.

[Jim in Chicago]

omgomgomgomgomg

That parking lot in the south loop at State and Harrison through Balbo is sold!

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BrggpiqCUAAB_H2.jpg

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/realestate/20141031/CRED03/141039969

The School of the Art Institute (SAIC) wants to make it a classroom/gallery thing. They could make it a god damn bowling alley for all I care, that lot is the last missing piece for a completely built-out State Street and a contiguous south loop.

One just hopes that the massing gives it enough presence to hold the corner. A wimpy 1-2 story building here would still break the line of buildings.

[XIII]

Looks like the Logan Square "twin towers" are going to get hacked up.

From Moreno's Chief of Staff:
Thank you for your thoughtful e-mail and your comments regarding the proposed development at 2293 N. Milwaukee Avenue.
Based on the extensive feedback received at yesterday's community meeting, we anticipate that the developer will come back with a revised, scaled-down proposal for the site.
If and when we receive a modified proposal, we will have another round of community review and input on it.

[the urban politician]

^. I'm betting this was their strategy all
along

[ardecila]

Oh come now, it's not that bad. The surface parking shown in the latest designs is really just on the additional parcels they are trying to aquire. If anything it looks like a placeholder for future expansions of this campus.

No, the article clearly states that their retail consultants told them to switch from an outdoor stacked format (like Old Orchard Mall) to a strip mall format. The surface parking is essential for the retail component in this version of the plan. The northern/more dense-looking part of the site is the hospital.

Sucks really, this was an exciting proposal. Sadly the options for accessing this area on transit are pretty mediocre, and I don't think this development will support the fashion retail of the stacked developments like Roosevelt Collection, Atlantic Station, etc.

[marothisu]

Walter Payton Prep addition/annex received its building permit the other day.

[Chicago Shawn]

Walter Payton Prep addition/annex received its building permit the other day.

That was quick! Thanks for continuing to dive through the permit data as you do, I really appreciate your many updates.

[Chicago Shawn]

Looks like the Logan Square "twin towers" are going to get hacked up.

From Moreno's Chief of Staff:

Wheeler Kearns does do good stuff, I'm sure the revised design will be pretty good; I just hope its equally ambitious.

I am getting sick of this crap though, this is standard TOD development typology in other global metropolitan areas. There was even an approved concept plan for this stretch of Milwaukee a few years back that specified the encouragement of this type of development.

[Via Chicago]

Wheeler Kearns does do go stuff, I'm sure the revised design will be pretty good; I just hope its equally ambitious.

I am getting sick of this crap though, this is standard TOD development typology in other global metropolitan areas. There was even an approved concept plan for this stretch of Milwaukee a few years back that specified the encouragement of this type of development.

im all for more TOD, but the transit has to follow. the blue line is already at capacity during rush periods. how much development can this corridor realistically sustain?

[bcp]

^ the answer is rarely 'less development / less people' when a train line is busy..

[Chicago Shawn]

^CTA can easily run more trains on the Blue Line as it does not interchange with any other other rail line. In fact CTA is already adding additional rush hour runs this month due to increasing ridership and additional farebox revenues.

CTA should look into using articulated trains on the Blue Line as it does not have any of the hard corners of the other lines in the system. That would easily add capacity without even adding to the schedule. Of course if the Humbolt Park Branch still existed, every-other train would have ample room for passengers boarding at damen Damen and points south...

I'm with you on the transit issue, but lets keep in mind that Logan Square is less densely populated now than in the past. Just about all pre-war neighborhoods (except for the Central Area) had higher populations in the mid 20th century than today. Unfortunately, with our very low levels of infrastructure funding and competitive nature of the allocation of such money these days, showing excessive need betters one's chances of getting capitol funds for upgrades. I wish it wasn't the case, but that's life in the US today.

[bcp]

well said..and yeah, it has to suck before it can get funded to be better :)

[untitledreality]

im all for more TOD, but the transit has to follow. the blue line is already at capacity during rush periods. how much development can this corridor realistically sustain?
Drop the spacing to 2 minutes during AM peak, and place the new higher capacity cars into the system.

The CTA seems to be moving slowly in this direction. And realistically, 1000du and the accompanying 2000~ residents is a drop in the bucket.

[ardecila]

im all for more TOD, but the transit has to follow. the blue line is already at capacity during rush periods. how much development can this corridor realistically sustain?

The Blue Line is far from being at capacity. Looks like peak frequency (http://www.transitchicago.com/assets/1/rail_route_schedules/blue.pdf) is about 20 trains per hour (inbound, O'Hare Branch, 8:00am hour).

The Blue Line doesn't cross any other line and doesn't branch, so it just relies on station dwell times and the signal system as the key limitatiosn. Blue Line signals were recently redone to accommodate 90-second headways (http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-140661813.html), so in theory you could double the number of trains running on the Blue Line without any kind of capital investment other than the extra railcars.

Point being, CTA can easily add service to the O'Hare Branch if transit-oriented development adds thousands of new riders.

[denizen467]

^ Wrong thread, but weren't they adding turnback crossovers around Jefferson Park and the Medical Center to effect a targeted boost in capacity? Then the short headways would be more of a no-brainer.

[ardecila]

The Jeff Park and Halsted holding tracks have existed for decades to allow more service in the central part of the line during rush hours. When CTA gets around to rehabbing the Forest Park/Congress branch, they will likely move the Halsted holding track west to IMD or Western.

Point being, there's plenty of unused Blue Line capacity in neighborhoods that are seeing growth and development. Even up-and-coming West Side station areas like Racine, IMD, and Western have plenty of room to grow since the Forest Park branch ridership is so anemic.

[harryc]

Dearborn
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-KkqjLpROzVw/VFVlsn7uQnI/AAAAAAACDy8/lyXXuSm6_5Q/w958-h719-no/P1040163.JPG

Dearborn/Clark
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-nE5fWLQG0Z4/VFVltNY2VJI/AAAAAAACDzA/XPGVN1uVxvc/w958-h719-no/P1040200.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-f1hl70GbRFo/VFVltsQWnEI/AAAAAAACDzM/8MEqVnjcSUU/w958-h719-no/P1040201.JPG

Clark/LaSalle
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-a6mrNa3QhqU/VFVlunf73oI/AAAAAAACDzQ/lNIEPSCiliw/w958-h719-no/P1040351.JPG

[harryc]

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-qxz7oYQRQh8/VFWNtB3xhUI/AAAAAAACD0g/g6Og8rcfcvI/w958-h575-no/P1040110.JPG

[ChiTownWonder]

^

What are they doing up there?

[george]

10/19

333 N Michigan,^ Sprucing up the building's 25th and 26th floors, once home to the Tavern Dining Club


http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/674/T0OWhz.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/iqT0OWhzj)


London Guarantee Building 450 room boutique hotel conversion

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/903/k8u3oZ.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/p3k8u3oZj)

[harryc]

Nice to see these old churches finding a new life, with a new congregation. I got the impression that the rehab is due to the rising affluence of the local Hispanic community.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-xOLqlMfMWLg/VFZih0NdjoI/AAAAAAACD2U/LLUVOkYrw8Y/w958-h719-no/P1020389.JPG

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Y8joWPOXPn8/VFZiikdvLrI/AAAAAAACD2g/c5FTByiz3k0/w958-h719-no/P1020401.JPG

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-5eVMlRtgpSI/VFZijU6L3tI/AAAAAAACD2o/krhKAWtHhxg/w958-h719-no/P1020406.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-d8shrweyjq8/VFZij_2fPbI/AAAAAAACD2w/z7k1LnAnE9s/w958-h719-no/P1020407.JPG

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-MO8GnHmkLoI/VFZikd5sxcI/AAAAAAACD20/KcmzVWmjNBs/w958-h719-no/P1020411.JPG

St John's - built by Lithuanians and Germans, now most masses are in Spanish
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-bKshUngylmk/VFZi3CuqbJI/AAAAAAACD3A/kw5-ZGk-bH0/w958-h719-no/P1020418.JPG

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-GeuQI1qIGhU/VFZi3lfK1rI/AAAAAAACD3I/XO7X19IHtdA/w958-h719-no/P1020430.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xMHVBSApgjw/VFZi4HIaCPI/AAAAAAACD3Q/kF6sIj9EDKQ/w958-h719-no/P1020437.JPG

Dug out the basement to make more room for community activities.
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-bmQqeIj1ttA/VFZi4sTK2MI/AAAAAAACD3U/Bt3KeraJd8E/w958-h719-no/P1020439.JPG

[Via Chicago]

looks like the storm seriously damaged the lakefront path

http://assets.dnainfo.com/generated/chicago_photo/2014/11/waves-eat-up-lakefront-path-1414880993.jpg/extralarge.jpg
http://assets.dnainfo.com/generated/chicago_photo/2014/11/waves-eat-up-lakefront-path-1414880993.jpg/extralarge.jpg

guess i wont be biking that way into work tomorrow..

[Ryanrule]

it would be cool if city officials didnt insist on using their mob cousins for construction.
look how shitty that was put together. whoever did it should be forced to repair it for free, and pay 1% of the total original construction cost for each day it is broken.

[Mr Downtown]

^What, specifically, do you believe was constructed improperly or wrongly specified?

[Rizzo]

It's s repeat story. That path seems to get the top layer ripped off every time the waves crash over. I suppose it's too late for concrete restoration.

[Rizzo]

^What, specifically, do you believe was constructed improperly or wrongly specified?

Yeah, I'd say the pavement overlays are constructed to standards of roadways but not bulkheads. It's really a problem with improper engineering. It's a reasonable solution for a temporary fix, but the path needs to be rebuilt with a concrete curb. The water manages to get to spaces underneath the surface. Give it an edge and it rips the scab off. If there was proper engineering vs blaming construction the path would not be damaged by waves every year.

[LouisVanDerWright]

Yeah, asphalt overlay on top of a concrete slab isn't exactly designed to take a beating from 25' waves. The only real solution for this problem is to just rebuild the bulkhead with new concrete or push the lakeshore further out and build more natural beaches that will absorb the wave action. There is a reason why the natural state of the lakeshore in these parts is dunes. Not much can absorb the wrath of a body of water like Lake Michigan other than endless seas of loose sand.

[Chi-Sky21]

The only real solution for this problem is to just rebuild the bulkhead with new concrete or push the lakeshore further out and build more natural beaches that will absorb the wave action. There is a reason why the natural state of the lakeshore in these parts is dunes. Not much can absorb the wrath of a body of water like Lake Michigan other than endless seas of loose sand.

:cheers:

Push the lakefront out!! This entire section should be built out when they fix the S curve. No reason to leave it as is. Well...no reason other than money.

[Jim in Chicago]

Yeah, I'd say the pavement overlays are constructed to standards of roadways but not bulkheads. It's really a problem with improper engineering. It's a reasonable solution for a temporary fix, but the path needs to be rebuilt with a concrete curb. The water manages to get to spaces underneath the surface. Give it an edge and it rips the scab off. If there was proper engineering vs blaming construction the path would not be damaged by waves every year.

Same thing happens to miles of Chicago streets. The current method of rehab seems to be to come through and rip of the top layer, but to do little to actually repaid the underlying concrete. They simply put down a new top layer covering over broken spots, cracks, etc. It looks lovely, then, within a couple week the cracks come back and over the winter the whole thing is potholed again.

[Via Chicago]

side track, but why when new improvements to the trail are being made is additional capacity not being added? it seems like a complete no-brainer to have one lane for joggers/walkers and one lane for bikes. this would eliminate so many of the dangerous conditions that exist and theres plenty of land in most all sections. and yet there seems to be zero will or interest to do so (case in point, new expensive flyover which yup...will still be one lane each way. same with the new configuration near fullerton).

[joeg1985]

^ That would involve a lot more planning than simply adding additional lanes every time you repair a segment.

There really needs to be two totally separate paths put in. Not simple two different lanes.

[LouisVanDerWright]

^ That would involve a lot more planning than simply adding additional lanes every time you repair a segment.

There really needs to be two totally separate paths put in. Not simple two different lanes.

Yeah, everything between North Ave and Roosevelt Rd should be completely separate paths for bikes. A friend of mine was running a 20 mile marathon training run, you know the informal ones that Fleet Feet puts together, and a girl in front of her got nailed head on by one of those bikers with the full suits and middle drop bar things. Sent three people to the hospital (two runners and the biker). I guess the bike totally slashed open her leg. I've seen people go to the hospital two times from similar collisions myself. Considering I don't even live on the North Side that seems like far too high of a rate of accidents.

All three of the accidents I'm talking about were between Fullerton and Grant Park. A friend of mine also saw someone on a bike ditch into the lake once around Chicago Ave because a big group of tourists wasn't looking and one of them almost stepped out in front of him.

The problem is there are simply too many people on that section of the trail to not have the speeds separated. One of the maxims of freeway planning is that increasing the speed limit only increases accidents slightly, but increasing the speed differential between traffic in one lane or one section of the freeway and another massively increases accidents. Same applies here: you can't have people going 25 MPH on carbon fiber road bikes on the same trail where people are walking at 2 MPH or running at 5 MPH. It's just bad news. I guess the problem is how to enforce the separation, how to keep the stupid tourists from wandering onto the cycle track.

[Mr Downtown]

Separate trails are at the top of everyone's wish list, but that requires both space and money. Even where two trails have been installed, as around Navy Pier, or between Randolph and Roosevelt, the tourists still walk four abreast on the bike path.

[LouisVanDerWright]

Separate trails are at the top of everyone's wish list, but that requires both space and money. Even where two trails have been installed, as around Navy Pier, or between Randolph and Roosevelt, the tourists still walk four abreast on the bike path.

It might be more cost effective to pay a couple of cops on segways to patrol the paths with billy clubs drawn breaking up any human barricades the tourists form.

[wierdaaron]

I always called the act of walking abreast as a human blockade "freshmanning", as in "Jesus look at those kids freshmanning the hallway again". Especially if they have huge backpacks loaded with 7 classes worth of books because they're scared of their lockers. The problem can easily be solved by automated sprinkler systems or volunteers with hoses.

[Chi-Sky21]

As someone who loves to bike the lake... I still must say, some of these bikers are just stupid. They should not be going as fast as they are...where they are. A little common sense can go a long ways also. Completely separate trails would be great, but i still doubt people would follow the right one. Also, in some areas there is not enough space by far for this and if there is, at what point is to much of the lakefront devoted to trails? I prefer to have some nice open green space no just endless asphalt.

[Via Chicago]

As someone who loves to bike the lake... I still must say, some of these bikers are just stupid. They should not be going as fast as they are...where they are. A little common sense can go a long ways also. Completely separate trails would be great, but i still doubt people would follow the right one. Also, in some areas there is not enough space by far for this and if there is, at what point is to much of the lakefront devoted to trails? I prefer to have some nice open green space no just endless asphalt.

i dunno, it seems like laying down markings would go a long way. somehow other cities make it work and these things tend to self regulate

http://brooklyn365.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/williamsburg-bridge-bike-path.jpg

i dont think an extra few feet on either side of what exists would radically alter the feel of the lakefront aside from making it safer for everyone. even if theres not room for a full extra lane, just widening what exists would help tremendously. every little bit helps, but the city cant seem to see past the status quo for this particular resource.

i agree that many cyclists go way too fast, and those aero bars should be banned from multi-use trails entirely. but the configuration is inherently unsafe given how popular and congested its become and the only solution is breaking out the modes of traffic. its no longer a "nice to have" IMO....it needs to happen.

[LouisVanDerWright]

^^^ If they can enforce "no trucks on LSD", then they can enforce "no pedestrians in the cycle track".

[LouisVanDerWright]

In other news, ground officially broke on the Goose Island advanced manufacturing hub:

http://www.cityofchicago.org/content/dam/city/depts/mayor/Press%20Room/Press%20Release%20Images/2014/DMDII_Exterior.png

http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/mayor/press_room/press_releases/2014/oct/mayor-emanuel--governor-quinn--senator-durbin-and-ui-labs-break-.html

Let the transformation begin!

[Skyguy_7]

^ Awesome. Would that be the largest manicured lawn in all of Goose Island?

[harryc]

Vacant and waiting
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-TpTo_L73NuE/VFhTFLAO-aI/AAAAAAACD-I/NRPGqRwJysQ/w958-h719-no/P1090805.JPG

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-HRF4dOUjGkE/VFhTEs31RJI/AAAAAAACD-A/xqsQDudyFlI/w958-h719-no/P1090802.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-DShAF5s6cS0/VFhTD0R6o7I/AAAAAAACD94/xl7kHpExYuI/w958-h719-no/P1090808.JPG

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-QS1KvyS3r6I/VFhTFoGZg0I/AAAAAAACD-Q/5WOtHjR-W_k/w958-h719-no/P1050103.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2LR9ExSz5JY/VFhTGFJqaXI/AAAAAAACD-U/cYglXAWRHuM/w958-h339-no/20141001A.jpg

Ready to roll
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-20UhMcN7kAU/VFhT0zdpGkI/AAAAAAACD-g/54r_HtE5B2E/w958-h719-no/P1050112.JPG

[harryc]

Additions being subtracted.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-h8e7dA3CVeY/VFhVE5Uj0PI/AAAAAAACD-s/-LFQEyE8lb8/w1277-h446-no/20140907A.jpg

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-3PDlIgBSSHI/VFhSKdHSctI/AAAAAAACD8w/eB_Ng6kUOLw/w958-h719-no/P1050079.JPG

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-YJ4z3RTBnfo/VFhSJ4RLlXI/AAAAAAACD8o/X6Wqk7wwN0c/w958-h719-no/P1050078.JPG

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-c5GzcQy0XcI/VFhSJQfZSTI/AAAAAAACD8g/pr7f0_6ZrBk/w958-h719-no/P1050034.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-NuZ_sq14x0E/VFhSW43MS8I/AAAAAAACD88/KiIOzoy-Ghw/w958-h598-no/P1150523.JPG

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-nVIm4kYTu6I/VFhSKyxAU0I/AAAAAAACD80/3iZmLzCYk_c/w958-h719-no/P1050093.JPG

The old will be preserved
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-4h6K-nVJeXs/VFhSI8A88rI/AAAAAAACD8U/iTeDIHAcUeg/w958-h539-no/20141103_115302.jpg

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-C2_d9ap0hbU/VFhSIRsgJVI/AAAAAAACD8Q/xKoKCxlmHUE/w958-h719-no/P1140883.JPG

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-cqDdKZ-BmIM/VFhWXslLjTI/AAAAAAACD-4/m9L5IHuc_bQ/w958-h599-no/P1120271.JPG

[ChiHi]

I haven't walked over by this corner in a while but what the hell did Verizon do to this buidling? I'm sure there are plenty of people that didn't like what was there before but this facade redo looks pretty awful in context.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/realestate/20141105/CRED03/141109936/new-york-investor-paying-144-million-for-mag-mile-building-stake

[LouisVanDerWright]

I haven't walked over by this corner in a while but what the hell did Verizon do to this buidling? I'm sure there are plenty of people that didn't like what was there before but this facade redo looks pretty awful in context.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/realestate/20141105/CRED03/141109936/new-york-investor-paying-144-million-for-mag-mile-building-stake

In context? The cartoonish Disney design before stood out far worse. The new design matches it's neighbors being the JHC and the new annex to the church.

[the urban politician]

^ Yep, gotta agree. I don't know how the final redo will turn out, but so far I like what I'm seeing

[SamInTheLoop]

I haven't walked over by this corner in a while but what the hell did Verizon do to this buidling? I'm sure there are plenty of people that didn't like what was there before but this facade redo looks pretty awful in context.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/realestate/20141105/CRED03/141109936/new-york-investor-paying-144-million-for-mag-mile-building-stake



LVDW and TUP nail this one. It is not the re-cladded part that is awful. It's just restoring some design sanity to the comically bad stretch of retail design on Michigan. The remainder of the building should be renovated to match - that's the part that is awful in (or out of) context.....

[nomarandlee]

LVDW and TUP nail this one. It is not the re-cladded part that is awful. It's just restoring some design sanity to the comically bad stretch of retail design on Michigan. The remainder of the building should be renovated to match - that's the part that is awful in context.....

Agreed. Even if not great it is bound to be a VAST improvement from the badly done faux-Parisian schlock that was sitting on that corner for years.

I think that was perhaps the most embarrassing building on Michigan Avenue bar none. It looked straight out of a stage set even to those without a discerning eye.

[the urban politician]

Two office buildings planned in hot Fulton market area (http://www.chicagobusiness.com/realestate/20141106/CRED03/141109853/two-office-buildings-planned-in-hot-fulton-market-area)

Chicago developer Jeffrey Shapack plans to build two office buildings near Google Inc.'s future building on Fulton Market, a bet that more companies are ready to set up shop in the hot neighborhood.

A Shapack venture wants the city to approve a seven-story, 59,447-square-foot office project on a parking lot at the southwest corner of Fulton Market and Halsted Street, according to zoning application filed with the city. The building would include about 8,300 square feet of ground-floor retail space, 12 parking spaces and a rooftop patio, the application says.

Separately, a venture between Mr. Shapack, Chicago-based AJ Capital Partners LLC and San Francisco-based Shorenstein Properties LLC proposes a 10-story office building at 221 N. Peoria St., according to another zoning application.

^ Great to see more of this.

Eventually this area is going to need to see a bit more hotel development. Sorry NIMBYs, but it's coming.

[wierdaaron]

Yay, I was just griping about too much residential and not enough office there.

[UrbanLibertine]

Yes, two more surface lots bite the dust! Please let this happen.

Two office buildings planned in hot Fulton market area (http://www.chicagobusiness.com/realestate/20141106/CRED03/141109853/two-office-buildings-planned-in-hot-fulton-market-area)



^ Great to see more of this.

Eventually this area is going to need to see a bit more hotel development. Sorry NIMBYs, but it's coming.

[streetline]

^^
^^^

There isn't much residential to begin with north of Randolph, just a few units over retail here and there (the tower against the highway kitty corner form the lot in question is the only major residential around there, at least until the Halsted & Lake tower is built). I'd actually like to see a bit more, along with more Hotel and Office all over retail and entertainment, to develop the area into a 24/7 mixed use neighborhood.

Anyway, I think it's great that lot at Fulton & Halsted is being developed, and 7-story office over retail sounds like a fine use for it. A 10-story office over retail building at 221 N. Peoria also sounds good to me.

One thing to note is that the Fulton & Halsted parking lot is where they do the Green City Market. I really hope they can keep it very near that corner, perhaps in the lot across the street. The farmers market has a great synergy with Isaacson & Stein for fish and Publican Quality Meats for prepared meats and packaged foods (and Little Goat Bread and Olympic Meats a block farther south); together they enable the sort of old-timey multi-shop walking grocery trip that is all but forgotten these days.

[spyguy]

Halsted and Fulton
http://i58.tinypic.com/107ox81.jpg

Peoria
http://i62.tinypic.com/qqv2w0.jpg

[UrbanLibertine]

^ Very tasteful design

[denizen467]

^^ Is that the neo warehouse style?

[Chicago Shawn]

Awesome news! I am very happy to see this area truly become a westward march of the CBD in a true mixed use format. West Loop has become largely too residential and we are already seeing the negative impacts and limitations of that. Fulton Market is only getting hotter as time goes on; I suspect this will be the next real big tech hub, rivaling River North as long as NIMBYism is kept in check and south of Randolph.

I really do hope the proposed landmark district moves forward though, there's going to be a lot tear down pressure on those older low-rise buildings in the near future. Pitch it as a concession to the neighbors and convince them to allow larger buildings to the north, closer to the Metra tracks.

[SamInTheLoop]

^ I agree on the landmark district, and your proposed strategy for getting it done.

Of these two proposals, I definitely prefer the design of the 10-story one.
The 7-story one is mostly ye faux olde tyme urban warehouse reno design........looks like it may not be ugly, but still to me does not look like good design in the 21st century....

[Jibba]

Halsted and Fulton


The Peoria one looks slick. I like the (idea of the) board-formed concrete base. The corner-wrap windows could be really nice too (if I'm interpreting the elevation correctly). The "applied mullions" everywhere are concerning, but maybe these are more common than I know of and don't look that bad?

[bcp]

totally agreed on strategy....a compensatory model - we'll protect certain buildings (with owner consent!) but you have to concede upzoning in other nearby areas...

[streetline]

It looks like the block south of there at lake and halsted will see some construction soon too. Anna's Asian Bistro (http://www.annasbistro.com), one of my favorite restaurants in the area says their west loop location is closed to make way for a new construction project.

[ithakas]

It looks like the block south of there at lake and halsted will see some construction soon too. Anna's Asian Bistro (http://www.annasbistro.com), one of my favorite restaurants in the area says their west loop location is closed to make way for a new construction project.

I went to a couple parties in the unit above it, and the tenants were forced to leave by their landlord at least six months ago for a new development, which they believed would include that corner lot.

[Jibba]

I went to a couple parties in the unit above it, and the tenants were forced to leave by their landlord at least six months ago for a new development, which they believed would include that corner lot.

Sterling Bay purchased the corner lot a couple of months back, IIRC. There are preliminary plans for a restaurant.

Edit: I was thinking of Morgan and Lake.

[Ch.G, Ch.G]

The Peoria one looks slick. I like the (idea of the) board-formed concrete base. The corner-wrap windows could be really nice too (if I'm interpreting the elevation correctly). The "applied mullions" everywhere are concerning, but maybe these are more common than I know of and don't look that bad?

I've never heard the term "applied mullions." "Simulated divided lite" is the industry term for the muntin bars you see on most contemporary residential developments. They're pretty much standard at this point; true divided light is both very costly and very inefficient. IMO, the difference is noticeable. The latter has more depth while the former often really does look tacked on.

It's representative of the problem with historicism. Accurately replicating a past style makes little to no financial (not to mention environmental) sense in both the short run and the long run. When you try to approximate it you sacrifice certain details. One missing detail may not seem like a big deal. An accumulation of them is, and that gestalt plays a big role in the vague but unsettling difference the more discerning eye notices between historic architecture and historicist architecture. It's death by a thousand cuts.

Anyway, I agree with your assessment.

^^ Is that the neo warehouse style?

The 7-story one is mostly ye faux olde tyme urban warehouse reno design........looks like it may not be ugly, but still to me does not look like good design in the 21st century....

Accurate! It might be awesome if they salvaged a bunch of the material from a recent warehouse demolition. But I highly doubt that would happen.

[Via Chicago]

One thing to note is that the Fulton & Halsted parking lot is where they do the Green City Market. I really hope they can keep it very near that corner, perhaps in the lot across the street. The farmers market has a great synergy with Isaacson & Stein for fish and Publican Quality Meats for prepared meats and packaged foods (and Little Goat Bread and Olympic Meats a block farther south); together they enable the sort of old-timey multi-shop walking grocery trip that is all but forgotten these days.

One just realistically has to wonder how long Isaacson will remain there. Seems many of these meat/produce markets are relocating and I imagine in little to no time there wont be any left. Unfortunately the things that tend to draw new development also tend to push those same things away.

[harryc]

One just realistically has to wonder how long Isaacson will remain there. Seems many of these meat/produce markets are relocating and I imagine in little to no time there wont be any left. Unfortunately the things that tend to draw new development also tend to push those same things away.

Soil testing last month
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-HysTjkbJkVI/VF0XSdu0QiI/AAAAAAACEDg/9W8xxDlYGWI/w751-h563-no/P1020370.JPG

Maple Bacon Long John .......