CHICAGO | General Developments

[PittsburghPA]

Cook County Hospital Redevelopment This picture doesn't show a ton going on but I'll update in a month or so to compare.
https://i.imgur.com/8mPi5dT.jpg

[BonoboZill4]

It's so cool watching the IMD transform right now alongside the West Loop. One day they'll be practically indistinguishable, much like Streeterville and the Northwestern Medical Campus.

Related question, does anyone remember those apartment towers that were proposed on Ashland near the IMD? Are those ever getting built?

[the urban politician]

It's so cool watching the IMD transform right now alongside the West Loop. One day they'll be practically indistinguishable, much like Streeterville and the Northwestern Medical Campus.

Related question, does anyone remember those apartment towers that were proposed on Ashland near the IMD? Are those ever getting built?

Yep, and as IMD and the West Loop continue to improve, my Pilsen holdings grow ever more valuable. Thanks, Ald Solis—keep blocking development, it just drives more traffic to my buildings :D

[r18tdi]

Related question, does anyone remember those apartment towers that were proposed on Ashland near the IMD? Are those ever getting built? SCIO, I think. It's been pretty quiet. I believe phase one is renovating the existing apartment building before the towers go up.

[LouisVanDerWright]

He's talking about the gateway development which is still planned and currently has the retail component under construction.

[ardecila]

He's talking about the gateway development which is still planned and currently has the retail component under construction.

^ Those are on Damen. Scio is the one on Ashland and Taylor, replacing a dinky one-story parking structure. Should be a nice gateway to that commercial strip on Taylor.


That Rush tower is awful. Couldn't they do a better job making the parking garage front Ashland? Maybe a retail base with an employee terrace at the second-floor level?

I don't really care if the garage fronts Congress, which is just a glorified frontage road, but Harrison and Ashland are important streets that both deserve a decent treatment.

[BonoboZill4]

He's talking about the gateway development which is still planned and currently has the retail component under construction.

You are actually both right. I was thinking of both developments! Good to know one of them is well underway now :tup:

[emathias]

There TARP/Deep Tunnel project has been a relative steal, cost-wise. $3 billion to date, with a long life span. I don't think there'd be much controversy to spend another three billion to double the capacity, if necessary. It would be money spent over decades, and the city finds billions just for the CTA when necessary. Granted, money is only getting tighter as we pay for the pensions, but I don't think cost is at all a problem with the Deep Tunnel. Future efforts should, of, course, seek out more economical solutions, but I've never heard anyone claim the cost of the Deep Tunnel was unreasonable given the benefit.

[The Lurker]

Any reason you are against that? I see no problem with replacing toxic asphalt with brick pavers. They are more attractive and better for the environment well beyond simply water drainage issues

I took what you said out of context to make it look like you were implying that parking lots be mandatory for new developments. It was a joke.

[TimeAgain]

This will be a nice project to replace a parking lot just east of Rush's main hospital (I think) thus further canyon-izing the Eisenhower at the IMD.

It's bitter sweet because this will totally ruin one of my favorite views of the city, from the Rush parking garage looking east.
It didn't replace a parking lot. It replaced hundreds of apartments. In fact, they're adding a giant parking garage.

I saw early renders of this building years ago (it was originally announced three years ago, and was supposed to be finished in 2020). It looked very different, more unique (it had a tiered approach). Looks very different now. I hope it didn't get VE'd, but it might explain why it's been delayed to 2022.

It's also missing the inevitable dozens of Rush signs on it. I don't think they put up anything that doesn't have multiple Rush signs on it. I've seen one building that literally had two Rush signs on it just a few feet from each other on the same side, lol.

[the urban politician]

It didn't replace a parking lot. It replaced hundreds of apartments. In fact, they're adding a giant parking garage.

I saw early renders of this building years ago (it was originally announced three years ago, and was supposed to be finished in 2020). It looked very different, more unique (it had a tiered approach). Looks very different now. I hope it didn't get VE'd, but it might explain why it's been delayed to 2022.

It's also missing the inevitable dozens of Rush signs on it. I don't think they put up anything that doesn't have multiple Rush signs on it. I've seen one building that literally had two Rush signs on it just a few feet from each other on the same side, lol.

It replaced apartments but I hated those apartments. They were designed with an inward orientation, like something out in the burbs. It almost seems like everything built in the 90s was like this.

I’m glad to see they are gone. Yes this new project will have a huge garage but that’s just gonna happen when you’re talking about huge hospitals and health systems. All in all this is a positive development and pretty much the right thing for this particular area, which will never be prime real estate for anything else

[ardecila]

One flawed development replacing another; seems like kind of a lateral move to me.

[the urban politician]

One flawed development replacing another; seems like kind of a lateral move to me.

I don’t get your critique of this.

The tower obviously fronts Harrison and Ashland, and the garage fronts a highway ramp

[Kumdogmillionaire]

One flawed development replacing another; seems like kind of a lateral move to me.

It's not like it'll take up the entire site... You guys need to R E L A X.

It's a hospital, so not having a parking garage is a nonstarter, but this tower is better than the trash it's replacing, and to the person saying it isn't replacing parking lots, it kind of is, since all the parking was ringing around the apartments in the past. This is not a lateral move. It's the beginning of a major improvement.

[left of center]

I took what you said out of context to make it look like you were implying that parking lots be mandatory for new developments. It was a joke.

Lol, my bad. That one flew right over my head :)

[k1052]

It shouldn't be permissible in the city to build new above grade structured parking that isn't wrapped with another use.

[LouisVanDerWright]

Lol at the notion that this is a lateral movement. This is much much larger building with all the parking in a ramp that makes a point of fronting the pedestrian oriented corner of the lot while pushing the garage towards the freeway.

[the urban politician]

3300 n Clark?

Currently this remains a vacant lot in Wrigleyville, with no signs of activity.

Anybody know when this is going to start construction?

[SolarWind]

September 13, 2018

https://i.imgur.com/kOiCw5Z.jpg

[Flaccer05]

Nobu Hotel with 734 N Milwaukee Ave (i think!) in the distance.

https://i.imgur.com/McCuf57h.jpg?1

[The Lurker]

^Thanks for the updates all around. You are correct. That is 734 N. Milwaukee.

[BonoboZill4]

^Thanks for the updates all around. You are correct. That is 734 N. Milwaukee.

Yep, that damn red crane has been teasing me from my office now for weeks

[k1052]

https://i.imgur.com/90rjI8u.jpg?1

[SolarWind]

September 18, 2018

https://i.imgur.com/psW6KI3.jpg

[SolarWind]

September 18, 2018

https://i.imgur.com/n69Dl49.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/QCnN6DD.jpg

[SolarWind]

September 18, 2018

https://i.imgur.com/ZK3IQ6B.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/5xfVG3O.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/TcjBQ0l.jpg

[harryc]

Sept 14

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1869/42974616310_0ee252ece6_h.jpg

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1885/30914412558_a4370626d4_d.jpghttps://farm2.staticflickr.com/1849/42974606930_f0b5392364_c.jpghttps://farm2.staticflickr.com/1896/44065862074_508770e8ac_d.jpg

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1861/43875668135_f8d7807086_h.jpg

[Notyrview]

^ that is good public art

[Barrelfish]

^ that is good public art

For those who don't know, it's the head of Jean-Baptiste Point du Sable, for whom the park at the river mouth is named. It was part of the Floating Museum "River Assembly" (https://floatingmuseum.org/River-Assembly), which was the art exhibition on a barge that made appearances on the river last year.

[the urban politician]

Kanye West is moving back to Chicago:

https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/kanye-west-moving-to-chicago

[SolarWind]

September 17, 2018

https://i.imgur.com/eVLoolL.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/zSX902p.jpg

[SolarWind]

For those who don't know, it's the head of Jean-Baptiste Point du Sable, for whom the park at the river mouth is named. It was part of the Floating Museum "River Assembly" (https://floatingmuseum.org/River-Assembly), which was the art exhibition on a barge that made appearances on the river last year.

August 24, 2017

http://i.imgur.com/QjYHnxF.jpg

August 25, 2017

http://i.imgur.com/efq28b7.jpg

[ithakas]

Kanye West is moving back to Chicago:

https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/kanye-west-moving-to-chicago

He's also opening a Yeezy office here, which should be cool. He's recently been talking about getting into real estate development: https://www.dezeen.com/2018/06/04/kanye-west-yeezy-home-architecture-social-housing-project-instagram/

There could be some cool things brewing...

[Fvn]

He's also opening a Yeezy office here, which should be cool. He's recently been talking about getting into real estate development: https://www.dezeen.com/2018/06/04/kanye-west-yeezy-home-architecture-social-housing-project-instagram/

There could be some cool things brewing...

Inb4 he resurrects 130 N Franklin

[PittsburghPA]

Inb4 he resurrects 130 N Franklin

It is a damn shame that project was not built at designed nor are there plans to build that design. That thing would be a gem.

[Mr Downtown]

it's the head of Jean-Baptiste Point du Sable

Allegorical, since we have absolutely no idea what Du Sable looked like.

[Randomguy34]

United Airlines exploring Willis Tower departure
By Danny Ecker
Amazon's competition for its second headquarters has elicited Chicago developers' grandest plans, and now one of the city's biggest companies is exploring the possibility of leaving its home for one of them.

With an option to break from its massive lease at Willis Tower more than four years away, Chicago-based United Airlines has had discussions in recent months with developers behind some of the city's largest proposed office projects about a potential new headquarters location, according to sources familiar with the company.
....
Sources say United officials have entertained pitches to move their Willis Tower headquarters and operations center to locations including Tribune Media's 30-acre site along the Chicago River between Grand and Chicago Avenues, where the media company has rolled out its vision to create a mixed-use campus and where the Chicago Tribune's lease for an 854,000 square foot printing plant runs through 2023.

Other sites that could be in the mix were also part of the City of Chicago's official bid for Amazon's HQ2: That includes Lincoln Yards, the 53-acre mixed-use campus that developer Sterling Bay has proposed along the Chicago River between Lincoln Park and Bucktown, as well as a vacant, 62-acre South Branch site where developer Related Midwest wants to build a mixed-use campus it has called the 78.

"We are always looking at what is in the marketplace, but don't have any plans to make an announcement," said a United spokeswoman.

Many developers call it a long shot for United to leave Willis Tower because the building's owner, New York-based private equity behemoth Blackstone Group, will take any necessary step to keep it. Blackstone, which paid $1.3 billion for the 110-story building in 2015 and has since borrowed $1.3 billion against the property to finance a $668 million renovation, will need to secure its biggest revenue-generating tenant if it wants to sell the building after it completes its overhaul. The renovation, which is designed to modernize the 45-year-old tower to keep pace with competition, is slated to be done in 2022.
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/commercial-real-estate/united-airlines-exploring-willis-tower-departure

I'd love to see a mega-development kick off in this city. It would suck to see 18 floors of the Sears Tower being vacant, but great to see HQ relocations further from the Loop

[Near North Resident]

United Airlines exploring Willis Tower departure

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/commercial-real-estate/united-airlines-exploring-willis-tower-departure

I'd love to see a mega-development kick off in this city. It would suck to see 18 floors of the Sears Tower being vacant, but great to see HQ relocations further from the Loop

sounds to me they are squeaking to the press to get better terms of their new sears tower lease...

[Vlajos]

sounds to me they are squeaking to the press to get better terms of their new sears tower lease...

Maybe, I know they were/are looking at the Old Post Office for space.

[LouisVanDerWright]

I mean of course they are looking around, even $1/SF/YR saves you almost a million dollars a year on a 850k SF lease. This is pretty typical of big companies like United with complex multi option leases. More than that, it could be a matter of efficiency. They are in multiple blocks in Sears right now, they might be able to shave 100k SF off their lease if they go into the OPO or something and have 3 massive wide open floors for their operations instead of like 18 different levels at the Sears.


Sears Tower is like the only building in the world where an 850,000 SF tenant can be scattered around in blocks. Sears eats anchor tenants for breakfast, I always like to point out that, while it's height records have long been exceeded, it is still the largest tower on earth by square footage (not including connected single story Casinos or malls like the one at the bottom of Burj). Nothing even really comes close, like the official SF of Taipei 101 is just shy of Sears, but less than 2,500,000 SF of that is actual tower, the rest is a big mall attached at the base. Sears has nearly double the office space of Taipei 101... If you look at lists of the largest buildings on earth by total floor area, the Sears shows up above Boeings Everett Assembly, but just below most of the 21st century mega airports in Asia. Pretty f-ing crazy to have what is a 99% pure office building registering where it does. And the things pretty much 100% leased right now too, crazy...

[harryc]

Sept 14

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1857/43896980895_a97a204439_h.jpg

Shoring up the loading dock.
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1892/29870361237_814920d3a0_h.jpg


Old school fireproofing ? - Steel beams packed with brick.
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1849/30935998148_d1c640e2f4_h.jpg


Carefully removing the old cladding.
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1891/42995872600_376cd7fa68_c.jpghttps://farm2.staticflickr.com/1854/30935992388_2351558369_c.jpg


https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1872/29870353977_dd37c0033e_h.jpg

[harryc]

Aug 31

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1893/42996747970_6765000563_h.jpg

[The Pimp]

sounds to me they are squeaking to the press to get better terms of their new sears tower lease...

Hopefully United will pressure Blackstone to rename the building if they stay.

[King of Chicago]

Hopefully United will pressure Blackstone to rename the building if they stay.

United Tower?

[harryc]

Aug 22

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1861/30941238548_6fee238755_h.jpg

[marothisu]

There's a few notable zoning applications up for:

* 1700-1714 N Western Ave. Proposed new 5 story, 60 unit (78 feet 8 inches) building with 26 parking spots. TOD. Ground floor retail/commercial space. Just a few buildings south of that other proposal along the 606 that is supposed to replace that gas station with something like 150 units.

* The small parking lot on the south side of School St just west of Clark St. Proposal is a new 5 story, 22 unit building with 12 parking spaces. I believe just across the street is where a proposed high rise is.

[r18tdi]

* 1700-1714 N Western Ave. Proposed new 5 story, 60 unit (78 feet 8 inches) building with 26 parking spots. TOD. Ground floor retail/commercial space. Just a few buildings south of that other proposal along the 606 that is supposed to replace that gas station with something like 150 units.

This one, I think? https://blockclubchicago.org/2018/08/03/with-another-big-apartment-project-proposed-near-western-stop-residents-ask-can-crowded-blue-line-handle-this/

[marothisu]

This one, I think? https://blockclubchicago.org/2018/08/03/with-another-big-apartment-project-proposed-near-western-stop-residents-ask-can-crowded-blue-line-handle-this/

Yep. Nice. That whole immediate area will (hopefully) change for the better in the next few years. Don't forget that across the street there's another building that'll go up. I think a few other small ones too nearby.

[ChiPlanner]

There's a proposed amendment in the zoning applications to turn Clark Street from Albion to Touhy (Rogers Park) into a pedestrian street. This would open up the blocks roughly from Farwell to Albion to TOD development. These blocks in particular have a lot of sub-par strip malls and underutilized commercial space ripe for redevelopment. Exciting!

[the urban politician]

This one, I think? https://blockclubchicago.org/2018/08/03/with-another-big-apartment-project-proposed-near-western-stop-residents-ask-can-crowded-blue-line-handle-this/

NIMBYs complaining that trains are too crowded are a bit more tolerable than than pro-parking asshats, but I love this little tidbit:

“It just seems like the neighborhood is getting very, very dense,” said Pruett, who has lived in the Bucktown/Logan Square area for more than 30 years.

“I kinda liked the used car lots on Western. It gave the neighborhood some character. I don’t mind losing them, and I think this is a lovely building,” she said. “But I am curious how many more of these large buildings we’re going to let into the neighborhood.”

:haha:

Yeah, them charming used car lots.... How quaint

[King of Chicago]

^ that is good public art

I agree! It would be great to preserve this somehow, and put it in a park somewhere.

[King of Chicago]

This one, I think? https://blockclubchicago.org/2018/08/03/with-another-big-apartment-project-proposed-near-western-stop-residents-ask-can-crowded-blue-line-handle-this/

That is one gorgeous looking building! Love it!!

Is this building going to replace the crappy used-car lot there?

[LouisVanDerWright]

To be fair, a handful of the used car lots are charming, like the OK Deal (like I can't believe someone named a used car dealership that lol) that was brought up here the other day.

[Mr Downtown]

OK Used Cars (https://www.hemmings.com/magazine/hcc/2011/12/OK-Used-Cars/3706321.html) was a registered service mark used by Chevrolet dealers all across the country for their used car operations.

https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1099/545040254_fec8e423d1_z.jpg?zz=1
Tom Spaulding on Flickr

[Busy Bee]

The "charm" of a car lot usually boils down to 1) whether or not you have an adolescent or early adulthood memory of or connection to said dealership, and 2) whether or not it has a cool sign. I mean, am I right?

[LouisVanDerWright]

Random non city center development question? Anyone know what that crazy tall warehouse structure they are building just West of I-39 on I-88 is? It's like 10 floors high clear ceiling. Totally crazy structure.

OK Used Cars (https://www.hemmings.com/magazine/hcc/2011/12/OK-Used-Cars/3706321.html) was a registered service mark used by Chevrolet dealers all across the country for their used car operations.

https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1099/545040254_fec8e423d1_z.jpg?zz=1
Tom Spaulding on Flickr

It's actually called "OK'd USED CARS" which is similar too, but not the same as the Chevy brand you posted. It was probably an intentional similarity so when they rip off their customers Chevy gets the call.

[Mr Downtown]

Most likely it had previously been a Chevy dealer, which used both forms of speech as trade and service marks in various contexts. I'll look it up if you tell me where the lot is located.

https://cdn1.mecum.com/auctions/oh0909/oh0909-83242/images/oh0909-83242_1.jpg?1250518846000

[SolarWind]

September 14, 2018

https://i.imgur.com/qz3MfRZ.jpg

September 19, 2018

https://i.imgur.com/M2lvvZR.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/KmJfyGI.jpg

[SolarWind]

September 17, 2018

https://i.imgur.com/owKOrjd.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/LVWwIR7.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/AMlaC6T.jpg

[SolarWind]

September 18, 2018

https://i.imgur.com/CmBbfMq.jpg

[SolarWind]

September 18, 2018

https://i.imgur.com/9Jp0iqg.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/zXckZvl.jpg

[SolarWind]

September 18, 2018

https://i.imgur.com/6fdAtRH.jpg

[SolarWind]

September 19, 2018

https://i.imgur.com/mEG6FC5.jpg

[SolarWind]

September 19, 2018

https://i.imgur.com/4GcIo89.jpg

[BonoboZill4]

I'm getting quite excited for this Art on the Mart :D

[harryc]

Aug 22

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1943/44811969822_347abf9939_h.jpg

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1896/44811968032_70723d222f_h.jpg

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1967/44861575651_d4cc970825_h.jpg

[harryc]

Aug 22

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1951/30990483658_1ed1fb3db7_h.jpg

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1874/43952273045_19d97af674_h.jpg

Sept 12

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1951/29926371947_874bdf2a69_h.jpg

Sept 17

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1953/44862571741_586dc85e40_h.jpg

[marothisu]

There was a building permit issued for a new 4 story building up at Estes & Clark in Rogers Park, a few blocks north of the Rogers Park Metra stop. Total of 54 units and ground floor retail. Site has been a vacant lot for at least a decade.

[harryc]

Sept 17

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1961/43955146515_8a52704141_h.jpg

[the urban politician]

^ I love that this terminates a view corridor.

At least in the photo it creates a pleasant enclosure. Not sure how it looks in person, though...

[ardecila]

Random non city center development question? Anyone know what that crazy tall warehouse structure they are building just West of I-39 on I-88 is? It's like 10 floors high clear ceiling. Totally crazy structure.

https://www.rejournals.com/construction-is-underway-on-rochelle-cold-storage-facility-20180917

Cold storage warehouse with automated racking system. It’s interesting how automated systems are making multi-story industrial viable again after decades of the industry favoring high-bay, single-story warehouses. The venerable forklift is now mostly obsolete.

So even in Rochelle, where there is unlimited farmland to sprawl industry into, a major user is choosing to do multi-story because the automated system is way faster and more productive in a three-dimensional space than a two dimensional one.

Seems like this is even making urban sites viable for warehousing again, since an automated system is profitable enough per SF to offset the higher costs of urban land. There are similar cold storage buildings already on the SW side around the I-55 corridor.

[the urban politician]

^ Loft condos of the future?

[ardecila]

^ Loft condos of the future?

Probably not. This is basically an enormous shelving/racking system with a thin metal covering. It doesn’t have clear spans inside that are conducive to housing, it doesn’t even have real floorplates, and the exterior is often precast panel which is difficult to punch openings in. They’re more like grain elevators than the handsome brick warehouses dotting Chicago neighborhoods. They are very much single-use buildings, but at least they use land efficiently and the steel can be recycled at the end of the building’s useful life.

https://interlakemecalux.cdnwm.com/articulos-de-logistica/almacen-autoportante.1.2.jpg
Interlake-Mecalux (https://www.interlakemecalux.com/logistics-items/advantages-clad-rack-warehouse)

[marothisu]

Sterling Bay was issued 3 wrecking permits last week for 1225, 1237, and 1243 W Fulton Market (https://www.google.com/maps/place/1225+W+Fulton+Market,+Chicago,+IL+60607/@41.8866888,-87.6578989,3a,75y,211.97h,91.78t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sKscfXFXMLlUEX-jFDIVE_w!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!4m5!3m4!1s0x880e2cd7fcf9d627:0xb00a212f6bc970d4!8m2!3d41.8864264!4d-87.6579203).

Probably to make way for this:
http://www.sterlingbay.com/sites/default/files/card/files/1245%20W%20Fulton_Leasing%20Flyer_Retail_Update_0.pdf

[harryc]

Aug 31

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1925/43061376660_2313c40cfa_h.jpg

[RedCorsair87]

I like the density here, but can someone explain what the design process was behind this monstrosity? There is orange brick, black brick, grey brick, beige brick, and some type of black cladding? This is the equivalent of a baker making a cake with one layer of chocolate, one of banana, one of red velvet, one of peanut butter, one of oreo, one of key lime, etc.

[jc5680]

The lack of coherence in that building is unsettling.

[Busy Bee]

I like the density here, but can someone explain what the design process was behind this monstrosity? There is orange brick, black brick, grey brick, beige brick, and some type of black cladding? This is the equivalent of a baker making a cake with one layer of chocolate, one of banana, one of red velvet, one of peanut butter, one of oreo, one of key lime, etc.

Too many cooks in the kitchen may be the expression your looking for. It would be my guess.

[Skyguy_7]

^ Yep, everybody gets a trophy at this Architectural firm. I can picture all the youngins and interns being allowed their input on this very special development, being adjacent to Wrigley. And this is the result.

[Jim in Chicago]

I like the density here, but can someone explain what the design process was behind this monstrosity? There is orange brick, black brick, grey brick, beige brick, and some type of black cladding? This is the equivalent of a baker making a cake with one layer of chocolate, one of banana, one of red velvet, one of peanut butter, one of oreo, one of key lime, etc.

I'm really over this "let's put 20 kinds of cladding on the building, it will look cool" phase. You see many examples in Chicago, from recent visits I think there are even more in DC. They're going to be very dated very soon.

[Ned.B]

I'm really over this "let's put 20 kinds of cladding on the building, it will look cool" phase. You see many examples in Chicago, from recent visits I think there are even more in DC. They're going to be very dated very soon.

I feel like it's getting to the point that lots of materials and randomized patterns are actually becoming substitutes for any sort of principles of good design.

There is nothing about the proportions, scale, or composition of this building that is good. None of the pieces are decent on their own, and combined they are just horrible. Pure shit mascaraing as trendy. And even worse, this building absolutely towers over and overpowers everything near it with it's complete lack of human scale. Best case scenario, this thing gets a complete overhaul and new facade in 30 years.

[Busy Bee]

I'm really over this "let's put 20 kinds of cladding on the building, it will look cool" phase. You see many examples in Chicago, from recent visits I think there are even more in DC. They're going to be very dated very soon.

I feel like it's getting to the point that lots of materials and randomized patterns are actually becoming substitutes for any sort of principles of good design.

There is nothing about the proportions, scale, or composition of this building that is good. None of the pieces are decent on their own, and combined they are just horrible. Pure shit mascaraing as trendy. And even worse, this building absolutely towers over and overpowers everything near it with it's complete lack of human scale. Best case scenario, this thing gets a complete overhaul and new facade in 30 years.



I cannot emphasize my agreement more. Outside of much higher end residential and office architectural trends, it's been my opinion for years that this re-orientation towards modern design for urban multi-family and other similar dev's has provided an opportunity for developers to use what are essentially cheap materials and many architectural firms to go hog wild with less material cost restraints. The result of this "less is more? What's that?" movement is, in my humble opinion, a great many new buildings that are absolute dreck. I can't imagine them making it out of the 2020's without already looking passe and terrible much like much of the neo-trad 90's jumbo brick trash does.

I'm having trouble finding, outside of the density, anything positive to say about the above Addison development. It really makes you wonder what is going on inside these firms that this design makes it to construction. Depressing.

[marothisu]

Yeah this building looks pretty weird..too much going on

[Near North Resident]

Aug 31

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1925/43061376660_2313c40cfa_h.jpg

that is just flat out hideous, what the hell were they thinking!

[RedCorsair87]

It was really frustrating looking at this after I looked through the "Historical Chicago Thread" and saw all the great architecture this city used to have. Absolutely heartbreaking.

[Chisouthside]

Chicago is not alone at least, there's plenty of ugly monstrosities like that being built in the Bay and I was down in LA last week and alot of their new developments are also like that.

[Via Chicago]

that building is violence. easily the worst design of the past decade. id take the old block back in a heartbeat.

[Via Chicago]

your mixed use yuppie box isnt complete in 2018 if it isnt taking design cues a Wendys drivethrough (actually, the Wendys is less offensive than the Wrigleyville abomination)

https://129d5gnposv45pipg3fffi67-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Wendys-Store-Front-696x390.jpg

[r18tdi]

I'm really over this "let's put 20 kinds of cladding on the building, it will look cool" phase. Really seems to be a trend with projects that include movie theaters: Clark + Addison, New City, and that Portage Park Sears flyer that is floating around.
Definitely not a fan.

[untitledreality]

I like the density here, but can someone explain what the design process was behind this monstrosity?

SCB doing SCB things.

[Rizzo]

This is the kind of thing that happens when too many people have input on a design.

In these scenarios, you got a developer that wants to save on cost so you get a really big box. A neighborhood that wants a reduced mass. An architect that attempts to answer both by slapping on different materials on that big box.

Any architects have a developer hand you their program? It’s often a bunch of crude boxes drawn in power point or paint over a google map. “I want this, and want it to cost this much. Make it to code and the style look trendy.”

The project in Wrigley is a bloated interpretation of a penthouse atop an industrial masonry base...way over exaggerated of course. In the 90’s and early 00’s you saw these large buildings broken up vetically with different materials and bump-outs. That became overplayed so buildings became stratified instead. I think some architects took note of glass and metal additions on top of older masonry buildings and thought “hey this looks cool, I’m going to try this on new construction.”

[Busy Bee]

your mixed use yuppie box isnt complete in 2018 if it isnt taking design cues a Wendys drivethrough

Watch what you say about Wendys! :hell::D

[XIII]

Chicago is not alone at least, there's plenty of ugly monstrosities like that being built in the Bay and I was down in LA last week and alot of their new developments are also like that.

I was in Seattle most of last year for a project and it seemed like nearly every new and new-ish building had at lease 3-5 finish types. I just figured it was a small city hacky local firms were doing the work.

Is there a reason for inflicting something like this on a building?

[Chisouthside]

Tbh I have no clue as im not too privy to design trends either. In the bay there's already alot of ugly office parks so I dont think there's as much of a pushback against ugly design.
I would imagine in the bay it might just be developers trying to add flair to cheap materials to offset the high land prices??

SF
https://www.google.com/maps/@37.7729038,-122.3935741,3a,75y,137.21h,136.78t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sl2SV7X_VIs1cp-VozKemLw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
Redwood City
https://www.google.com/maps/@37.4866817,-122.2324321,3a,60y,359.66h,121.91t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sHZ4UFfSSIoDmTUnLd9RBdA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192



I was in Seattle most of last year for a project and it seemed like nearly every new and new-ish building had at lease 3-5 finish types. I just figured it was a small city hacky local firms were doing the work.

Is there a reason for inflicting something like this on a building?

[Khantilever]

I would imagine in the bay it might just be developers trying to add flair to cheap materials to offset the high land prices??


My intuition says that high land prices plus tight zoning constraints would encourage more expensive materials. If it’s hard to increase the square footage you try harder to increase the rent per square foot.

Personally, I feel like the style has developed out of a new taste for “redeveloped” properties that have a mix of materials, old and new. Consciously or not that might be bleeding over into the design of new construction. Kinda how industrial-chic became popular after loft conversions took off. Also, it’s particularly common with large, block-sized developments, so it might be [badly] serving the purpose of visually breaking it up.

But I’m not an architect, just my guess.

[BrinChi]

I think some previous comments have hinted at this, but isn't the mixing of materials and facade an attempt (albeit a miserable one) at making these massive block-size developments feel more granular and less imposing? They're not fooling anyone, but I always assumed that was the reason. This is definitely too much. And heaven forbid we actually... I don't know... build at a smaller scale? I guess that's pie-in-the-sky thinking in the age of corporatism and a shrinking middle class. Well at least most people in the area will be too drunk to notice or care about this building.

[SIGSEGV]

Yeah, I imagine it gives the impression that it's multiple buildings instead of one big one.

[harryc]

I think some previous comments have hinted at this, but isn't the mixing of materials and facade an attempt (albeit a miserable one) at making these massive block-size developments feel more granular and less imposing? They're not fooling anyone, but I always assumed that was the reason. This is definitely too much. And heaven forbid we actually... I don't know... build at a smaller scale? I guess that's pie-in-the-sky thinking in the age of corporatism and a shrinking middle class. Well at least most people in the area will be too drunk to notice or care about this building.

No - most of the residents are not drunk - This is a stadium in a neighborhood, not a stadium's area.

[Busy Bee]

This is definitely too much. And heaven forbid we actually... I don't know... build at a smaller scale? I guess that's pie-in-the-sky thinking in the age of corporatism and a shrinking middle class.

Look I think the building's a dog, but what in the hell are you talking about?

[Steely Dan]

No - most of the residents are not drunk - This is a stadium in a neighborhood, not a stadium's area.

i lived in wrigelyville (3500 block of n. sheffield) from 2000-2005.

i think i was drunk for most of those 5 years.

but my memory is a bit hazy. ;)