Trying to understand why the EPA would require Damen Hall to have its asbestos removed before demolition (delaying the demolition by several months)
http://www.loyolaphoenix.com/2.541/n...nues-1.1549552 yet not for this high rise?

Check out Blueprint for disaster: The unraveling of Chicago public housing if you want to read a superb new (2009) book about the backstories of the CHA projects. Superbly researched, btw, so it upends a lot of local myths about who was to blame for them.

One interesting tidbit: The Federal government wanted to build 3x as many of them in Chicago as they ultimately pulled off. Triple-size Cabrini-Green in your mind, then do the same for Robert Taylor Homes, ABLA, Stateway Gardens, etc... Can you imagine??

There isn't asbestos in that smoke. Its very very illegal to knock something down that will release asbestos into the open air. Any rumor about the smoke having asbestos in it is a myth. I'm sure they did tell nearby residents to keep their windows closed, but not because of asbestos. That is routine procedure with any demolition as fine particulates of any material are hazardous to the health of many people. But like I said, if they started demolishing a building and just letting particulate asbestos into the air the government would probably have whoever is in charge arrested because the government does not F around when it comes to asbestos.

I wasn't aware that any of the remaining towers had asbestos. I think for the most part they were clean of any hazards.

That is what I thought. ChicagoHiRiser....what article did you get your information from?

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2...ding-residents

"From here at 1230 N. Burling St., she can see the twin building at 1230 N. Larrabee St., lifeless now except for the masked men in protective suits ripping out the floor tile and asbestos."

"Officers sit full time in the lobby, next to a sign that warns residents to close their windows during the dusty demolition of 1230 N. Larrabee."

Well if that was asbestos removal they did it zippy quick. I wouldn't go near those clouds.

Ah okay. Yeah, demo contractors can knock out asbestos tiles fast. I'm assuming pipes were probably clean. There was likely asbestos tile beneath any existing tile. I can't imagine CHA leaving asbestos tiles at the surface.

Something comes down, something goes up
 

http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en...evelopmen.html

CDC Recommends TIF Assistance, Land Sale For Neighborhood Development Projects

The Commission gave approval to advertise and issue a RFP for the purchase and redevelopment of land at the northwest corner of Division Street and Clybourn Avenue in the Near North Redevelopment Area. The goal is to develop a 60-unit mixed-income rental development with a target sale price of $3.2 million. The Near North Working Group, comprised of representatives of the City of Chicago, the CHA and the Cabrini Local Advisory Council, will review the RFP responses. The Resource Center, a non-profit environmental education organization, is currently operating City Farm on this site. The city is working with City Farm to relocate to another site nearby.

I'm hoping for something good considering it's an odd-shaped parcel and Helmut Jahn's SRO is next door. And maybe something will happen with the parcel a block or so north where there was a 9 story proposal by Brininstool + Lynch.

Although it is frustrating, it's probably for the best that all these huge sites around town are being redeveloped slowly...

It provides for a bit of feedback and self-correction in terms of the planning, and definitely allows for variety, both in terms of design and building age, which is always a healthy thing for a neighborhood.

9-14

Randolph Pocket Park

http://img826.imageshack.us/img826/5284/pp3q.jpg

http://img826.imageshack.us/img826/892/pp2m.jpg

http://arcchicago.blogspot.com/2010/...ity-bucks.html

Are those chain "fences" leaving once the grass takes hold, please don't tell me they are permanent. On a separate note is there any news on 188 West Randolph? Last I heard was they were throwing around lighting schemes, yet the scaffolding doesn't seem to be going anywhere.

^ I don't see how you leave an expanse of grass wide open in that neighborhood, and not expect to have the corners/edges/etc. get trampled into mud. The whole rectangle of grass should have been raised 2 feet off the sidewalk so that people can lay there or just enjoy seeing the greenery but can't use it as a path.

The stakes & yellow rope look to be temporary until the sod is established.
If the grass gets enough sun it should do well.

Work is underway on the parking garage east of 188 W Randolph.

http://img838.imageshack.us/img838/1521/188ranpark.jpg

Construction?
 

Anyone know what is going on along the South Branch of the Chicago River? This site is right around 18th and Clark; just West of the Police Station. (Picture taken from 1720 S Michigan)

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GfGVxBH8czA/TJ...20Michigan.jpg

Update on the Mansueto library addition @ U of C:
(photo by John Pitcher)

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4089/...0248d096_b.jpg

http://www.flickr.com/photos/uchicagolibrary/

311 S Wacker grass does well and is used a lot. One of my favorite places to be for lunch in the summer. Nice to have some green on Randolph now.

...

^ that's awesome! I had no idea that ping tom was getting a phase two. It's already one of the nicest parks on the river (a proper canoe/kayak launch wold make it THE best), but another 11 acres of riverfront park on the south branch will be wonderful.

...

http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune....r-the-dev.html

The new plan for old lakefront steel works: Its bold strokes are worthy of Burnham, but God (or the devil) will be in the details
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Southoverall Chicago just gave its stamp of approval to an enormously promising plan to transform the vast, long-shuttered U.S. Steel plant site on its far southeast lakefront into a thriving community of high-rise apartments, town homes, shops, offices, medical facilities and parks.

Imagine: Sleek residential high-rises lining a vast industrial slip where ore boats delivered the raw materials for steel-making. A new park built over the foundations of a massive open hearth. A broad extension of South Shore Drive that would be an urban boulevard. Parks and alleys that would channel stormwater into Lake Michigan instead of the city’s sewers.

But there is a long and treacherous road to travel before this grand design (left) — a “noble diagram” in the tradition of planner Daniel Burnham — can become reality. And the potential potholes extend beyond the battered economy. They include the up-for-grabs character of the site itself: Will the redevelopment retain the grit of the old steel plant, which was called South Works, or will it reproduce suburban banality, giving us Generic City, USA?