Site location for the IIT Innovation Center

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http://fuelinginnovation.iit.edu/innovation-center

Gah, there are so many freaking parking lots on the IIT campus, and they decide to build on green space? :yuck:

There goes my only convenient city disc golf course.

Got a chance to take a sneak peak at the Chicago Athletic Association Hotel on Saturday. All I can say is WOW! :tup:

Normally I would agree with you. However for a school that has been slowly making a turn around and needs more students to attend I think the decision is probably the right one. I mean they could build a parking garage and the new facilities and not lose parking space for those students commuting but that means more money for something that isn't a need and won't attract more students.

I went too. This is probably the coolest development (ever?). It is mind-blowing.

Sure, it's much better if they can reduce parking needs by convincing more students to live in Bronzeville or to take public transportation.

The campus master plan has the remainder of the State Street parking lots being redeveloped into student housing / retail / lab space.

I have no issues with the Innovation Center's siting, IIT has far too much open space for a school with such a low student population. So much that it can feel pedestrian hostile at times. Additional built enclosure could go a long way to making the campus feel more inviting.

And if you -- or anyone you know -- is looking for an event space, book now. I've heard they're cutting deals for early bookers and I can't imagine anywhere better for a wedding reception/benefit. But yes, unbelievable space -- went on Saturday as well. And Cindy's -- the restaurant at the top -- has probably the best views in the city. Just gorgeous, all the way around.

Riverwalk
 

I'd agree that IIT has too much open space in total, but a lot of it is tied up in those big tower-in-a-park style setbacks.

The space they're going to build over, on the other hand, is the only real quad on the academic side of campus. The layout of open space makes all the difference; a park surrounded by buildings is much more pleasant and inviting than a building surrounded by the same area of park land.

Love the Dave Matthews Memorial Shields.

For people on the riverwalk perhaps, but not for those on boats passing beneath the bridges.

new riverwalk segments are killer

5/26

Fifield fires up at 1822-1850 W. Chicago Ave

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Riverwalk turned out great. Looks like a dedicated Kayak safety lane.

I'm not sure this is a fair statement. Unless there's some history I don't know, that building is hardly historic, and is just an anonymous 2 story building with a Starbucks and a space for fast food restaurants that come and go. Yes, it is sort of a handsome example, but is out of scale with the much taller buildings to the North, West and East, as well as the transportation building across Harrison, and ALREADY had an addition on the roof. Yes, it was smaller but seems to be of more or less the same configuration as the new one which occupies the same location against a blank brick wall well back from Harrison. Hard to tell while under construction, but I suspect, will blend in pretty much like the former one when finished.

Far from the most obnoxious things we've seen in the sloop.

Glad to see this continued work. You can see both a small section of the original decorative work at the bottom and then a huge expanse of flatness around the top. There's a matching element some feet to the south. They ripped out this one last fall, and I was afraid that the result was permanent. It looks like they may be recreating the decorative elements, which is a good thing.

In the picture on the lower right you can see a block on the scaffold waiting to be installed.

new riverwalk was even better than I anticipated when I walked it yesterday. And the restaurant spaces are going to be great

^I cannot imagine a better location for a City Winery, than the Riverwalk. :cheers:

http://chicago.eater.com/2015/5/22/8...w-spots-to-eat