The midrise building may require a PD to move forward or at least a zoning change, which means the community can make whatever demands they want in exchange for the zoning relief. I think this building is unexceptional but pleasant, worth "saving" but not worth landmarking.

This design is super unrefined, but I know BKL will end up giving us something better. I do like the midrise scale and prefer it VASTLY over towers on podiums. Personally I would be willing to sacrifice the older buildings here. It would be great to improve the way this design meets the street though... Wells should be a vibrant pedestrian corridor with wide sidewalks and trees and cafes all the way from North Ave to the river.

Seen - Right Now
 

There's some subsurface testing going on this noon in that small lot in the South Loop bordered by Polk, Dearborn and Federal......Someone here will know what the current proposal is (Mr. Downtown would be a top candidate......also, aside - not to overthink this one, but were that to be discovered to be yet another of the prodigious Dr. Franklin's fine inventions, I find it entirely likely that the origin site up for historic landmarking would be found in one of his Parisian haunts.....most certainly not in Philadelphia, nor Boston, let alone the shithole of a lakeside swamp that somehow, following his exit from worldly affairs, wound up to become this toddlin' - if somewhat prudish - metropolis.........)

Yeah good luck with that.

With the sleepy Moody campus and all the dead-end streets, Wells will never achieve close to what you are describing -- at least in the dead spot between Chicago and Division.

Awesome! I grew up across the street. I hope they pay great attention to the street level environment, because in my absolutely biased opinion, that stretch of Dearborn is one of the nicest in all of downtown.

Here's something I found, though not sure how dated it is: http://www.goodbuildings.com/projects/polk-dearborn

If I'm remembering right, that lot at Polk/Dearborn/Federal is supposed to become a private home for some local developer, and the other parking lot on the opposite side of Dearborn is going to be a short multi-family residence. Or vice versa.

The Donohue Building has some lettering at the 2nd floor facing that lot, which I hope will be preserved and lifted up to remain visible after whatever gets built.

The grass lot you're talking about will be a sad loss for the neighborhood IMO, the Christmas tree lot they put there every winter is a really nice feature for an area that's generally pretty low on community-feeling. They also use that lot during the Lit Fest. Also, dogs love to run around the lot, and the owner was gracious enough to allow neighbors to use it for dogs as long as they pick up the mess. It'll be sad seeing it turn into a low-rise residence for one family.

MrD would definitely know better than me though.

edit: agree with above. Dearborn in Printer's Row has a great feel to it, and the empty retail units are starting to fill in.

edit2: Bob's Christmas Trees:

http://i.imgur.com/SK9se7Dl.jpghttp://i.imgur.com/xuHr6xHl.jpg

who did he bribe/blow to get that zoned for sfh?

That corner of Wells/Chicago is not worth preserving, especially given the potential replacement which I find honest, expressive, and dynamic (and is also, I'm sure, preliminary). I was of the opposite mind when word of the proposal first surfaced here, but ardecila, at that time, had a convincing counterpoint (that I can't recall or paraphrase). The quality of the potential future structure now sets the current building's qualities into further relief for me, and what I see is an irrevocably bastardized facade and roof (of the east portion, anyway). The west portion that sort of offers a glimpse of what was still leaves something to be desired--a plain and unarticulated elevation with no real rhythm or dynamism to enliven it. It's not particularly evocative of "Chicago", either.

Looks like a nice rooftop of some sort is being added to the top of the Three Arts club.
http://i592.photobucket.com/albums/t...f92c82cb3f.jpg

How about thoughtfullness in design? Yes, there are still architectural firms out there that will consider incorporating older buildings into a new development without any bureaucratic intervention.

Can't say for sure if the option is on the table, but at least in my opinion, I hope there is.

Does anyone know if the Restoration Hardware conversion plan still a go?

Old FCB building (101 E Erie) seems to be prepping for its hotelization.

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

I don't think it's out of the question. It won't happen overnight, but already we have seen the massive Atrium Village proposal at the north end that will put hundreds of pedestrians onto the street.

Moody will eventually come around, the land values will get so high they can't afford NOT to more intensely develop their campus. The bigger problem is Payton IMO.

Right now the focus should be on the Ontario/Ohio intersections though. Fuck Al's Beef and Carson's. Ed Debevic's can stay, provided they urbanize a bit.

Good. Can we loose 17CSS and cover up the tacky wall with a supertall now?

i moved a bunch of posts discussing various highrise projects over to the highrise thread. please continue the discussions over there.

[MODERATOR NOTE] Posts in this thread are related to actual developments please take any political discussion - regardless if it's somewhat related - to the appropriate threads. . . thanks in advance. . .

. . .

Chinatown Library
 

Last Jan

^^ Falls way short of the rendering.

Speaking of.. this building on Western is well on its way to completely failing to deliver anything close to the rendering.

http://i58.tinypic.com/21b42mh.jpg

http://chicago.curbed.com/archives/2...l-building.php

I'll try to snap a pic on way home tonight. It's topped off.

Are we sure the exterior beams on the Chinatown Library that made the design distinct in the first place aren't just being attached later?

You're correct, I think some are jumping the gun not realizing that the building exterior hasn't been completed yet, the fins haven't been installed yet.

^^ really? That would be great.