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http://www.nearwestgazette.com/Archi...briefs1107.htm

GPAC/GPC tackles variety of park issues
Marie Balice Ward

Queen's Landing: Officials have contacted British firms to fund a bridge or other structure for a direct connection between Queen’s Landing/Buckingham Fountain and the lakefront east of Lake Shore Drive, said Bob O’Neill, president of GPAC/GPC. Discussions are underway to ask a British architect design the structure, O’Neill added. He mentioned two Pritzker Prize winning architects—Sir Norman Foster and Richard Rogers—who are highly regarded internationally. Work on a crossing would tie in with the upcoming 50th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s arrival in Chicago at that site.

Updating the south end: A proposal for the south end of Grant Park would update the railroad tracks and the antiquated bridge. Officials will hire planners to develop conceptual ideas in the next couple of weeks.

Quote:

Originally Posted by spyguy (Post 3143807)

Good deal. We'll see if anything actually comes of either initiative; I'm not sure why a "British firm" would want to drop millions for such a project, and other than BP can't think of any with a significant tie to Chicagoland.

^ Even so, thank goodness the City is actually thinking along the lines of great architects for civic projects. Gives me some hope...

Yes. Hopefully Foster and Rodgers can create some stunning work. I tend to think that starchitects smaller projects are better.

That being said...its interesting that we could have four starchitect bridges in the park Ghery, Piano, Foster and Rogers.

^ We'll see if we get either, but I doubt it will be both.

I still think the City dismissing Rodgers' competition plan to save North Avenue bridge and build a new one further north was one of their stupidest moves. I wonder if he'll have hard feelings toward the city, just like when they dissed Calatrava.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alliance (Post 3143279)

If we had a few billion I'd be enacting a few Chicago Prizes, ibut first and formost, building an Olympic stadium in place of Smith's POS obs tower in the lake.

I wouldn't spend too much time thinking about it - it's obviously not a real project...just like all the other communications/observation supertall proposals over the years - just not gonna happen....

Quote:

Originally Posted by VivaLFuego (Post 3143837)

I think it's just a case of a stupid and/or careless jounalist (this city's just overflowing with them unfortunately). I'm pretty sure the sentence should include the word "design" rather than "fund"...

Quote:

Originally Posted by GregBear24 (Post 3141292)

Why can't we create a resort with a hotel and casino on the lake somewhere? Maybe a little south of mccormick place with a nice new beach? I would like to see a casino be targeted and mostly available to tourists/ other visitors who have a lot of dough instead of yours truly wasting his money away there, which doesn't seem to get our city anywhere when it's all said and done if the money coming from the casino to build transit comes from the same people who use the transit- doesn't that defeat the general purpose of it all? We have a beautiful coastline, so why can't we do a better job at showcasing it to outsiders? My friends from Indiana didn't even know we had amazing sandy beaches until I showed them this summer, and if they don't know then I'm assuming most of the world doesn't either. With that unrealistic statement out of the way, I'm for mccormick or old post office.

"Forever open, clear, and free."

I think McCormick Place is by far the best place for a casino. The old post office is really too big, and they'd likely want new construction. Locating near McCormick Place will help the convention industry (casinos are the big reason Vegas has grown its convention industry) and take money mostly from out of town visitors, which is crucial if a casino is to be a net positive economically.

Funding transit with a casino is stupid unless you can get the vast majority of revenue from out of town visitors.

Quote:

Originally Posted by the urban politician (Post 3139330)

:haha:

Are they finally getting it?

10/31/2007 10:00:00 PM
Neighbors: More condos, please
Neighbors say Walgreens development should be transit oriented

By TIMOTHY INKLEBARGER
Editor

It's like déjà vu all over again for East Village and Wicker Park residents who fought a commercial development at the corner or Ashland and Division more than 20 years ago.

Back then neighbors opposed the establishment of Pizza Hut at 1601 W. Division and Wendy's restaurant at 1623 W. Division. Now they're opposing the construction of a freestanding Walgreens drug store. The Walgreens would replace Pizza Hut, which closed down and has sat vacant since early 2007, but the Wendy's location is expected to stay.

Neighbors have opposed the proposal by developer Interra Vision, stating that the site, which many consider a gateway to Wicker Park and East Village, does not suffice in terms of scale to adjacent buildings. They argue that the building, located across the street from the historic MB Financial building, should balance the bank and serve as a transit-oriented development.

Justin Schultz, an Interra Vision representative, did not return phone calls requesting an interview.

"It can have a Walgreens in it; we just don't want it to be just a Walgreens," said Scott Rappe, head of the East Village Association's zoning committee. "We object to that land being solely a single-tenant building and a parking lot."

"Imagine if you had a gym or professional offices and a mix of dwelling apartment types all concentrated there with access to the Blue Line and the busses. It could really be desirable for both residents and businesses."

Rappe and others have been garnering support for the initiative to persuade the developer to build a multi-story building. Last week, the East Village Association sent a request to Arnold J. Randall Jr., commissioner of the Chicago Department of Planning and Development, asking that he work with the developer and neighbors to build a more substantial structure.

"Chicago-as it works to become a more environmentally responsible, 'green' city-must take advantage of opportunities to establish transit-oriented developments. The proximity of the site to public transit (the subway and three bus lines), three major thoroughfares, and the Kennedy Expressway, as well as prime shopping and service amenities, makes it the ideal location for such a development," the EVA letter reads.

More at link:

http://www.chicagojournal.com/main.a...00&TM=23997.12

Hell Yes! Finnally a community group preaching a desire to see good urban design and planning on a key TOD site. Could this be the start of more great things to come in this area? I surely hope so. Furthermore, with transit service in question and the budget deficit at city hall, I think this could be a golden opportunity to sway more people to the benifits of having higher density in places where the existing infrastucture and transit service has ample capacity. Doing so would help the financial situations of both entities if we see a good wave of it through out the neighborhoods where appropiate.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marcu (Post 3135249)

Green roofs/solar panels do very little to save energy costs/emissions and are just a way for Daley to appease environmentally conscious voters. So if the cost is high, chances are very low.

FALSE. Every small project contributes to a greater whole and the city will see the benifits. Just the green roof at city hall alone reduced the roof surface tempiture by over 50 degrees on a typical summer day. Furthermore, one often overlooked element is the fact that green roofs absorb storm water and slow runoff, and the more of these we have, the fewer sewer backups we will see durring heavy summer downpours. Which also translates to less money needed to fund the Deep Tunnel project to divert the overflowing combined sewer water away from the river and lake.

Wow...worth the wait I guess

http://chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/n...27027&seenIt=1

Salvation Army to unveil community center plans
Nov. 05, 2007
By Brandon Glenn

The Salvation Army’s Chicago Metropolitan Division is set to unveil plans for a $160-million community center on the Southwest Side on Tuesday.

The 220,000-square-foot community center, designed by Helmut Jahn, is to be built on two vacant lots that stretch a combined 33 acres in the West Pullman neighborhood, said Lt. Col. David Grindle of the Metropolitan Division.

Some nifty news:

Nov. 05, 2007

Street-entrance retail planned for Presidential Towers
By Eddie Baeb

(Crain’s) — The new owner of Presidential Towers is looking to convert the retail space into stores with entrances on the street and expand the health club in the four-tower West Loop apartment complex.

http://chicagorealestatedaily.com/cg...ws.pl?id=27017

^^^Wasn't there originally a plan for at least one more tower maybe two?......can we get that back on the table given the increased rental demand

I am very excited to see the Jahn Salvation Army community center, I have high hopes for this! So, now that 600 N. Fairbanks is nearly complete what other projects does Jahn ahve in the pipline in Chicago? I know there is the U of C Library expansion and chiller plant. I also thought the was some mention awhile ago about a possible residential highrise somewhere (maybe the South Loop)? Anybody remember that or know any more info on it or anyother Jahn projects for Chicago?

2 unrelated tidbits for your consumption/comment:

1. The CTA stationhouse at North/Damen/Milwaukee is receiving landmark designation, I'm not sure if the platforms are included. I wonder how this will gel with ADA-compliance or potential future Airport Express trackage (frankly, I prefer the awesome station to either ADA-compliance or the AE boondoggle, but there's definitely some conflict in the stated long term goals)

2. Something (I think a 1-2 story structure) just got demo'd on the plot north of the building that formerly housed Sal e Carvao restaurant, the latter of which is currently being renovated. Anyone know what's going on with either of these?

^ Hi Viva,

Thanks for the info. Is the stationhouse part of the Milwaukee Ave. landmark district, or an independent designation? I don't have a copy of the Milwaukee Ave. designation report yet.

Can you please let me know the address of the Sal e Carvao restaurant. I forget where that is - Clark Street?

Also, a really nice 3-story loft building on Halsted in the "Pilsen Arts District" was just demoed recently.

Quote:

Originally Posted by honte (Post 3149210)

The stationhouse is a seperate designation, I believe.

Sal e Carvao was the NE corner of Clark/Superior.

^ Sal Carvao is becoming Zed 451. The suburban locations are open already. Not sure when this one is set to open but I would imagine in time for the traditionally busy holiday season.

Quote:

Originally Posted by VivaLFuego (Post 3149325)

The stationhouse is a seperate designation, I believe.

Sal e Carvao was the NE corner of Clark/Superior.

OK, thanks for the info.

I believe the building that was north of that site was an old theatre, which had a terrible facelift that destroyed its facade.

Also, speaking of bad facelifts ... I asked around about the Moana building around the corner from here, which you mentioned has scaffold surrounding it. Here's the sad story I was told: The Poetry Mag. deal with Ronan has fallen through, and a plastic surgeon has bought the historic building instead. He intends to perform a little plastic surgery on the facade too, and cannot be persuaded otherwise. The terracotta will be torn off and replaced, I think, with limestone. ??? Sounds stupid, I know, but I'm just relaying what gossip I heard. Of course, the city is nowhere to be found on this one.

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