I really like this idea as well, but I think it cost $6 million to move the Rees House + coach house, so I'm not sure it's financially viable even if the land was free.

'One Chicago Square?' Not terrible...

There's no square tough :???:
Or any public space for that matter.

I was just in Chicago two weeks ago.

I don't mean all of River North, but anywhere that the street consists of parking entrances and garages has no street life. It's very pedestrian unfriendly. Clark Street is a different story, for instance, at least from Grand to the river.

Oh dear lord. There has got to be some vacant retail space where that can relocate to. Hopefully the guy's just playing hardball and comes to his senses.

For parking, if it's all underground, what's the program for the podium?

Character my friend... character:tup:

We all prefer the 19th century buildings.... but everything is not always about physical beauty when living in the city.... sometimes the beauty is found in function.

Having a street scale all hours restaurant of this type stick around helps make a city less sterile. And who knows, now with some new development right at his door, maybe the guy spends some donero to spruce the place up a bit. :cheers:

Street scale is what first floor retail is for. I don't think Wrigleyville is losing character because the McD's in the Zachary now.

Its present look is after some sprucing up a few years ago ...

I always wanted to like that place, but after a number of tries, I just can't. Food is, at best, mediocre. Service is mediocre and sometimes actually just bad. Environment is not pleasant.

In addition to the restaurant, there is a dry cleaners in the eastern portion of the building.

^^^ Nice Steely!
I wonder if this proposal will have any impact on that McDonalds on State? This design leaves a keyhole opening at the NE corner that a tower on the McD's lot would have views through to the SW.

^^ Whoa! nice work Steely

some skyline views:

https://s1.postimg.org/1fcti72vov/cathedral_5.jpg

https://s1.postimg.org/8bhh2dnntr/cathedral_6.jpg

https://s1.postimg.org/80un987d3j/cathedral_7.jpg

The site plan shows a small pocket park positioned at the front of the taller tower's main entry. This would be between the main tower and the cathedral, facing the street. I could see that set aside getting larger in community negotiations, and perhaps even making one of the towers a bit taller.

Would it be possible to do a view from around Ashland and Lake, and coming in on the Kennedy at about Fullerton?

I don't like the massing. I hope it's not a One Bennett Park 2.0

I want steel, glass, modern

ask and ye shall receive.



from ashland & lake:

https://s1.postimg.org/1o5f28kj33/cathedral_8.jpg




from the kennedy @ webster:

https://s1.postimg.org/3xoflq64f3/cathedral_9.jpg

The elevation diagrams list materials as a glass and aluminum curtain/window wall system.

Hope it gets built. Would be nice to see a modern glass facade poking up above all the beige shit.

PUBLIC MEETING

DATE - October 24th

TIME - 6:30

Location - 25 E. Pearson
Kasbeer Hall
15th Floor

Thanks, Steely Dan!

Man, if Holy Name gets to keep its height and gets built, it plus Wanda Vista, Wolf Point South, and the 800' ones on Lakeshore East and General Growth replacement are going to "ruin" our long-standing triple-crown skyline from the NW in the most wonderful way.

I hear you. I added a caveat when I gave my initial assessment of the place that it has been a while since I have been there -- meaning something like 5 years. A lot can change in that period of time. But let me add, when I say, "the food is good".... I am not talking 5 star quality good. Its a place to go to after a night with friends, bar hopping, etc. At that time of night, the expectation of quality of food changes a bit and it becomes more about atmosphere and winding up the night on a good note.

Let me just say this....there is something to be said about LIVABILITY of a city. I was in Miami a few months ago on business and I was struck by the lack of livability of its downtown area save for a strip or two. One of the great things about Chicago is having walkable street scale places like this little restaurant.

It needs greenery. Add some something like shrubs, potted trees, possibly add some green to the roof and against the backdrop of a stale parking garage (or retail), this will be a nice contrast.

.

That's great, but I lived right near here for 8 years until a handful of months ago. I was right around there parcels all the damn time, nearly everyday until I started traveling every week for work..then it changed to 2 days per week.

I know what I'm talking about so I really don't care that you were there a few weeks ago when I actually experienced this specific parcel for years. Even though it was a parking lot, it still got and gets a healthy dose of pedestrian traffic on the state street side and also near Chicago ave. I'm not saying it's a ton, but it definitely was not dead on a normal day. At 3am then you'd have a point, but that's not your point.