Which is funny and interesting because they're actually adding more density and creating a taller tower. It's more of a 3-phase project.

The previous plan was for 665 apartments total, 486 units south of Lake and 179 units in the building north of Lake.

This plan now has 667 units south of Lake and...

The total would be 846 apartments.

Another infill for South Loop

2328 S Michigan Ave | 170 ft | 256 units | 10 parking!

https://i.imgur.com/JA2gEOH.png
https://chicityclerkelms.chicago.gov...E-001DD809669D

Beautiful. That's how you do downtown development.

Replacing a Burger King on a prime stretch of Motor Row, so making what could be the next Randolph Street less auto-oriented, rather than more (looking at you, LG).

https://www.chicagobusiness.com/comm...lace-area-site

Commercial Real Estate
Developers plan 256-unit apartment complex on Motor RowBy Rachel Herzog


https://s3-rd-prod.chicagobusiness.c..._Edit_JPEG.jpg

That rendering can’t be right? No way that’s 170 feet?

That portion is behind this, on the west half/elevation of the site, along the alley.

And I noticed an error on their land map.

Fingers crossed they can execute that facade with decent materials and avoid value engineering out the depth.

I'm over the illusory multi-building thing (was never into it, actually). It's so hokey. I'm assuming that they have to adhere to the standards of the Landmark District here (Motor Row). I would much rather see a single facade design with a materials palette and similar fenestration proportions/patterns that are harmonious with the surrounding buildings. Just make a modern building that uses comparable materials and the same design language; not an attempt at a recreation of something from the past that ends up only having a weird semblance to such.

Same but this one is as inoffensive as they get. At least all the major horizontal lines are continued between "buildings"

It's likely a Type I concrete building, they can always value-engineer it but it's not like the typical wood-framed 5-over-1 apartment where the walls need to be perfectly 2-dimensional like a paper model. We've seen articulation like this in lots of new buildings of this type.

Doesn't seem like we use a lot (any?) type 5 here. Is that because of fire codes?

Yes. Chicago Building Code does not allow you to stack one construction type on top of another the way IBC does in other cities, the entire structure must be classified as one type, this is the hack that makes 5-over-1s possible. There are also just stricter limitations on the height/area of wood framed / Type V structures as well.

Practically speaking these apartments in the Cabrini area are the biggest that you can do with wood in Chicago:
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.9075...8192?entry=ttu
Note that the ground floor is residential (no mixed use) which means all parking is in surface lots outdoors.

220 N Ada
 

April 11, 2024



April 16, 2024







April 22, 2024

633 S LaSalle
 

April 11, 2024

RIU Plaza Chicago - 150 E Ontario
 

April 15, 2024

225 N Elizabeth
 

April 16, 2024





April 22, 2024

Cassidy on Canal - 350 N Canal
 

April 22, 2024

1143 W Lake
 

April 22, 2024

This turned out quite nice. Very reminiscent of 900 W Randolph (The Row) with the black beam look.

The two compliment each other nicely and nicely add to the industrial-loft architectural theme of the neighborhood.

Yes, indeed. Thank you. Fultonization - yes, that's what this is - is such an unsophisticated approach. I find it to be literally the opposite of "respectful". It's design for morons.

That stated, is this design particularly offensive in and of itself? No, perhaps not. But - that's not the larger point here. The approach is leading to a huge collection of missed opportunities and a mediocre at best new urban fabric that is being added. It's like enforced mediocrity to prevent some outright disasters.

On a separate topic, it is great to see some proposed new reasonably dense residential infill on Motor Row. Hope there's more to come.