CHICAGO | 130 N Franklin | 751 FT | 51 FLOORS

[Zapatan]

Full presentation.



http://chicago.curbed.com/archives/2...-quicklink.php

Back in April, we reported that the Crown Family, owner the old the Chicago Mercantile Exchange site, had teamed up with Tishman Speyer to develop the property with a one-million-square-foot office tower. We were encouraged that Krueck & Sexton, the firm behind the awarding-wining Spertus Institute on South Michigan Avenue, had been commissioned to design the building. Now, thanks to an article in the Sun-Times that includes a small, blink-and-you'll-miss-it rendering, we can peep the latest design. The building's height is encouraging as is the sleek blue facade, articulated with subtle indentations reminiscent of Spertus. No word as yet on potential tenants, though Google was rumored to be in the mix. A shiny new skyscraper at the long-vacant site would help redress past transgressions of the Crown family, which opted, amid bitter debate, to demolish the historic exchange building in 2002.

http://www.tishmanspeyer.com/propert...north-franklin

[scalziand]

Looks like hints of Spertus.

[rgolch]

Originally Posted by scalziand

Looks like hints of Spertus.

Right you are, given that it was designed by the same firm.

[TallBob]

Not a bad looking building. Any chance it'll get a height increase? Or is this still in the planning stages.

[denizen467]

Originally Posted by Zapatan

There is kind of a chess move aspect to this, because if/when this is built, it will become a little harder for the owners of the property to the N to build and market a tall Class A tower, as it would have no southern views to offer. Had the Crowns waited, they would be the ones with the tougher sell.

It's like the Crain's article from a couple weeks ago about Hines pulling the trigger on doing River Point on spec -- coming out of a recession, the first mover has a big advantage, and the last mover gets hosed.

Separately, I am still hoping 101 Wacker eventually gets torn down and replaced with a marquee skyscraper, which will also be somewhat harder due to 130 Franklin. Although it'll probably be the 2020s++ before we again see any Wacker towers getting demolished for bigger things (100 or 150 South may be earlier candidates, not to mention GGP).

[Chicago_Forever]

Yeah, GGP said they were looking to redevelope their proper and I was so excited to hear that news because I've always thought their currect HQ was a big waste of space for its prime location. Anyway, I beilieve they made that announcement over a year ago, I'm surprised there haven't been any kind of follow up.

[Chicagoguy]

Originally Posted by scalziand

Looks like hints of Spertus.

The first thing that came to mind when I saw this rendering was actually the Shangri-La Hotel and Residences in Toronto.

I can never remember how to upload a picture so here is the link!
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=148718

[lawfin]

Originally Posted by denizen467

There is kind of a chess move aspect to this, because if/when this is built, it will become a little harder for the owners of the property to the N to build and market a tall Class A tower, as it would have no southern views to offer. Had the Crowns waited, they would be the ones with the tougher sell.

It's like the Crain's article from a couple weeks ago about Hines pulling the trigger on doing River Point on spec -- coming out of a recession, the first mover has a big advantage, and the last mover gets hosed.

Separately, I am still hoping 101 Wacker eventually gets torn down and replaced with a marquee skyscraper, which will also be somewhat harder due to 130 Franklin. Although it'll probably be the 2020s++ before we again see any Wacker towers getting demolished for bigger things (100 or 150 South may be earlier candidates, not to mention GGP).

I don't know General Growth has to be one of the more underutilized and ugly buildings on Wacker......it is an fugly embarrassment.
I was walking east across the river at Randolph the other evening around 6ish and it appeared no one was inside general growth at all. I know they declared bankruptcy a while back but is the building still being used by them at all or by anyone.....literally saw no one inside... eerie

Oh sorry see that you mentioned GGP missed that on my first response

[spyguy]

[the urban politician]

Wow, that's nice

[GregBear24]

I don't like this proposal....

I adore it!

[Buckman821]

Damn, that is so nice it almost makes me rethink my somewhat hardcore preservationist stance.

Then again, by the time anything gets built here I'll guess the site has been vacant a dozen years and there are plenty of other places it could've gone.

In conclusion, the Crown family can still eat shit, but please build this tower also.

[arkitekte]

Thanks for posting the additional renderings! Looks really good.

[emathias]

That design definitely doesn't hurt my eyes to look at, but all the same I think it's kinda boring. That spot's been vacant so long, I would really have hoped to see something unusually creative proposed - especially from such famous owners.

[the urban politician]

^ Maybe the building will have images of faces on the side, spouting water? That sounds about right for the Crowns

[Zapatan]

Woah spyguy those renderings are great!

This is a good looking tower, I count about 50-52 floors, it's a bit hard to tell at the bottom, so hopefully it will break 700

[J. Will]

I like the angulating facade, but it looks like it should be a little taller and thinner.

[BraveNewWorld]

Love it. This will be Chicago's 20th tallest building.

[rgolch]

Very elegant. And it it seems like it will look a little different depending on what direction you looking at it, which great.

[NYguy]

Originally Posted by spyguy

Very attractive.