CHICAGO | Lincoln Yards

[r18tdi]

Encouraging, but I hope the change doesn't trigger the approval process all over again. Waguespack would probably schedule more than a dozen community meetings...

[west-town-brad]

^ Lakeshore East owners/residents actually have to pay back the loan for the infrastructure over like 50 years. Something similar could be done at LY or 78, but much better to politik under you can get some freebies.

[west-town-brad]

Originally Posted by west-town-brad

^ Lakeshore East owners/residents actually have to pay back the loan for the infrastructure over like 50 years. Something similar could be done at LY or 78, but much better to politik under you can get some freebies.

here is a link to the text of the bond: http://www.neweastside.org/LSEassessment.html

same could be done for the 78 or LY as I mentioned.... with very little cost to general taxpayers for the needed infrastructure.

[ithakas]

Thanks for sharing, I did not know about this!

I wonder if JDL goes this route with their chunk of Lincoln Yards, and get city approvals to build a mid rise residential district.

I really think that scale paired with some walkable spaces becomes a big hit, and instantly one of the more desirable neighborhoods to live in in the city.

[twister244]

As the Northern portion goes, so does the Southern portion....

https://www.chicagobusiness.com/comm...-news-20250514

I'm pretty happy to see JDL poised to take over the entire project. Given their track record with other Chicago developments, my optimism for this land eventually getting built out has risen now. I suspect JDL will take the normal piecemeal approach with one building at a time.

[munchymunch]

Yeah definitely exciting ^

Sterling Bay has really seen a fall from grace these past few years. Not only do they lose the southern part of the site but it also turns out that Kayne Anderson (A potential partner sterling bay was seeking) is now working with JDL instead. What a story.

[mh777]

Finally... a good developer is involved with this project. Sterling Bay is not the same company they use to be. I've heard they've taken an absolute bath on some of their West Loop projects, let alone this one.

[west-town-brad]

What leverage gives (Fulton Market) it takes away (Lincoln Yards).

Hopefully with JDL we can expect this to be mostly residential district and associated amenities with a mix of density and to merge Lincoln Park and Bucktown.

[left of center]

Yeah, agreed that residential is the way to go. The project as planned is not feasible in this market. Outside of small boutique office buildings, it's unlikely that the near future will be seeing much office in the developmental pipeline, outside the odd tower or two in Fulton Market. WFH has been absolutely crushing office space demand.

Making this project primarily residential with retail is the way to go. I would love for JDL to go with more high rises, but short of some sort of dedicated transit planning (BRT or rail), I don't think the area's infrastructure could handle that much density. We might see a more low and mid rise proposals from JDL, unless they work with the city on some very expensive transportation upgrades; the previously mentioned transit, fixing the Courtland/Ashland/Armitage clusterf*ck, dedicated bus lanes on Ashland, etc.

[twister244]

Originally Posted by left of center

Making this project primarily residential with retail is the way to go. I would love for JDL to go with more high rises, but short of some sort of dedicated transit planning (BRT or rail), I don't think the area's infrastructure could handle that much density. We might see a more low and mid rise proposals from JDL, unless they work with the city on some very expensive transportation upgrades; the previously mentioned transit, fixing the Courtland/Ashland/Armitage clusterf*ck, dedicated bus lanes on Ashland, etc.

+1 on this.

As much as I would love to see a cluster of highrises go here, I'm not holding my breath. If it means go for broke on a super dense mega project here versus a more guaranteed fill project that fills in old industrial land along the river to connect two major neighborhoods - The choice is easy.

With that said - JDL has proven themselves to get major things off the ground, so if they think they can go big and help fund infrastructure - By all means, I'm down for that too.

[left of center]

Originally Posted by twister244

With that said - JDL has proven themselves to get major things off the ground, so if they think they can go big and help fund infrastructure - By all means, I'm down for that too.

I certainly hope so. There are plenty of places to build 3-6 story residential buildings all throughout the city. Creating a new high rise neighborhood doesn't come easy, and brownfields like this (as well as the 78) are the best option for that to happen. LSE could not have been the great success that it was without the significant infrastructure investment it required.

[Toasty Joe]

Originally Posted by left of center

I certainly hope so. There are plenty of places to build 3-6 story residential buildings all throughout the city. Creating a new high rise neighborhood doesn't come easy, and brownfields like this (as well as the 78) are the best option for that to happen. LSE could not have been the great success that it was without the significant infrastructure investment it required.

Eh I'm not typically a fan of new highrise neighborhoods. They tend to look soulless since the architecture is all from the same decade with similar shapes/materials (see Hudson Yards). To my knowledge, JDL hasn't done a highrise that's not primarily a glass curtain wall - despite how well they executed One Chicago.

LSE isn't my favorite collection of buildings, but it actually works better than other new highrise neighborhoods because the older towers nearby (Prudential, AON, Harbor Point) blend into it, allowing the architecture to span 60+ years.

You can kinda see this in our Loop-adjacent neighorhoods too:
- 1990s/2000s - River North beige + blank parking podia
- 2000s/2010s - South Loop glassy towers
- 2010s/2020s - West Loop dark industrial chic

[ithakas]

Yeah I'd be hoping for more 7-12 story mid rise scale, like Printers Row. There's always felt like a dearth of that scale here, but it gives you a lot of the benefits of density without some of the downsides of newly built high rise neighborhoods.

[r18tdi]

I wonder if JDL is considering renaming/rebranding the site once they gain control? "Lincoln Yards" is vey much associated with SB and various controversies.

[munchymunch]

To me yeah height doesn’t matter.

The two main priorities should be.

1. Increasing the connectivity between Lincoln park/Lakeview to Bucktown/Wicker park.

2. Activating all that River front property to be accessible/entertaining to the public.

[iguy]

Fingers crossed for “One Lincoln Park” supertall.

Joking, joking (mostly).

[Randomguy34]

Waugespack spoke with ABC 7, he expects a new plan by the end of the summer and he personally wants JDL to consider a Chicago Fire stadium on the site.

https://abc7chicago.com/post/chicago...fell/16429387/

[VKChaz]

Originally Posted by munchymunch

To me yeah height doesn’t matter.

The two main priorities should be.

1. Increasing the connectivity between Lincoln park/Lakeview to Bucktown/Wicker park.

2. Activating all that River front property to be accessible/entertaining to the public.

If this ends up effectively a residential development (likely), how active is the riverfront likely to be? Not having all those office workers, reduces some of the need for commercial space as well as lunch-time gathering spots. The residential-driven riverwalks I have seen tend to have appeal to the locals with strollers, walking dogs, etc. Pleasant, but not geared to entertainment nor attracting outsiders
Has JDL done anything along the river?

[jpIllInoIs]

Originally Posted by Randomguy34

Waugespack spoke with ABC 7, he expects a new plan by the end of the summer and he personally wants JDL to consider a Chicago Fire stadium on the site.

https://abc7chicago.com/post/chicago...fell/16429387/

No to the stadium! Besides the many traffic issues I'd rather see the Fire in the new "scaled down-Historically correct- Soldier Field" that would accommodate concerts but open the views to the Loop skyline. Ive seen old renders that flipped the orientation of the soccer pitch to an East/West alignment with the colonnades acting as End Posts and the south side of the stadium being built up for the largest seating capacity with sky boxes and the North side being lower capacity but allowing Museum campus and Grant Park views.

[munchymunch]

Originally Posted by VKChaz

If this ends up effectively a residential development (likely), how active is the riverfront likely to be? Not having all those office workers, reduces some of the need for commercial space as well as lunch-time gathering spots. The residential-driven riverwalks I have seen tend to have appeal to the locals with strollers, walking dogs, etc. Pleasant, but not geared to entertainment nor attracting outsiders
Has JDL done anything along the river?

Residential vs. Office would make no difference in how active the riverfront is or not imo. This is 100+ acres of riverfront property wedged between two of Chicago's most affluent neighborhoods. It has all the potential to be just as popular as the River Walk downtown, 606, or the lakefront.

Again, it's about execution. First, access and infrastructure need to be improved in the area. Then, the riverwalk itself needs to be accessible and have things to do, like bars, restaurants, shops, etc.

As they say... if you build it, people will come.