CHICAGO | Hyde Park Development

[WestsideLA]

Urbanize update on New Science and Engineering Building:
https://chicago.urbanize.city/post/plans...chicago-engineering-and-science-building

[cloudbod]

2-2-2025

Here's some pics from last month of the UChicago cancer center at 5654 S Drexel Ave. Would love to see what it looks like now-- probably getting close to topping out.

[BVictor1]

5545 S. Woodlawn Ave

https://www.hpherald.com/evening_digest/...c8db776-fc0f-11ed-b09c-a350793d65d7.html

05.31.23


06.22.23


04.25.24


03.09.25


The rebuild isn't too bad. It's not a contemporary design like two other older homes (including next door) were rebuilt as.

[twister244]

Yeah.... I gotta say.... My rage started to come up a bit until I saw that last photo. The original structure was pretty beautiful, but was it worth saving in lieu of what was built in it's place?

[sentinel]

Originally Posted by twister244

Yeah.... I gotta say.... My rage started to come up a bit until I saw that last photo. The original structure was pretty beautiful, but was it worth saving in lieu of what was built in it's place?

I mean, they probably COULD have salvaged it had they wanted to...

[Sprinklemoore]

Originally Posted by twister244

Yeah.... I gotta say.... My rage started to come up a bit until I saw that last photo. The original structure was pretty beautiful, but was it worth saving in lieu of what was built in its place?

I think the new build looks pretty cheap and is a big trade-down tbh. What was there was very unique, this looks like any random townhome in Lakeview circa 2016. They've also committed one of the cardinal sins of architecture -- faux shutters that are so small they wouldn't even be able to cover the windows if they wanted to. It's like the ultimate pastiche move. I'm also not a fan of the slapdash materials -- if you have Hyde Park teardown money you should have slate roof and limestone money -- not poured concrete, flat pack brick and asphalt. I'm sure the inside was beautiful, too, the new owners just wanted more square footage.

[woodrow]

Yeah, no. They should have saved it. I have friends that saved a massive home on Drexel. It was a horror when they bought it an now it is a truly beautiful home. It can be done.

[moorhosj1]

Here is a really great visual article from the Chicago Maroon. It tracks the growth of the University relative to the neighborhood from 1890 to today.

[left of center]

Would have been nice if they could of at least saved and reused the covered porch element from the old building.

[sentinel]

Originally Posted by moorhosj1

Here is a really great visual article from the Chicago Maroon. It tracks the growth of the University relative to the neighborhood from 1890 to today.

Wow, great article and maps!

[SIGSEGV]

[Rally Monkey]

Great pictures! Thanks!!!

[SIGSEGV]

From today

[WestsideLA]

UChicago acknowledges planes for a new dorm by 2028:
https://chicagomaroon.com/47325/news/uni...nce-life-restructuring-staff-departures/

[Rally Monkey]

Originally Posted by WestsideLA

UChicago acknowledges planes for a new dorm by 2028:
https://chicagomaroon.com/47325/news/uni...nce-life-restructuring-staff-departures/

Good find. Anyone here have any information about where the University is thinking about locating the new dorm? The most obvious candidate is the block in Campus South between Kenwood and Dorchester. There are historic buildings there than can re-purposed to student housing and plenty of space to add new buildings. The location is a bit of a walk to the main campus, but very close to the Metra train station and, across the tracks, the new Obama Library.

Alternatively, the University would probably be looking at the block between Drexel and Ingleside in Campus South, which would require the demo of some University-owned legacy three-story walk-up apartments used by grad students. There's not much going on in that part of the campus, but it would be right next to the main student arts center.

If the school wants to hit its goal of housing 70% of undergrads on campus, the new dorm or dorms would need to have a capacity for 800-1000 students.

[lakeshoredrive]

Originally Posted by Rally Monkey

Good find. Anyone here have any information about where the University is thinking about locating the new dorm? The most obvious candidate is the block in Campus South between Kenwood and Dorchester. There are historic buildings there than can re-purposed to student housing and plenty of space to add new buildings. The location is a bit of a walk to the main campus, but very close to the Metra train station and, across the tracks, the new Obama Library.

Alternatively, the University would probably be looking at the block between Drexel and Ingleside in Campus South, which would require the demo of some University-owned legacy three-story walk-up apartments used by grad students. There's not much going on in that part of the campus, but it would be right next to the main student arts center.

If the school wants to hit its goal of housing 70% of undergrads on campus, the new dorm or dorms would need to have a capacity for 800-1000 students.

Yeah, the south campus is the most likely location. I can’t think of any open land or potential land with an existing building to tear down that is large enough on the north campus. They need to also build a recreation center on the south campus as the other one is a hike to get to. Maybe UC can combine both in one location.

[Rally Monkey]

Originally Posted by lakeshoredrive

Yeah, the south campus is the most likely location. I can’t think of any open land or potential land with an existing building to tear down that is large enough on the north campus. They need to also build a recreation center on the south campus as the other one is a hike to get to. Maybe UC can combine both in one location.

The new parking structure on Kimbark is designed to allow for an upper floor addition that would be used as an athletic center. That didn't happen when they built it due to budget issues, but my understanding is that that they'll be prepared to build out recreational space there when the time is right.

I also think the old St. Paul's On the Midway church building at Dorchester and 60th would make a very cool student center/bookstore for students at I-House and other nearby Campus South student residents. But that's probably just a pipedream.

[WestsideLA]

When the current Woodlawn Commons was being planned, Dorchester was originally eyed for the site. I imagine it remains in the running, as well as other locations along the Midway, such as the old public policy school building, which University administrators was not available at the time Woodlawn was being built--but it might be now since Harris has moved. Or the Blok between Drexel and Ingleside, as you mention.

https://chicagomaroon.com/24784/news/announcements-list-includes-new-dorm/

Originally Posted by Rally Monkey

Good find. Anyone here have any information about where the University is thinking about locating the new dorm? The most obvious candidate is the block in Campus South between Kenwood and Dorchester. There are historic buildings there than can re-purposed to student housing and plenty of space to add new buildings. The location is a bit of a walk to the main campus, but very close to the Metra train station and, across the tracks, the new Obama Library.

Alternatively, the University would probably be looking at the block between Drexel and Ingleside in Campus South, which would require the demo of some University-owned legacy three-story walk-up apartments used by grad students. There's not much going on in that part of the campus, but it would be right next to the main student arts center.

If the school wants to hit its goal of housing 70% of undergrads on campus, the new dorm or dorms would need to have a capacity for 800-1000 students.

[Rally Monkey]

Originally Posted by WestsideLA

When the current Woodlawn Commons was being planned, Dorchester was originally eyed for the site. I imagine it remains in the running, as well as other locations along the Midway, such as the old public policy school building, which University administrators was not available at the time Woodlawn was being built--but it might be now since Harris has moved. Or the Blok between Drexel and Ingleside, as you mention.

https://chicagomaroon.com/24784/news/announcements-list-includes-new-dorm/

Good find. Looks like the University-owned lot on the east side of Dorchester at 61st was the original planned site for the dorms that would become the Woodlawn mega-dorm at 1155 61st. I can only speculate, but it looks like there was some neighborhood opposition to locating the dorms at the corner of Dorchester and 61st, which jags a bit south into the Woodlawn community and is the site of the 61st Street Farmer's Market.

As I understand it, the former ABA building at 1155 60th (which used to house the Harris school) is slowly being renovated for academic and programmatic use, so I don't think we'll see it re-purposed as a dorm. See here:

https://tiltonkellybell.com/portfolio-items/university-of-chicago-1155-east-60th-street-building/

For me, the best solution would be to add some three-story dorms to the block between Kenwood and Dorchester and adaptively re-use Chapin Hall and the former Sonia Shankman O-School buildings for additional housing and student amenities. The very cool pedestrian mid-block connector could then be extended to the train tracks, which would provide for a safe and easy access to the Metra and the new Obama Library.

[WestsideLA]

I hope they stick with the strategy of building new dorms and no repurposing existing buildings, as they did in the past.

It will obviously be another mega dorm, but whether 800 or 1,300 I don't know. But I suspect it will be closer to the latter.

I don't claim to know where they will build it But the Midway seems likely. Interesting that community opposition may have gotten them to move Woodlawn Commons. I thought it was because they wanted a higher concentration of dorms in one place--with Woodlawn, BJ, and RGG right beside each other. Which makes me wonder if they will again go toward that end of the Midway. But, on the other hand, maybe the other end of the Midway has more activity now in general so it wouldn't seem as isolated, with the hotel, Harris School, and Obama Center.

Originally Posted by Rally Monkey

Good find. Looks like the University-owned lot on the east side of Dorchester at 61st was the original planned site for the dorms that would become the Woodlawn mega-dorm at 1155 61st. I can only speculate, but it looks like there was some neighborhood opposition to locating the dorms at the corner of Dorchester and 61st, which jags a bit south into the Woodlawn community and is the site of the 61st Street Farmer's Market.

As I understand it, the former ABA building at 1155 60th (which used to house the Harris school) is slowly being renovated for academic and programmatic use, so I don't think we'll see it re-purposed as a dorm. See here:

https://tiltonkellybell.com/portfolio-items/university-of-chicago-1155-east-60th-street-building/

For me, the best solution would be to add some three-story dorms to the block between Kenwood and Dorchester and adaptively re-use Chapin Hall and the former Sonia Shankman O-School buildings for additional housing and student amenities. The very cool pedestrian mid-block connector could then be extended to the train tracks, which would provide for a safe and easy access to the Metra and the new Obama Library.