CHICAGO | Hyde Park Development

[Randomguy34]

There are pending permits for the NESB at 56th & Ellis. Confirmed to be 9 stories, which matches this diagram


https://facilities.uchicago.edu/construc...ence_building/nesb_imagery_and_graphics/

[Rally Monkey]

Originally Posted by 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 think we disagree on that. I prefer smaller residence halls that include just a few houses. The Chapin Hall building on Kenwood with its historic library and Gothic-modern design would be a wonderful architectural addition to the undergrad housing portfolio. And re-purposing the adjacent O-School buildings (or at least the historic church and seminary building) would help activate that corner of the campus. If they put a bookstore there, it might even be able to pull pedestrian traffic from the Obama Library just across the tracks.

I suppose mega-dorms may be easier to build when they're owned by a third-party developer. (The Woodlawn Commons model.) But I don't see much aesthetic upside to that. And warehousing kids in high rises doesn't exactly help create community or help fight isolation on campus.

Originally Posted by WestsideLA

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.

If it is a mega-dorm, there're only really three places left to build it south of the Midway: Behind the Logan Center, behind the Law School, or just west of the steam plants by the train tracks. And if the College really wants to consolidate mega-dorms right next to each other, the Law School site is the only one that makes sense. There's also ZERO chance the Law School allows the College to construct a massive building in its back yard.

The next best solution for a mega-dorm would be south of the Logan Center between Drexel and Ingleside. Not exactly next door to the other Campus South dorms, but pretty close. As I've written below, there isn't a whole lot going on around there other than the grocery store on Cottage Grove. So it would probably feel like a bit of an outpost for the students. That said, mega-dorms are basically about housing and feeding students in the end, nothing more. If that's where the best land is for the site, then that's where it will go.

[WestsideLA]

Agree to disagree. I also like the historic dorms in historic buildings but I am not a fan of just repurposing old neighborhood apartment buildings or facilities.

I preferred living in Shoreland to Blackstone because the former was a lot larger and more active than the Blackhole. Size matters.

There will always be hermits who enjoy living in a monastery. But why live in a city like Chicago if you want isolation?

I personally believe one of the main reasons UChicago now has a 99% freshmen retention rate--the highest in the country among research universities for more than a decade--is because of the decision to move the dorms closer to campus and make them a lot larger and more active.

Originally Posted by Rally Monkey

I think we disagree on that. I prefer smaller residence halls that include just a few houses. The Chapin Hall building on Kenwood with its historic library and Gothic-modern design would be a wonderful architectural addition to the undergrad housing portfolio. And re-purposing the adjacent O-School buildings (or at least the historic church and seminary building) would help activate that corner of the campus. If they put a bookstore there, it might even be able to pull pedestrian traffic from the Obama Library just across the tracks.

I suppose mega-dorms may be easier to build when they're owned by a third-party developer. (The Woodlawn Commons model.) But I don't see much aesthetic upside to that. And warehousing kids in high rises doesn't exactly help create community or help fight isolation on campus.



If it is a mega-dorm, there're only really three places left to build it south of the Midway: Behind the Logan Center, behind the Law School, or just west of the steam plants by the train tracks. And if the College really wants to consolidate mega-dorms right next to each other, the Law School site is the only one that makes sense. There's also ZERO chance the Law School allows the College to construct a massive building in its back yard.

The next best solution for a mega-dorm would be south of the Logan Center between Drexel and Ingleside. Not exactly next door to the other Campus South dorms, but pretty close. As I've written below, there isn't a whole lot going on around there other than the grocery store on Cottage Grove. So it would probably feel like a bit of an outpost for the students. That said, mega-dorms are basically about housing and feeding students in the end, nothing more. If that's where the best land is for the site, then that's where it will go.

[sentinel]

I haven’t heard anything about it recently, but I posted a long while back about a large plot near the Cta stop on 55th, west of Washington Park as being a planned “West Campus” hub in the not too distant future. Plans change all the time at large institutions such as U of C, but there were initially plans for a large, multi-disciplinary campus hub in that vicinity, where the school has already purchased a number of vacant lots. I wonder if any of those lots would be used to build new student housing? It would make more sense given proximity to the green line, and also being relatively close to the highway too.
Again, just speculation on my part based on past knowledge from previous projects working on campus.

[Rally Monkey]

Originally Posted by WestsideLA

Agree to disagree. I also like the historic dorms in historic buildings but I am not a fan of just repurposing old neighborhood apartment buildings or facilities.

I preferred living in Shoreland to Blackstone because the former was a lot larger and more active than the Blackhole. Size matters.

Ah. My experience at the U of C back in the day was with Snell-Hitchcock. So you can see why I'm partial to more historic, more intimate dorms. I think a re-purposed Chapin Hall would definitely be more like Snell-Hitchcock than Shoreland or Blackstone or other old timey converted neighborhood apartment building. But that's probably just me day dreaming.

Originally Posted by sentinel

I haven’t heard anything about it recently, but I posted a long while back about a large plot near the Cta stop on 55th, west of Washington Park as being a planned “West Campus” hub in the not too distant future. Plans change all the time at large institutions such as U of C, but there were initially plans for a large, multi-disciplinary campus hub in that vicinity, where the school has already purchased a number of vacant lots. I wonder if any of those lots would be used to build new student housing? It would make more sense given proximity to the green line, and also being relatively close to the highway too.
Again, just speculation on my part based on past knowledge from previous projects working on campus.

Seems unlikely that the College would put undergrad dorms out there. From what I've seen, they're trying to be very sensitive to the neighborhood in developing those Washington Park properties and are focusing on programs and initiatives there that support the community. A big chunk of the land they purchased by the El is set to be used for a clinical lab to help support a community lab technician training program:

https://www.hpherald.com/evening_digest/...ff0fe7a-dcd2-11ee-87c1-87e24ce23391.html

[sentinel]

Originally Posted by Rally Monkey

Ah. My experience at the U of C back in the day was with Snell-Hitchcock. So you can see why I'm partial to more historic, more intimate dorms. I think a re-purposed Chapin Hall would definitely be more like Snell-Hitchcock than Shoreland or Blackstone or other old timey converted neighborhood apartment building. But that's probably just me day dreaming.



Seems unlikely that the College would put undergrad dorms out there. From what I've seen, they're trying to be very sensitive to the neighborhood in developing those Washington Park properties and are focusing on programs and initiatives there that support the community. A big chunk of the land they purchased by the El is set to be used for a clinical lab to help support a community lab technician training program:

https://www.hpherald.com/evening_digest/...ff0fe7a-dcd2-11ee-87c1-87e24ce23391.html

Yes, that’s it! I thought I saw an article not that long ago, confirming they wanted to build something there, just couldn’t recall what.

I dunno, it’s not outside the realm of possibilities having a new dorm complex near this new facility. They already own multiple parcels of land and it’s next to the CTA..seems like a no-brainer…and the community is potentially supported by new, small businesses patroned by students that live nearby. But who knows? Maybe it’s wishful thinking..

[WestsideLA]

Two updates on Cancer Center:

https://fb.watch/AAs9avL682/

https://chicagoyimby.com/2025/05/glass-e...ncer-pavilion-construction-progress.html

[SIGSEGV]

From today

[Rally Monkey]

Great pictures!

Have Accelerator and the other building been demoed yet for the new engineering building project?

[SIGSEGV]

Originally Posted by Rally Monkey

Great pictures!

Have Accelerator and the other building been demoed yet for the new engineering building project?

Nope, permits still not secured, or something. . I'm glad my office faces Ellie and not the sad destroyed courtyard...

[Rally Monkey]

Originally Posted by SIGSEGV

Nope, permits still not secured, or something. . I'm glad my office faces Ellie and not the sad destroyed courtyard...

Would love to see a picture of the sad destroyed courtyard!

[SIGSEGV]

Originally Posted by Rally Monkey

Would love to see a picture of the sad destroyed courtyard!

Accelerator and HEP (the two concrete buildings between the glassy ones) are the two buildings that will be demolished.

[WestsideLA]

I wouldn't worry too much about the courtyard because I am sure it will eventually be fixed.

But there is another issue. According to the local ABC station, "UChicago has substantially scaled down plans for the new Engineering and Science Building."

University of Chicago planning layoffs, cutting expenses by $100M
https://abc7chicago.com/post/university-...s-blame-changes-federal-policy/17681836/

[sentinel]

Sad but not surprising, especially when the current federal regime demonizes higher education as a bad thing.

[SIGSEGV]

Originally Posted by WestsideLA

I wouldn't worry too much about the courtyard because I am sure it will eventually be fixed.

But there is another issue. According to the local ABC station, "UChicago has substantially scaled down plans for the new Engineering and Science Building."

University of Chicago planning layoffs, cutting expenses by $100M
https://abc7chicago.com/post/university-...s-blame-changes-federal-policy/17681836/

Yes, Alivisatos has confirmed a reduction in budget for NESB in a letter to faculty.

[Rally Monkey]

Originally Posted by SIGSEGV

Yes, Alivisatos has confirmed a reduction in budget for NESB in a letter to faculty.

I am very sorry to hear this. I hope they can still salvage an interesting design that showcases this key corner of campus.

[WestsideLA]

Hyde Park Labs and UChicago Science Incubator launch

https://news.uchicago.edu/story/hyde-park-labs-and-uchicago-science-incubator-launch

[SIGSEGV]

From this morning

[WestsideLA]

From UChicago Magazine Facebook Page, 10/1/2025

[WestsideLA]

Plans for New Science Building Downsized as New Partnership Announced

https://chicagomaroon.com/49574/news/pla...downsized-as-new-partnership-announced/#