CHICAGO: boom rundown - everything over 12 floors. v4 - Page 18

Chicago Shawn · #**341** Posted **Jan 10, 2007, 5:55 PM**

^ I have heard through the grapevine that the building at 850 N. LSD is being considered for demolition. I have no idea how serroius this consideration is. Although Related's (LR) projects as of late are good, I fear a disneyesque pomo building in 850's place. The contrast there now with the Mies masterpeices across the street is amazing, a bad Pomo Building there will look like utter shit.

I also attended the 2nd Ward Candidate Forum last night in Printers Row, the complaints about parking and density. God, I felt like I was in Naperville. Larry Doody is running on a platform of drafting an ordanance for 2 parking spaces for every residential unit, and even drafted an advisory referandom on the ballot for it. And yet they wonder why local businesses are under performing. Hmm, gee, could it be that nobody walks and they drive to places locted elsewhere with odles of free parking. Heithcock said "With more people in the neighborhood from all the new buildings, it will bring more people walking around and more poeple to buy things."

I was sitting up front with fellow forumer Latoso, making small chit-chat with Hiethcock. We actually made Heithcock laugh when Fioretti said the worst thing that could be built across from the Transportation Building is another Transortation Building, we both said why not, its "in context". Heithcock stressed existing zoing is in place and she will work with homeowners around the lot when a developer wants to build there. She said they will "likley have to come to a compromise, as people will not want a large building, just like I did with Library Tower. You wanted a shorter building a park, and you got a shorter building and a park".

I was astonished with Fioretti saying there is no "as of right" established in the zoing code. Heithcock and I both said out loud "Yes there is" at the same time. Its word for word in the code AS OF RIGHT. I am shocked Fioretti would deny that as a lawyer, because pulling that shit on a developer will bring a lawsiut to the city. He used Dubin's Tower at LSD and Banks as an example, but it is the wrong example, as that lot was illeagly downzoned, and that was the issue at hand after Dubin invested a lot of money on the project, only after the NIMBYs bitched. One of the other candidates mentioned how a agreement in the 48th ward states no building will be over six stories; well now that may be fine and dandy for the 48th ward, BUT THIS IS DOWNTOWN!

I do applaud Heithcock, Askew and Johnson for making clear the 2nd ward is bigger than the South Loop.

I think it was Askew that mentioned he would sit down with city planning officialls and south loop residents at the same time to draft a thought out plan for the area. Heithcock stressed the central area plan in place, an the others moaned about the Near South Plan and how its not being followed. The others wanted residents to control all developement in the ward, especially Foretti. I have a big problem with this, because as shown plenty of residents are suburban minded transplants who know nothing of architecture or urban planning. Let the departments of Planning and Zoning, people who devote thier lifes to planning in the city do thier jobs. Thier hands are already tied by too much invested power within the alderman of the city.

I really fear Doody, because if elected he will be a disaster for the Central Area. I don't think he has mutch of a chance, but he is a risk.

He actually said "the best use for the parking lot on Dearborn Street, is for it to stay a parking lot. Reducing parking is a mistake."

Heithcock's big mistakes are admiting to taking money from developers and leaving after the last printed question was answered. However, I think she knew most in the room do not like her, and she did not want to waste any more time there. Regaurdless, it was a stupid move.

I was able to convert a high-rise NIMBY to open mindedness by taking 5 minutes to explain the benifits of density, and that this is downtown. I just summed up: A downtown core must remian strong for the region to compete in the global economy. If constructed stops, supply is limited; demand won't stop magicly because supply drops. This will increase the prices of all residental units and business spaces to a point where people will just become fed up with cost of living and cost of conducting business and will move elsewhere. If you look at the cities with the most NIMBYism constraining new construction, Boston, San Franscisco, and parts of NYC, they have the highest real estate prices in the country. Developers given more density can build affordable housing and contribute to landscaping the streets because they can afford too.

Her response, "I never thought of it that way. More devierse housing means people who work here cleaning the luxury homes can live here, so they don't have to drive here and contribute to traffic as public transit has poor service on the fringes."

Its quite fullfilling to show a NIMBY the light.

Taft · #**342** Posted **Jan 10, 2007, 6:05 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chicago Shawn

Its quite fullfilling to show a NIMBY the light.

One down, 70% of the South Loop and West Loop to go...

Taft

chicubs111 · #**343** Posted **Jan 10, 2007, 8:19 PM**

Jan. 10, 2007
By Alby Gallun

48-story condo project planned near Sears Tower
The Chicago Plan Commission next week will consider a 48-story, 714-unit condominium tower proposed for a site just a couple blocks south of the Sears Tower.

An affiliate of Chicago-based CMK Development Corp. plans to build the high-rise at 235 W. Van Buren St., which would be one of the largest Loop condo projects in several years. The development is on the agenda for the Plan Commission's Jan. 18 meeting.

If the commission approves the project, CMK still must sell enough units to secure financing, a challenge in the current soft condo market. Sales of downtown condos and townhomes fell 7.6% in the first nine months of 2006 from the year-earlier period, according to Appraisal Research Counselors, a Chicago-based residential real estate consulting firm.

The falling sales, however, haven't discouraged developers, who had started marketing about 6,100 condos and townhomes through the third quarter, eclipsing 4,700 for all of 2005.

CMK, one of the busiest downtown condo developers, is targeting the lower end of the condo market, a segment that has held up well during the slowdown. A vast majority of the units in the Van Buren project will sell for less than $350,000.

"They're very aggressively priced," says CMK President Colin Kihnke.

That formula has worked well with CMK's other projects. At the end of the third quarter, buyers had signed contracts for 70% of the units in a 498-condo CMK development at 1720 S. Michigan Ave. and 98% of the units at a 249-unit project at 1620 S. Michigan, according to Appraisal Research.

Designed by Perkins & Will, CMK's newest project would be the firm's largest to date. Sitting just north of the Congress Parkway on-ramp, it would include retail and office space and 570 parking spots. CMK executives did not return phone calls.

http://chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=23426

spyguy · #**344** Posted **Jan 10, 2007, 10:41 PM**

Fast Sales End Year on High Note for Ten East Delaware

While the housing industry may have its share of pessimists at the moment, Michael W. Reschke is not one of them. As CEO and Chairman of The Prime Group, Inc., Reschke has been quite proud of his company’s Ten East Delaware condominium building’s performance this year. In fact, the building sold half of its 121 residences in less than six months.

A 35-story boutique residential building, Ten East Delaware is located at the northeast corner of Delaware and State, next to the Talbott Hotel. Designed by nationally-renowned architect Lucien Lagrange, the building offers one-, two-, and three-bedroom floor plans ranging from 845 to 3,095 square feet. Residences include 1½ to 3½ baths; 9- to 10-foot ceilings; and oversized balconies. Prices range from $450,000 to $2.3 million. Climate-controlled, indoor parking is available starting at $50,000.

“As our sales have shown, when the right location, developer and architect come together, buyers will be there ready and waiting,” said Reschke. “Our buyers are very sophisticated. They know how rare it is for a new luxury building with this level of services and high-quality design and finishes to be built in the Gold Coast – especially at these prices.”

This is why a majority of Ten East Delaware’s buyers have been from the surrounding neighborhood, noted Reschke.

“Many of our buyers already live in the Gold Coast, but their buildings and residences are becoming outdated and they don’t want to live through a remodel,” said Reschke. “For them, it makes much more financial and emotional sense to purchase at Ten East Delaware where everything will be brand new, but they’ll still be surrounded by all their favorite neighborhood shops and restaurants. Plus, the level of finishes throughout our homes are the finest available, which is exactly what these discerning buyers expect out of Gold Coast living.”

A sampling of high-end standard finishes at Ten East Delaware includes: Poggenpohl cabinetry in the kitchen and bath; granite and marble countertops in the kitchen and bath; Franke, Wolf, Miele, and Sub-Zero kitchen appliances; a Kohler soaking tub in the master bath; hardwood flooring in living areas; and 6-inch crown molding and wood base in the living areas and master bedroom.

“Due to the size of some of our three-bedroom residences – up to 3,000 square feet – we’ve also seen a number of buyers coming from single-family homes in Old Town, Lincoln Park and Lakeview,” said Reschke. “These buyers have realized they can enjoy basically the same amount of space, but without stairs, or the hassles of maintaining a yard. And for families with children enrolled at Francis Parker School or the Latin School, moving to Ten East Delaware might even make for an easier commute.”

But regardless of where Ten East Delaware’s buyers have come from, they all seem to be in agreement that the building’s superior amenities and services played an important role in their purchase decision, noted Reschke.

For example, all residents will enjoy access to The Ten Club, Ten East Delaware’s exclusive rooftop-level clubhouse and fitness center. The Ten Club includes a private dining room for large dinner parties and social gatherings; a state-of-the-art fitness center; and an outdoor rooftop swimming pool and sundeck. They will also benefit from á la carte hotel services from the neighboring Talbott Hotel including 24-hour room service, housekeeping and concierge services.

“There’s no doubt one of the reasons Ten East Delaware has done so well with sales this year is because of these superior services and amenities,” said Reschke. “But it’s also the context in which we offer these services. Ten East Delaware is a very intimate and elegant building, much like a luxury, boutique European hotel. We really wanted to give buyers an experience unlike anything else in the Chicago market right now, and so far buyers have told us we have.”

As privacy is a major point of emphasis at Ten East Delaware, only five residences are offered per floor. And because Ten East Delaware features a four-pipe heating and cooling system, each residence has zoned temperature control. This means owners have year-round control over the heating and cooling of their home. All buyers also will have their own private storage unit in the building.

With groundbreaking scheduled for February 2007, Ten East Delaware is one of the few new-construction condominium buildings in the Gold Coast, putting buyers in proximity to Chicago’s best restaurants, shopping, cultural institutions, and the lakefront. It is just two blocks from the Magnificent Mile, one block from the Newberry Library, and four blocks from both Oak Street Beach and the Museum of Contemporary Art.

spyguy · #**345** Posted **Jan 10, 2007, 10:50 PM**

A better rendering of Burnham Pointe on its website

SamInTheLoop · #**346** Posted **Jan 10, 2007, 11:50 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

i'm surprised to hear you of all people say this. 630 n franklin might not be CMK's finest project yet, but these are the same people that got the contemporaine built as well, so i'm willing to give them a little more slack than some others. besides, i reserve the word "suck" for the truly, truly awful, like the caravel, park millennium, and so forth. i'll take poorly executed modern over "outright abomination of piled shit" anyday.

Exactly! There is enough crap that goes up in this city truly deserving of the world "suck". But it shouldn't be tossed around so freely to be used to describe a CMK-P+W project, even if it it doesn't turn out to be the absolute finest of their collaborations (that bar has been established rather high, afterall!)

SamInTheLoop · #**347** Posted **Jan 10, 2007, 11:52 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by spyguy

A better rendering of Burnham Pointe on its website

I like it except for one aspect: I've always felt the balconies cover too much of the exterior. This isn't Miami or LA - we don't need that much exterior space!

SamInTheLoop · #**348** Posted **Jan 10, 2007, 11:55 PM**

^ Here's to hoping Reschke's career as a residential developer crashes and burns just as spectacularly as his career as an office developer! (the skyline will thank him for it)

SamInTheLoop · #**349** Posted **Jan 11, 2007, 12:02 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by honte

^^ With Bruce Abrams (sp?) gone, LR (Related) seems to have lost its drive to do really remarkable buildings. It's really too bad. Not that I care for Park Tower too much, but at least it attempted greatness.

500 LSD will be nice, I'm sure, but it doesn't sound like they're shooting for anything spectacular. I'll wait to see the drawings...

I do agree with your point, but I would much rather end up with projects like 340 on the Park and Canyon Ranch (that maybe didn't aim to be absolutely remarkable structures but are very worthy designs that I think will stand the test of time) than projects that aimed for greatness and missed, ending up mediocre at best, which for me sums up Park Tower fairly well...

SamInTheLoop · #**350** Posted **Jan 11, 2007, 12:08 AM**

There is a proposed increase in FAR for this one. Does anybody know what this is? Is it related to Museum Park Place South? I think the address for both MPP Towers would be in that area but am not positive...

At any rate, when the second MPP is built, I think these 2 are going to look excellent beside each other. They'll also be close to another twin tower development - XO, so things should get interesting when they're all up...

HK Chicago · #**351** Posted **Jan 11, 2007, 12:18 AM**

Quote:

i'm surprised to hear you of all people say this. 630 n franklin might not be CMK's finest project yet, but these are the same people that got the contemporaine built as well, so i'm willing to give them a little more slack than some others. besides, i reserve the word "suck" for the truly, truly awful, like the caravel, park millennium, and so forth. i'll take poorly executed modern over "outright abomination of piled shit" anyday.

IMO 630 is in the same league as the Caravel (but not as bad as the Farallon), and the rendering for the Van Buren tower isn't promising. It may be P+W, but I'm not feeling any Ralph on this one. The Contemporaine is undeniably special and I've always been very high on The Clare.

This one is the right size project for the parcel, but it doesn't look much different than a Magellan product.

pip · #**352** Posted **Jan 11, 2007, 12:30 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SamInTheLoop

Exactly! There is enough crap that goes up in this city truly deserving of the world "suck". But it shouldn't be tossed around so freely to be used to describe a CMK-P+W project, even if it it doesn't turn out to be the absolute finest of their collaborations (that bar has been established rather high, afterall!)

It is the giant parking lot at the base of the building that turns me off.

We all have our own tastes.

SamInTheLoop · #**353** Posted **Jan 11, 2007, 12:50 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chicago Shawn

^ I have heard through the grapevine that the building at 850 N. LSD is being considered for demolition. I have no idea how serroius this consideration is. Although Related's (LR) projects as of late are good, I fear a disneyesque pomo building in 850's place. The contrast there now with the Mies masterpeices across the street is amazing, a bad Pomo Building there will look like utter shit.

I also attended the 2nd Ward Candidate Forum last night in Printers Row, the complaints about parking and density. God, I felt like I was in Naperville. Larry Doody is running on a platform of drafting an ordanance for 2 parking spaces for every residential unit, and even drafted an advisory referandom on the ballot for it. And yet they wonder why local businesses are under performing. Hmm, gee, could it be that nobody walks and they drive to places locted elsewhere with odles of free parking. Heithcock said "With more people in the neighborhood from all the new buildings, it will bring more people walking around and more poeple to buy things."

I was sitting up front with fellow forumer Latoso, making small chit-chat with Hiethcock. We actually made Heithcock laugh when Fioretti said the worst thing that could be built across from the Transportation Building is another Transortation Building, we both said why not, its "in context". Heithcock stressed existing zoing is in place and she will work with homeowners around the lot when a developer wants to build there. She said they will "likley have to come to a compromise, as people will not want a large building, just like I did with Library Tower. You wanted a shorter building a park, and you got a shorter building and a park".

I was astonished with Fioretti saying there is no "as of right" established in the zoing code. Heithcock and I both said out loud "Yes there is" at the same time. Its word for word in the code AS OF RIGHT. I am shocked Fioretti would deny that as a lawyer, because pulling that shit on a developer will bring a lawsiut to the city. He used Dubin's Tower at LSD and Banks as an example, but it is the wrong example, as that lot was illeagly downzoned, and that was the issue at hand after Dubin invested a lot of money on the project, only after the NIMBYs bitched. One of the other candidates mentioned how a agreement in the 48th ward states no building will be over six stories; well now that may be fine and dandy for the 48th ward, BUT THIS IS DOWNTOWN!

I do applaud Heithcock, Askew and Johnson for making clear the 2nd ward is bigger than the South Loop.

I think it was Askew that mentioned he would sit down with city planning officialls and south loop residents at the same time to draft a thought out plan for the area. Heithcock stressed the central area plan in place, an the others moaned about the Near South Plan and how its not being followed. The others wanted residents to control all developement in the ward, especially Foretti. I have a big problem with this, because as shown plenty of residents are suburban minded transplants who know nothing of architecture or urban planning. Let the departments of Planning and Zoning, people who devote thier lifes to planning in the city do thier jobs. Thier hands are already tied by too much invested power within the alderman of the city.

I really fear Doody, because if elected he will be a disaster for the Central Area. I don't think he has mutch of a chance, but he is a risk.

He actually said "the best use for the parking lot on Dearborn Street, is for it to stay a parking lot. Reducing parking is a mistake."

Heithcock's big mistakes are admiting to taking money from developers and leaving after the last printed question was answered. However, I think she knew most in the room do not like her, and she did not want to waste any more time there. Regaurdless, it was a stupid move.

I was able to convert a high-rise NIMBY to open mindedness by taking 5 minutes to explain the benifits of density, and that this is downtown. I just summed up: A downtown core must remian strong for the region to compete in the global economy. If constructed stops, supply is limited; demand won't stop magicly because supply drops. This will increase the prices of all residental units and business spaces to a point where people will just become fed up with cost of living and cost of conducting business and will move elsewhere. If you look at the cities with the most NIMBYism constraining new construction, Boston, San Franscisco, and parts of NYC, they have the highest real estate prices in the country. Developers given more density can build affordable housing and contribute to landscaping the streets because they can afford too.

Her response, "I never thought of it that way. More devierse housing means people who work here cleaning the luxury homes can live here, so they don't have to drive here and contribute to traffic as public transit has poor service on the fringes."

Its quite fullfilling to show a NIMBY the light.

Great job on that conversion! Personally I think Haithcock has a half-decent chance to win without a run-off, despite the fairly large group of contenders. The 2nd ward is just so much larger than the Printer's Row Nimby Zone... At any rate, I couldn't agree with you more that there does need to be a shift in balance of power over development and zoning issues away from alderpeople and toward DPD...

Sir Isaac Newton · #**354** Posted **Jan 11, 2007, 12:58 AM**

I also attended the 2nd Ward Candidate Forum last night in Printers Row, the complaints about parking and density. God, I felt like I was in Naperville. Larry Doody is running on a platform of drafting an ordanance for 2 parking spaces for every residential unit, and even drafted an advisory referandom on the ballot for it. And yet they wonder why local businesses are under performing. Hmm, gee, could it be that nobody walks and they drive to places locted elsewhere with odles of free parking. Heithcock said "With more people in the neighborhood from all the new buildings, it will bring more people walking around and more poeple to buy things."

I was sitting up front with fellow forumer Latoso, making small chit-chat with Hiethcock. We actually made Heithcock laugh when Fioretti said the worst thing that could be built across from the Transportation Building is another Transortation Building, we both said why not, its "in context". Heithcock stressed existing zoing is in place and she will work with homeowners around the lot when a developer wants to build there. She said they will "likley have to come to a compromise, as people will not want a large building, just like I did with Library Tower. You wanted a shorter building a park, and you got a shorter building and a park".

I was astonished with Fioretti saying there is no "as of right" established in the zoing code. Heithcock and I both said out loud "Yes there is" at the same time. Its word for word in the code AS OF RIGHT. I am shocked Fioretti would deny that as a lawyer, because pulling that shit on a developer will bring a lawsiut to the city. He used Dubin's Tower at LSD and Banks as an example, but it is the wrong example, as that lot was illeagly downzoned, and that was the issue at hand after Dubin invested a lot of money on the project, only after the NIMBYs bitched. One of the other candidates mentioned how a agreement in the 48th ward states no building will be over six stories; well now that may be fine and dandy for the 48th ward, BUT THIS IS DOWNTOWN!

I do applaud Heithcock, Askew and Johnson for making clear the 2nd ward is bigger than the South Loop.

I think it was Askew that mentioned he would sit down with city planning officialls and south loop residents at the same time to draft a thought out plan for the area. Heithcock stressed the central area plan in place, an the others moaned about the Near South Plan and how its not being followed. The others wanted residents to control all developement in the ward, especially Foretti. I have a big problem with this, because as shown plenty of residents are suburban minded transplants who know nothing of architecture or urban planning. Let the departments of Planning and Zoning, people who devote thier lifes to planning in the city do thier jobs. Thier hands are already tied by too much invested power within the alderman of the city.

I really fear Doody, because if elected he will be a disaster for the Central Area. I don't think he has mutch of a chance, but he is a risk.

He actually said "the best use for the parking lot on Dearborn Street, is for it to stay a parking lot. Reducing parking is a mistake."

Heithcock's big mistakes are admiting to taking money from developers and leaving after the last printed question was answered. However, I think she knew most in the room do not like her, and she did not want to waste any more time there. Regaurdless, it was a stupid move.

I am not overly versed in all of the candidates positions, but Haithcock does seem to be very much pro-development (and supports the Park Michigan in its current state too, I think), whereas I get the impression that the other candidates aren't nearly as much and their decisions could possibly be influenced by even just a handful of NIMBYs from Folio Square/Dearborn Park, or elsewhere. For example, I just get the impression that after hearing a handful of NIMBY's complain about the Park Michigan, one of the other candidates would force the Park Michigan to only be 50 stories as opposed to 80. Fioretti seems horrible, saying that the worst thing you could do is put up a 20 story building across the street from another 20 story building and in general appearing to be anti-big building. Doody seems even worse, as it appears he is anti-any building, and pro-parking lots!

I'm not sure how likeable Haithcock is, but great developments have been going up in the 2nd ward in recent years and many more great developments are being planned to go up. The ward has seen amazing overall development, period. I'm sure that's why Mayor Daley endorsed her - because she shares his vision of the West Loop, and particularly the South Loop being greatly developed, with great new skyscapers, and achieving a much more dense and vibrant streetlife. I'm afraid that if someone else gets voted in, they are going to be a major impediment to progress, all for the sake of a few NIMBY constituents.

LA21st · #**355** Posted **Jan 11, 2007, 1:05 AM**

Ugh....thanks for the info but Im sorry I read that.

Steely Dan · #**356** Posted **Jan 11, 2007, 4:42 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by spyguy

A better rendering of Burnham Pointe on its website

nice find spyguy, that image has now been added to page 1.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pip

It is the giant parking lot at the base of the building that turns me off.

We all have our own tastes.

of course everyone is entitled to their own tastes, i was just surprised to see you and HK using the word "sucks" for 235 w van buren. i thought that might be a bit strong, but if that's how you guys truly feel about that project, well, then shine on you crazy diamonds. everyone can't like everything.