CHICAGO: boom rundown - everything over 12 floors. v4

[DANTHEDISCOMAN]

^Well personally, Im happy to have retail over that unfriendly entrance currently at the Doral which consists of a staircase that is uninviting and quite ugly.

[SamInTheLoop]

Originally Posted by DANTHEDISCOMAN

^Well personally, Im happy to have retail over that unfriendly entrance currently at the Doral which consists of a staircase that is uninviting and quite ugly.

I agree. Almost everything about the Doral, including at ground-level is the kind of hideous that almost can't be produced by accident. It's one of those buildings that will just never grow on me, not one bit. I won't miss the current ground-level design.

[Busy Bee]

I'm curious whether anyone on the development team for this project proposed that the Doral get reclad. I know it would be expensive, but for that location, the brand new shiny neighbor and the painful reality that the Doral is not a pretty building, I would think it would have crossed someones mind. I can see it in a new skin of grey/clear glass and stainless steel accents and an addressing of those bad proportioned windows.

[VivaLFuego]

Originally Posted by SamInTheLoop

I believe the 15-story, 142 unit building reportedly due to start construction next month (from the previous page) might actually be the Mondial in River West. I didn't even realize this one was that far along in the marketing process...

Judging by the availability of units on the MLS listings, this could well be half-sold already. The West Town/River West area is hot hot hot.

[Steely Dan]

page 1 update:

- 22nd/york proposal in oak brook added along with rendering

- astoria tower moved to "U/C"

- prelim. height and rendering added for millennium park plaza

- granville moved to "stie prep"

- new heights for parkview west, 600 n fairbanks, and CBS/morningstar added.

- some other smaller stuff i'm forgetting about right now.

[Loopy]

Soil testing derrick on site today at Park Michigan.

[Norsider]

151 N. Michigan looks like a hybrid of 191 N. Wacker and 1 South Dearborn.

Are we seeing the beginnings of a new Chicago school?

[Dan in Chicago]

Emporis just got the height of 155 North Wacker. The current version of the design is 635'-1" to the building's highest point.

[RockfordSoxFan]

155 N Wacker is a decent proposal. I expect more from that site, a decent design, but more height, and less like Buck's last few buildings. I havent been into that area of the loop in a year or so, is that lowrise building across the street inbetween 191/155 and the river still there? If so, what is it? I always thought that was prime for parkland/riverwalk.

Millenium Park tower looks fantastic next to smurfit, incredible!

[honte]

Originally Posted by Norsider

151 N. Michigan looks like a hybrid of 191 N. Wacker and 1 South Dearborn.

Are we seeing the beginnings of a new Chicago school?

No, I think we're just seeing too many buildings by the same people and too few new ideas.

[honte]

Cladding is going up on the south side of The Tides, if anyone feels like snapping a photo of the progress... It looked to me in the dark to be a lot clearer than the blue glass shown in the render, but perhaps it's the same effect the Trump glass has at night.

[spyguy]

Originally Posted by honte

No, I think we're just seeing too many buildings by the same people and too few new ideas.

KPF, D+S, and SCB are not the same, though.

[DANTHEDISCOMAN]

"151 N. Michigan looks like a hybrid of 191 N. Wacker and 1 South Dearborn."

Not really seeing any resemblences.

Originally Posted by AdrianXSands

I really hope this style is a new trend.

Im feeling a modern movement truly begining to transcend upwards in Chicago... finally! From this new baby to Legacy, aqua, Mandrian, Spire,...I don't feel we have seen this level and abundance of beautifuly modern and quality architecture in a long, long, long time. It seems the days of "Grand Plazaesque" buildings have left us (in general), I feel we are heading in the right direction this time... Hold on and GIDDY UP!

[budman]

Originally Posted by RockfordSoxFan

155 N Wacker is a decent proposal. I expect more from that site, a decent design, but more height, and less like Buck's last few buildings. I havent been into that area of the loop in a year or so, is that lowrise building across the street inbetween 191/155 and the river still there? If so, what is it? I always thought that was prime for parkland/riverwalk.

Millenium Park tower looks fantastic next to smurfit, incredible!

^If you mean the red brick building at lake street, that is an office building. Or do you mean the general growth building at 110 n. wacker, south of randolph? I havent heard of plans regarding either.

[RockfordSoxFan]

^If you mean the red brick building at lake street, that is an office building. Or do you mean the general growth building at 110 n. wacker, south of randolph? I havent heard of plans regarding either.

^Yeah, the red brick building, I believe its about seven floors. I dont remember the General Growth building next to it. That thin strip of land has got to be pretty valuable to someone.

[budman]

Originally Posted by RockfordSoxFan

^Yeah, the red brick building, I believe its about seven floors. I dont remember the General Growth building next to it. That thin strip of land has got to be pretty valuable to someone.

^I think there is a highrise between the two buildings. I have heard nothing about that red brick building, but it is an awesome location you are right. But right across the river from it is an empty plot of land with the metra tracks running through it...I thought someone had purchased the air rights and the surrounding land. Does anyone know what the plan is there?

[Chicago Shawn]

That red brick building with the ivy on the river facade is the Great Lakes Building, built ~1913, and I am quite sure that is a designated city landmark, thankfully too because its the last Chicago school building on Wacker Drive. There is no need for a park there, as the planned riverwalk will wrap around the bend up to this site. The area in front of 333 W. Wacker will become a grand staircase, which is why the limestone ballistrade was never reinstalled there.

Budman, the site with the Metra Tracks has had a two-tower project planned there for about 6 years. The frist developer was Prime Group, and the plan was reborn as the "Medici Towers", but no renderings were ever made public.

Originally Posted by SamInTheLoop

I think Staybridge is phenomenal. I hope to see a lot more from Valerio Dewalt Train downtown...

Ask and ye shall recieve. You remember the blurb a while back about a rental apartment company from San Antonio planning a 32 story building at Wells and Kinzie? Well, guess who they hired. Victor has a copy of the PD perhaps he can provide more info, but from the poor rendering that I saw, it looks fantastic. And it has 4 levels of retail toboot.

[Marvel 33]

For those who couldn't attend the Grant Park Advisory Council and Grant Park Conservancy meeting on Monday, here is a brief article regarding the Doral project.

You can also click on this link to view the high-resolution renderings.


NewcitySkyline - Park Ridge, IL developer BJB Partners, owner of the Millennium Park Plaza apartment building, announced a few months ago that they were adding a new residential tower to the existing structure.

The 24-year-old building formerly known as Doral Plaza is located at 151 N. Michigan in one of the best locations in downtown Chicago.

The new addition would stand at the south end of the existing property, sitting on a small 6,000 square-foot lot currently occupied by La Strada restaurant.

Once built, the new tower located at the north east corner of Michigan Avenue and Randolph Street would become one of the most visible buildings in the city of Chicago due its strategic location – facing Millennium Park to the south and Michigan Avenue to the west.

Such a high-profile location required a design that would be so worthy. The new building would be the latest contribution to Grant Park’s north wall, which includes some of downtown’s most prominent skyscrapers – the likes of the Aon Center, the Blue Cross Blue Shield building and the Prudential Plaza complex.

To achieve a suitable design for their new high-rise, BJB entrusted Chicago-based architectural firm Solomon Cordwell Buenz and Associates with the task.

Originally the project called for a 40-story tower measuring approximately 416 feet. However, the most recent design unveiled Monday at the Grant Park Advisory Council and Grant Park Conservancy meeting by Architect John Leahy from Solomon Cordwell Buenz, calls for a 41-story structure measuring 470 feet.

The building’s skin consists of glass and stainless steel finishes. To add more consistency, the first two floors of the existing Millennium Park Plaza would also get new cladding.

The 74-apartment tower will also include retail on the first floor, a restaurant on the 2nd and 3rd floors and a roof garden on top of the building next to a mechanical penthouse.

The entrance of the new building will be located on the east side, on Beaubien Ct., avoiding increased traffic to Michigan Avenue or Randolph Street. Residents would also have access to the pedway and the public parking garage underneath Millennium Park.

So far the project has not gone through the Chicago Planning Commission and the developers still don’t have a starting construction day, however, the project is expected to take approximately two years.

Other projects in Chicago by Solomon Cordwell Buenz proposed or currently under construction are 340 on the Park, Madison West 645, The Legacy, Mandarin Oriental, Block 37, Parkview towers and 50 East Chestnut.

For more information about Millennium Park Plaza you can visit www.doralmichiganavenue.com or call 312.616.6000.

[SamInTheLoop]

Originally Posted by Chicago Shawn

That red brick building with the ivy on the river facade is the Great Lakes Building, built ~1913, and I am quite sure that is a designated city landmark, thankfully too because its the last Chicago school building on Wacker Drive. There is no need for a park there, as the planned riverwalk will wrap around the bend up to this site. The area in front of 333 W. Wacker will become a grand staircase, which is why the limestone ballistrade was never reinstalled there.

Budman, the site with the Metra Tracks has had a two-tower project planned there for about 6 years. The frist developer was Prime Group, and the plan was reborn as the "Medici Towers", but no renderings were ever made public.




Ask and ye shall recieve. You remember the blurb a while back about a rental apartment company from San Antonio planning a 32 story building at Wells and Kinzie? Well, guess who they hired. Victor has a copy of the PD perhaps he can provide more info, but from the poor rendering that I saw, it looks fantastic. And it has 4 levels of retail toboot.

You're fkcing kidding me! VDT is desiging that one? That's awesome! I get worried sometimes when I hear about new developers from out in the suburbs or Arizona for that matter who are completely new to dense urban developments. I picture the most backward-looking retro pomo "design by committee" conceivable. This one, along with the former Hudson Tower site (acquired by auction due to the whole Rezmar debacle) by another inexperienced downtown developer (I think one that specializes in student housing) had me a little nervous. And then Valerio gets this job!! I can't wait to see it! BVic, where are you? Now's no time to get shy!

[SolarWind]

January 17, 2007

50 East Chestnut