CHICAGO: boom rundown - everything over 12 floors. v4

[Chicago Shawn]

^Yuck. But atleast there is a high-rise. It would otherwise be just a larger strip mall. Kind of amusing all the stores are of the high stuff you would find on Michigan Avenue. Ritzy or not, a strip mall is still an ugly blemish on the landscape.

[honte]

Originally Posted by museumparktom

The Lexington Hotel recieved Landmark Status in 1985 and was demolished in 1995.

On the Lofts: I remember some news about the developer being stoped from taking down the copper cornice of the Indiana Lofts. The preservationist got a restraining order. but ultimatly they were lost also.

Yes, that is correct. Thanks, Dan, for catching this confusion - this thread moves so fast, ten posts can slip in by the time I manage to click "Submit."

A bit of trivia for high-rise junkies: The Cermak-Indiana Flats that were torn down for the Lexington Hotel were actually supposed to be a 12-story skyscraper hotel when they were proposed in the early 1890s. However, an economic recession forced the developer to change architects and then only construct a 4-story building. The building we all knew looked a little oddly-scaled because it was missing the top 2/3rds of the design. But it was outfitted with full elevator banks and foundations, and a complete steel frame, intended for the later construction of a much taller building, on par with the Lexington next door. This might have been the ancestor of the Blue Cross, Blue Shield building, if you will....

So, too bad we lost two very important buildings on this site. At the least, it's nice that Lexington Park appears to be a decent building.

Now that they've named it "Lexington," however, I will always remember the supreme bungle of tearing down an official City Landmark. Let's hope it is the last.

[Chicago Shawn]

From a couple weeks ago, I love the boldness of that red grid....

[Chicago Shawn]

Originally Posted by honte

Yes, that is correct. Thanks, Dan, for catching this confusion - this thread moves so fast, ten posts can slip in by the time I manage to click "Submit."

A bit of trivia for high-rise junkies: The Cermak-Indiana Flats that were torn down for the Lexington Hotel were actually supposed to be a 12-story skyscraper hotel when they were proposed in the early 1890s. However, an economic recession forced the developer to change architects and then only construct a 4-story building. The building we all knew looked a little oddly-scaled because it was missing the top 2/3rds of the design. But it was outfitted with full elevator banks and foundations, and a complete steel frame, intended for the later construction of a much taller building, on par with the Lexington next door. This might have been the ancestor of the Blue Cross, Blue Shield building, if you will....

So, too bad we lost two very important buildings on this site. At the least, it's nice that Lexington Park appears to be a decent building.

Now that they've named it "Lexington," however, I will always remember the supreme bungle of tearing down an official City Landmark. Let's hope it is the last.

Was there an actual reason as to why a designated Landmark was torn dorn? Was something else proposed here in the past? I know a theater on block 37 was also striped of it's landmark status for the block to be leveled.

[X-fib]

Here is a Chicago history trivia question: Who was the Chicago businessman who built the first downtown hotel to reopen after the Chicago Fire? Clue: This same gentlemen was simultaneously building a grand hotel in Pensaukee, Wisconsin which was destroyed by a tornado in 1877. He later died in Pensaukee while trying to catch the Chicago Northwestern train to Chicago. He acquired his wealth mostly from lumbering.

[SamInTheLoop]

Great photos Shawn! I think this one looks great, and am really looking forward to seeing it joined by its twin...

[budman]

Does anyone know what is going on at the space between the Pizzaria Uno and the Tokyo Hotel on Ohio St ? It used to be a parking lot, but I saw a fence up there today.
Also, what is going to happen to Papa Milanos, currently located in the building where the new Barneys is going to be built?

[DANTHEDISCOMAN]

^Richardsonhomebuyers mentioned it yesterday and I noticed the fencing today too. I forgot the name of the construction company on the side of the fence I was going to google it when I got home but my memory has failed me again. Its a smaller lot, very intruiged.




That Musuem Park Place 1 is awesome. I love vibrant colors like that, it seems they tend to be reserved for coastal climates and Im not sure why. Im going to have to take a stroll down in person.

[brian_b]

Originally Posted by budman

Does anyone know what is going on at the space between the Pizzaria Uno and the Tokyo Hotel on Ohio St ? It used to be a parking lot, but I saw a fence up there today.
Also, what is going to happen to Papa Milanos, currently located in the building where the new Barneys is going to be built?

I saw a soil testing rig on that site a couple weeks ago but didn't think anything of it. I figured it was already covered here. But perhaps not.

[Busy Bee]

Here is a Chicago history trivia question: Who was the Chicago businessman who built the first downtown hotel to reopen after the Chicago Fire? Clue: This same gentlemen was simultaneously building a grand hotel in Pensaukee, Wisconsin which was destroyed by a tornado in 1877. He later died in Pensaukee while trying to catch the Chicago Northwestern train to Chicago. He acquired his wealth mostly from lumbering.

Well I think it was the Grand Pacific Hotel, rebuilt in 1872, but I can't find any more info on the person that built it.

[honte]

Great pics of Museum Place, Shawn! No question, one of P/H's finest moments to date.

Originally Posted by Chicago Shawn

Was there an actual reason as to why a designated Landmark was torn dorn? Was something else proposed here in the past? I know a theater on block 37 was also striped of it's landmark status for the block to be leveled.

Well, yes, the "officially unofficial" reason is that the Democratic Convention was coming, and Daley took massive and sweeping measures to clean up the city. All of the sudden, this Lexington became an "eyesore" and a "public threat."

The McCarthy building on B37 was the other landmarked building (also a high-rise) to be entirely leveled. That one was initially supposed to be saved, but the developers complained that they couldn't figure out a "good" way to provide entrances to the parking garage on the site, if I recall. Here's The Deal has all of the background on that. Two utter disasters.

OK, back to celebrating the good parts of the city.

[the urban politician]

Originally Posted by chicubs111

Barneys, at 25 E. Oak St., is close to a deal to move into a bigger space across the street.
The luxury department store would lease about 100,000 square feet in a five-story structure to be built on the site bounded by Oak, Rush and State streets.

^ What's currently at that site?

[pottebaum]

Originally Posted by budman

Also, what is going to happen to Papa Milanos, currently located in the building where the new Barneys is going to be built?

A new Barneys?

[honte]

A bit on that condo conversion on Sheridan, but perhaps more important, an insider's opinion on the Chicago market conditions.

__________________

Developer buys 2 Lakeview apartment buildings
From the Crain's Chicago Business Newsroom
January 26 06:24:00, 2007
By Eddie Baeb
-----
North Side developer and fledgling movie producer Robert Kroupa has acquired two 1960s-era apartment buildings on Sheridan Road in Lakeview for about $70 million.

Mr. Kroupa, whose first film, Save Me, is being shown this week at the Sundance Film Festival, has begun converting the larger building at 2930 N. Sheridan into condominiums while still weighing his options for 3033 N. Sheridan.

Mr. Kroupa says he plans to spend an additional $25 million on renovations to the units and common spaces in the high-rises, which together have about 400 apartments.

The slowdown in condo sales hasn't been a problem for Mr. Kroupa in the trendy North Side neighborhood, he says, where his new units will be priced from about $220,000 to $290,000.

"I did a conversion in April last year that was 95% sold out in 10 days, and people were saying it was a bad market then," says Mr. Kroupa, speaking on his cell phone while attending the Sundance festival in Park City, Utah. "Interest rates are low, gas prices are low and unemployment is down. There's no reason for it to be slow."

Mr. Kroupa bought the two buildings from a partnership led by Gary Kromelow, a group that also managed the properties. Mr. Kromelow, a North Side real estate entrepreneur, couldn't be reached for comment. Mr. Kroupa is financing the purchase and some of the renovations with a $76.4-million mortgage from North Community Bank, according to property documents.

The sales office at 2930 N. Sheridan is to open Feb. 10, says Thaddeus Wong, co-founder of the firm @Properties, which has been hired to oversee sales and marketing.

[X-fib]

Originally Posted by Busy Bee

Well I think it was the Grand Pacific Hotel, rebuilt in 1872, but I can't find any more info on the person that built it.

Well according to the information I have (this is second hand from a historian who researched the Pensaukee hotel) it was initially called the "Gardner Hotel" and was at the southwest corner of Michigan and Jackson (although from pics I have seen this could be wrong, it looks more like Wabash to me). It was later re-named the Leland. Freeland B. Gardner is the businessman who may have been in partners with Frederick Gould. Gardner is reported to have rushed the construction of the hotel after the fire and may have been involved in a second hotel. He was in a unique position to do so since both his Chicago lumber yard and his Pensaukee, Wisconsin lumbermill had survived the simultaneous conflagrations of Oct 8, 1871.

[budman]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

^ What's currently at that site?

^Its a red brick building maybe three stories high, with a restaurant, Papa Milano's, and adjoining tiny bar - Mondelli's - right next to it. I think there is a nail salon or law office sign in one of the upstairs windows.

[honte]

Here is a very nice article from Chicago Magazine about Adrian Smith's Departure from SOM/Chicago and the future of the office. It's a tad long, so I am just going to post the link.

Let's hope this new design talent (Ross Wimer) can couple with Adrian Smith's continued presence and produce twice the number of great buildings here!

http://www.chicagomag.com/ME2/dirmod.asp...er=4&id=0D04B8CB5810411DB2BBF263CE69E694

[Chicago Shawn]

50 East Chestnut












The base is getting clad in precast with a tastefull cut limestone veneer.










The Clare at Watertower....

[Chicago Shawn]

Originally Posted by X-fib

Well according to the information I have (this is second hand from a historian who researched the Pensaukee hotel) it was initially called the "Gardner Hotel" and was at the southwest corner of Michigan and Jackson (although from pics I have seen this could be wrong, it looks more like Wabash to me). It was later re-named the Leland. Freeland B. Gardner is the businessman who may have been in partners with Frederick Gould. Gardner is reported to have rushed the construction of the hotel after the fire and may have been involved in a second hotel. He was in a unique position to do so since both his Chicago lumber yard and his Pensaukee, Wisconsin lumbermill had survived the simultaneous conflagrations of Oct 8, 1871.

William B. Ogden also owned some timberland near Peshtigo, Wisconsin, which burned in the meteror sparked fire. I guess you can say he was having a real bad week in 1871.

[honte]

Ooooh - fake mortar joints. Must be a doozy to paint. Today's architecture really tests the limits of our skilled craftsmen.