CHICAGO: boom rundown - everything over 12 floors. v4

[SamInTheLoop]

Originally Posted by DANTHEDISCOMAN

Im not the biggest fan of the architecture but good urban planning with all the retail frontage on State.

I went to the One place condo site and they are still working on the tower crane via the construction camera! (at 11:00PM) They started around 8 this morning...now that's a long shift!

^ Agree. Urbanistically I dig it. Architecturally, it should be pretty forgetable - I think I like the design of the One Place portion of the block more so than Astoria, but then again retro almost always bores me...

[SamInTheLoop]

[QUOTE=Jaroslaw;2626612]A bad building in a prominent location is worse than a bad building obscured away by other buildings, that's all...


That, and also I think there's just a certain pragmatism: a substantial amount of construction in even the most architecturally prominent times is probably mediocre at best (don't worry - I'm not saying we shouldn't continually push for better design everywhere), and realizing that while everything everywhere isn't going to be great - it's important to push hardest for great architecture in places where it makes the most impact...

[SamInTheLoop]

The ad for XO in Sunday's Tribune announces a vip list is already forming for the 2nd (south) tower. To me this sounds as if it indicates the developer is still intending to construct both towers simultaneously - bold move and great news!

[SamInTheLoop]

Originally Posted by Eventually...Chicago

Sorry, my bad. I really meant museum park west. Tower IV is another building in that complex.

The realtor in the sales center told me the developer has put this project on hold until their inventory of new units was reduced. I was just wondering if it was in "Site Prep/Demo" for a reason.

Are you sure this person was referring to One Museum Park West? A sales associate last month told me OMP West was nearly 70% sold with deliveries still scheduled to begin late 2008 (imo this is as unlikely as OMP deliveries beginning late 2007 - highly). But in any event, I think they would want to start construction no later than this spring...I think perhaps the person you talked with may have been referring to the other 2 buildings on Roosevelt - I think what happened is they had previously planned to launch one of them this year, but now with the slower market it may be delayed until early next year - by which time I would think OMP West would hopefully be at least 90% sold...

[SamInTheLoop]

Originally Posted by honte

Great work, Sands. Thanks.

The balcony configuration on the back side of the Chandler is awful. No rhythm or grace at all. Is that east corner really going to be partially left open like that?

340 OTP seems to really have nailed the problem of inserting balconies into a curtainwall building - no easy task, by any account. I'm waiting for the north side to be finished, but it looks like they've done a good job of masking / minimizing their impact, and integrating into the overall design. D+P (or Low-end-berg - who's the culprit?) should take a good look at it.

No doubt re 340 - Martin Wolf is tremendously talented imo - by the way - has anyone been to the ispace gallery exhibit on his drawings? I'm looking forward to making it up there for it...

[Eventually...Chicago]

One problem i do find when architecture people (i know i'm guilty of this myself) try to discuss cities or areas in totality is that they love to point to every single ugly building as some sort of shortfall or missed opportunity. People like Kamin think, "Man, every building should be as nice as tribune tower or the chicago spire." (Ok so maybe Blair Kamin doesn't begin his sentences with "Man,") I think Jane Jacobs talked very successfully about the importance of the ugly, plain building. While the buildings at museum park, the park millennium or K station, are not architectural jewels by any means, they serve every bit as important a function as the one museum park or waterview tower. I guess the simplest way to argue for this is to try to look at Rome or Barcelona. (I only use these two, cause i've been there) Both cities have extraordinary architecture, but for the most part their buildings are plain, regular, and mostly forgettable. Even their great urban piazzas are largely one great church and a street wall of "regular" architecture. We have to accept the "bad" with the good because the "bad" buildings help make the good ones good.

[Eventually...Chicago]

Originally Posted by SamInTheLoop

Are you sure this person was referring to One Museum Park West? A sales associate last month told me OMP West was nearly 70% sold with deliveries still scheduled to begin late 2008 (imo this is as unlikely as OMP deliveries beginning late 2007 - highly). But in any event, I think they would want to start construction no later than this spring...I think perhaps the person you talked with may have been referring to the other 2 buildings on Roosevelt - I think what happened is they had previously planned to launch one of them this year, but now with the slower market it may be delayed until early next year - by which time I would think OMP West would hopefully be at least 90% sold...

Sam, i need to call my realtor today. I'll double check, maybe it was another MuPark building.

[the urban politician]

Originally Posted by Eventually...Chicago

One problem i do find when architecture people (i know i'm guilty of this myself) try to discuss cities or areas in totality is that they love to point to every single ugly building as some sort of shortfall or missed opportunity. People like Kamin think, "Man, every building should be as nice as tribune tower or the chicago spire." (Ok so maybe Blair Kamin doesn't begin his sentences with "Man,") I think Jane Jacobs talked very successfully about the importance of the ugly, plain building. While the buildings at museum park, the park millennium or K station, are not architectural jewels by any means, they serve every bit as important a function as the one museum park or waterview tower. I guess the simplest way to argue for this is to try to look at Rome or Barcelona. (I only use these two, cause i've been there) Both cities have extraordinary architecture, but for the most part their buildings are plain, regular, and mostly forgettable. Even their great urban piazzas are largely one great church and a street wall of "regular" architecture. We have to accept the "bad" with the good because the "bad" buildings help make the good ones good.

^ I'll have to raise my drink (my glass of orange juice, at this time) to that. I agree with your point here. However, some of the River North — is worse than just forgettable and 'plain'. Some of those buildings are outright eyesores.

[Jaroslaw]

There's been some discussion of the OMPW construction schedule inthe OMP thread... someone said a few months ago that the salespeople said it was being delayed because OMP was delayed. Recently the salespeople said it was being moved forward because OMP was delayed. I expect it'll move forward soon for another reason--now that the 30F building immediately to the south is out, the "problem units" facing south will have a nice, guaranteed view. They should have no problem selling those now.

[aaron38]

I figure this is as good a place to ask this as any. I noticed that the Bristol (next to 50 E. Chestnut) is one of the tallest Chicago buildings that still doesn't have a diagram. So I thought I'd try my hand at it, but I can't find a shot of the base.
So if someone is heading over to get a shot of 50 E. Chestnut any time soon, could you take one of the Bristol as well? I won't make it downtown again for a while.

[chicubs111]

I love the bristol...when i first visited chicago i stayed at the talbott and the bristol was right across the street and i was thinking how awsome a condo that would be to live. Its right in the middle of everything...perfect location for a bachelor pad.

[Dan in Chicago]

Does anyone here know anything about the construction status of the Harlem-Ontario Apartments in Oak Park? I will be near there this weekend, and could probably check it out, but if anyone can confirm that nothing is happening, it will save me the trouble.

[Dan in Chicago]

This is just a suggestion, I don't care how you all want to classify these... but I would remove the following from "site prep" status:

The Curve - nothing going on there

Walton on the Park - the activity reported there earlier only led to the erection of the sales center.

Parkview East - won't get started for a year or two

1555 South Wabash - no activity there since last spring

Some of the others are questionable too, like Blue Cross, Streeter II, and 469 West Huron.

[Tom In Chicago]

My understanding is that BCBS is in a perpetual holding pattern until they figure out the logistical side of things. . . site prep has sort-of been underway for a while, but they're not in any apparent rush to get the job going. . . even my inside girl over there doesn't have any news to report and she is usually one of the first to know. . .

[Tom In Chicago]

What really bothers me is that they have the plaza completely lit with flood-lights. . . late into the night. . . for no obvious reason. . .

[honte]

Originally Posted by Eventually...Chicago

One problem i do find when architecture people (i know i'm guilty of this myself) try to discuss cities or areas in totality is that they love to point to every single ugly building as some sort of shortfall or missed opportunity. People like Kamin think, "Man, every building should be as nice as tribune tower or the chicago spire." (Ok so maybe Blair Kamin doesn't begin his sentences with "Man,") I think Jane Jacobs talked very successfully about the importance of the ugly, plain building. While the buildings at museum park, the park millennium or K station, are not architectural jewels by any means, they serve every bit as important a function as the one museum park or waterview tower. I guess the simplest way to argue for this is to try to look at Rome or Barcelona. (I only use these two, cause i've been there) Both cities have extraordinary architecture, but for the most part their buildings are plain, regular, and mostly forgettable. Even their great urban piazzas are largely one great church and a street wall of "regular" architecture. We have to accept the "bad" with the good because the "bad" buildings help make the good ones good.

Absolutely true. But compare the classic older "non-descript" buildings of Chicago to some of the junk we're putting up. The Italianate rowhouses that used to line blocks of the near west and north sides, or even row after row of bungalows - these are part of what makes Chicago such a solid city near and far from the core. But these buildings, while not necessarily standouts, were well-built and well-proportioned. They had good materials and class to them, and were generally positive contributors to the overall urban quality of the city.

Most of these towers that are under fire do not share any of these basic traits. As TUP said, many are eyesores. So, I think Kamin is right to criticize - in fact, I wish he were a bit more emphatic about it.

[Chi_Coruscant]

http://www.suntimes.com/business/254144,CST-FIN-apt13.article

OK for apartments sought at Lake, Wells garage site

February 13, 2007
BY DAVID ROEDER AND FRAN SPIELMAN Staff Reporters
One of downtown's longtime parking garages would be demolished and replaced with a 43-story apartment tower under a zoning plan filed at City Hall.
The proposal calls for a building with 335 units at 200 W. Lake, the northwest corner of Lake and Wells. On the site is a three-level parking garage and a small surface lot.

Zoning documents say the building also would get parking for about 550 cars, an unusually large allotment. City officials have urged developers to be generous in providing indoor spaces, especially when their buildings replace garages and lots that drivers have relied on for years.

Submitting the proposal was Hinsdale-based Midwest Property Group Ltd. Its president, Jaime Javors, said studies show demand for rental homes downtown is growing.

Javors also said the building's parking garage will connect to Post Place, a small street that provides access to Lower Wacker Drive and Lake Street. He said the city likes that the building's traffic can come and go on Lower Wacker without clogging the rest of the Loop.

The zoning application starts a review process that could take several months and culminated in a vote by the City Council.

Ron DeVries, vice president at Appraisal Research Counselors Ltd., said the downtown market has lost 6,310 apartments to condominium conversions since 2000, or about 25 percent of its base. DeVries, a consultant on the 200 W. Lake deal, said he expects it will be priced for young renters looking for proximity to downtown jobs.

The project is close to the 188 W. Randolph building, a vintage office tower being converted to apartments, and a site at 215 W. Washington that's scheduled to get a 49-story apartment building, with parking taking up the first 12 levels.

Across the street from 200 W. Lake is Century Tower, downtown's most prominent condo conversion of the last two years. American Invsco Corp. converted the units after first renovating the 1930 building and changing it from offices to apartments.

Midwest has hired the Chicago architectural firm Solomon Cordwell Buenz to design 200 W. Lake.

[biophilic]

Originally Posted by Tom In Chicago

My understanding is that BCBS is in a perpetual holding pattern until they figure out the logistical side of things. . . site prep has sort-of been underway for a while, but they're not in any apparent rush to get the job going. . .

It may appear that way, but there's actually a lot being done. If you look inside the lobby, you can see two new enclosures around the previously open atriums. Inside the atriums two work platforms have been installed that will travel up and down the existing shafts, installing equipment for the future high-rise elevators. So there's a lot being done, I think you just need to know where to look.

[BVictor1]

Originally Posted by Chi_Coruscant

http://www.suntimes.com/business/254144,CST-FIN-apt13.article

OK for apartments sought at Lake, Wells garage site

February 13, 2007
BY DAVID ROEDER AND FRAN SPIELMAN Staff Reporters
One of downtown's longtime parking garages would be demolished and replaced with a 43-story apartment tower under a zoning plan filed at City Hall.
The proposal calls for a building with 335 units at 200 W. Lake, the northwest corner of Lake and Wells. On the site is a three-level parking garage and a small surface lot.

Zoning documents say the building also would get parking for about 550 cars, an unusually large allotment. City officials have urged developers to be generous in providing indoor spaces, especially when their buildings replace garages and lots that drivers have relied on for years.

Submitting the proposal was Hinsdale-based Midwest Property Group Ltd. Its president, Jaime Javors, said studies show demand for rental homes downtown is growing.

Javors also said the building's parking garage will connect to Post Place, a small street that provides access to Lower Wacker Drive and Lake Street. He said the city likes that the building's traffic can come and go on Lower Wacker without clogging the rest of the Loop.

The zoning application starts a review process that could take several months and culminated in a vote by the City Council.

Ron DeVries, vice president at Appraisal Research Counselors Ltd., said the downtown market has lost 6,310 apartments to condominium conversions since 2000, or about 25 percent of its base. DeVries, a consultant on the 200 W. Lake deal, said he expects it will be priced for young renters looking for proximity to downtown jobs.

The project is close to the 188 W. Randolph building, a vintage office tower being converted to apartments, and a site at 215 W. Washington that's scheduled to get a 49-story apartment building, with parking taking up the first 12 levels.

Across the street from 200 W. Lake is Century Tower, downtown's most prominent condo conversion of the last two years. American Invsco Corp. converted the units after first renovating the 1930 building and changing it from offices to apartments.

Midwest has hired the Chicago architectural firm Solomon Cordwell Buenz to design 200 W. Lake.

Another lot bites the dust... AWESOME!!!

SCB... Wonder if we are going to het the vertical banding, or something different. At least we know that it will be half way decent.

[nomarandlee]

Awesome news about the Lake/Wells building. More round the clock vibrancy and foot traffic for the loop and river. I imagine it will not make much of impression on the skyline but no biggy. Hopefully they will be able to start this sucker fast.

A lot of parking spaces when your right next to almost every major L line in the city but whatever.