CHICAGO | General Developments

[Busy Bee]

^This is exactly the height and density of developments in outlying neighborhoods we should see more of.

[the urban politician]

Originally Posted by LA21st

Not the best rendering, but here is a 7 story complex for Cottage Grove and 45th St. 7 Stories.

^ I agree with needing to see a larger rendering, but I like the density.

If PoMo is what's going to dominate in Bronzeville/Kenwood, then I think we may appreciate that cool new proposal for State & Pershing even more simply for the fact that it will contrast everything around it.

[honte]

^ I'm no apologist for PoMo, but some of the new infill development in in the Kenwood Landmark District is so good, it might not even be classified as PoMo. A number of greystone rowhouses have been built that really put to shame the developers who claim they cannot do better given today's economics.

Not sure if this project will meet those standards, but it's nice to see the density. It is very close to the Drexel Blvd district, so I presume that might be part of why there are leaning PoMo. I suspect the areas further from the district will see a larger quantity of modernism, although not at the quality of the SOM proposal.

[the urban politician]

Posted by Spyguy at SSC. This is the Imperial Court Plaza as well as other projects by the same developer:

Imperial Court Hotel Plaza - 150 rooms + 20000 s.f. retail



Millennium East Plaza - 18th and Canal - 200000 s.f. retail


Canal Crossing - 2328 S Canal - 60 units + retail


24th and Canal - office/retail/condo

[wrab]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

Millennium East Plaza - 18th and Canal - 200000 s.f. retail

I'd like this project alot more if the parking lot didn't front the street so. However, at least they've made the lot white (reflective) rather than standard-issue black; also, the lot looks as though it is water-permeable? (note the circular, grassy holes on some of the parking spots towards the edges.)

[LoyolaBeachView]

LOS ANGELES An advocacy group for environmentally sustainable construction is moving its convention to Chicago.

The U-S Green Building Council says it had wanted to hold its annual meeting at the Los Angeles Convention Center. But the council couldn't book the dates in November because they conflicted with the Los Angeles Auto Show.

The council's Greenbuild conference now will be held November seventh to ninth at Chicago's McCormick Place convention center.

The conference is expected to draw about 20-thousand developers, city planners and other construction industry members.

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

[Chicago2020]

This is Pretty COOL!!!

http://www.chicagoarchitecturalclub....07_january.php

[aaron38]

Wait, I'm confused. What am I looking at in that rendering of Millenium East Plaza? Why is there a parking lot in the middle of an apple orchard in the middle of downtown Chicago?
And what El line is that supposed to be when the Orange is on the other side of the river?
And is that project good or bad, cause to me it just looks like a suburban strip mall out on Randall road in Algonquin.

[spyguy]

Originally Posted by aaron38

What am I looking at in that rendering of Millenium East Plaza?

Buildings...

Why is there a parking lot in the middle of an apple orchard in the middle of downtown Chicago?

I don't know. It might not actually be part of the project.

And is that project good or bad, cause to me it just looks like a suburban strip mall out on Randall road in Algonquin.

It has a little bit of both. A supermarket, office, and other retail is certainly an improvement over this:


While I'm no fan of surface parking, it seems like the parking spots are indicated with little dots, meaning that a lot of the space will be an open plaza. The designs seem decent enough, and again, it serves a better function than what is currently on the site.

[aaron38]

Buildings...

LOL! Thanks Spyguy...

[Eventually...Chicago]

This most curious thing about this project is its location. 18th & canal is still pretty close to the heart of the south loop (sort of). It seems like this area would support more retail and more street frontage than is currently shown. Although, it is an improvement over what is there now. Concerning the orchard that seems to appear by the parking lot. Developers never let images leak that show something they don't want to provide. Especially when it comes to possible public amenities. They know that once someone sees it, they will continue to ask for it. So i think there may be some sort of park-like area planned for around the secondary parking lot and to the west of the EL tracks.

Does anyone else think this render looks a bit simcity-ish?

Oh yea, and how about grabbing GreenBuild from LA!?
Now lets finish it and get the USOC olympic bid!

[honte]

Yeah, I agree that it's unfortunately suburban. Isn't that the corner (18th and Canal) where there is a cute little Art Deco warehouse? I think it's constructed of glazed tile or something like that. I don't see it in the overhead though, so I might be wrong.

EDIT, OK, here it is unless it's torn down already. It's actually kind of neat in real life, but probably not neat enough to save.

[honte]

See that parcel underneath the letters "860" in the 860 W. Blackhawk box? That's the site of a Louis Sullivan-designed factory. It's literally surrounded by new development, and, I'd say, hanging on by the skin of its teeth.

The City ought to move forward to protect this complex before we lose yet another Sullivan building.

Generally, good news all around for this area though. Now, just imagine something like Capri's SOM development where Cabrini Green is now!

[VivaLFuego]

In terms of traffic in that area, I think it can be managed with several improvements:
1) North Ave Bridge (underway)
2) Division Bridges, there's 2 of them, both need the same widening/modernization as North Ave bridge
3) Halsted bridge just south of division
4) Rebuild Kingsbury, and signalize it (I think they're already adding a signal at North)
5) the obvious: going forward, make new developments more ped-friendly! and consider eventual redevelopment of the strip mall developments into something more ped-friendly
6) tying into #5, leveage the excellent public transit access: the subway station in the heart of the district, plus the frequent Halsted and North Ave bus service. This would involve the city, CTA, and a new chamber of commerce to develop a unified approach to encourage transit/pedestrian use, such as maps of the district, advertising to promote transit, etc.

I don't know for sure, but I think CHA is only planning about 700 units on the site of the Green Homes (the highrises), which is also a wasted opportunity.

[budman]

Damn, what is going to happen to that strip bar on Kingsbury, just south of North Avenue?

[honte]

Originally Posted by VivaLFuego

In terms of traffic in that area, I think it can be managed with several improvements:
1) North Ave Bridge (underway)
2) Division Bridges, there's 2 of them, both need the same widening/modernization as North Ave bridge
3) Halsted bridge just south of division

Is there any way that the Halsted and Division Street bridges can be saved? I have heard conflicting reports about their eventual demise...

The eastern Division Street bridge dates from 1903 and certainly qualifies as one of the first Bascule Bridges in the world. I love the symbols of Chicago that are punched in its plate girders.

The other bridges you mention aren't much later either. I think they are incredibly beautiful.

[VivaLFuego]

Originally Posted by honte

Is there any way that the Halsted and Division Street bridges can be saved? I have heard conflicting reports about their eventual demise...

The eastern Division Street bridge dates from 1903 and certainly qualifies as one of the first Bascule Bridges in the world. I love the symbols of Chicago that are punched in its plate girders.

The other bridges you mention aren't much later either. I think they are incredibly beautiful.

Oh, I like them all too, and I liked North ave. bridge which is meeting it's demise.....but they are all chokepoints on 4-lane streets narrowing to 2, makes for horrible backups during rush hour and on saturdays. Best case, there would be a way to large save them intact and refurbish them for use elsewhere, i.e. Taylor st. etc.

[honte]

^ Thanks for the reply. That's a nice idea. Here's my pipe dream idea: There is a vacant lot south of Division / Halsted along the river, and underutilized land to the west of the first bridge. The city could widen Division somewhat, and then transport the pieces of the Halsted bridge to that location. Then the existing Division Bridge could become a westbound bridge, while the Halsted could serve for eastbound traffic.

There are 1000s of reasons why this would probably never happen, but it doesn't hurt to dream...

[Taft]

Originally Posted by VivaLFuego

In terms of traffic in that area, I think it can be managed with several improvements:
1) North Ave Bridge (underway)
2) Division Bridges, there's 2 of them, both need the same widening/modernization as North Ave bridge
3) Halsted bridge just south of division
4) Rebuild Kingsbury, and signalize it (I think they're already adding a signal at North)
5) the obvious: going forward, make new developments more ped-friendly! and consider eventual redevelopment of the strip mall developments into something more ped-friendly
6) tying into #5, leveage the excellent public transit access: the subway station in the heart of the district, plus the frequent Halsted and North Ave bus service. This would involve the city, CTA, and a new chamber of commerce to develop a unified approach to encourage transit/pedestrian use, such as maps of the district, advertising to promote transit, etc.

I don't know for sure, but I think CHA is only planning about 700 units on the site of the Green Homes (the highrises), which is also a wasted opportunity.

Do you know if a North/River stop would be built if the Circle line goes through? I know they haven't been very specific in terms of station locations, but this would seem like a good place to put one (roughly 3-4 blocks from the existing red line, in the heart of a crazy retail area, etc.).

Taft

[VivaLFuego]

Originally Posted by Taft

Do you know if a North/River stop would be built if the Circle line goes through? I know they haven't been very specific in terms of station locations, but this would seem like a good place to put one (roughly 3-4 blocks from the existing red line, in the heart of a crazy retail area, etc.).

Taft

Potentially, North/Elston/Ashland would be on the Circle line (connected to the UP Metra Lines), Division/Larabee on the West loop subway, if either project happens...

As it is, the North/Clybourn stop is pretty convenient to all the retail centered around North/Sheffield and extending to the north along Clybourn, but the busy streets don't make for very friendly pedestrian crossings. Some sort of coordinated effort to improve the friendliness of sidewalks is definitely in order.