CHICAGO | Boom rundown - everything over 12 floors. v5

[spyguy]

This is becoming a really annoying trend now, and it needs to stop.

Farwell, 29-39 South Lasalle, and now the Lakeshore Athletic Club.

Common themes:
1. Landmark buildings involved in new development on important streets (Michigan, LaSalle, LSD).
2. Developers claim that there are no other options and they need to demolish all or part of the building in order to save it.
3. Preservation groups and neighbhorhood groups unite in opposition.
4. Natarus & Co. accept the developer's rationale with no questions asked.
5. Landmarks Commission does nothing.
6. Not only are historically significant buildings destroyed, but the replacements usually have little density or height, significant parking, and mediocre designs.

And the real kicker,
7. The replacements are all designed by Lucien Lagrange.

And if you haven't guessed it already, I'm 100% against this new project that will further ruin the area's character.

(Image from Preservation Chicago)

^Destroying this building also ruins the cool effect between the old and new (Mies).

[SamInTheLoop]

Originally Posted by BVictor1

When will developers start being pussies and actually fight WILCO? Thay have no guts.

I agree, but I also place a lot of blame on DPD for the planning disaster that is the West Loop. (not too mention the clueless alderman, which should be understood)....

[Marcu]

Originally Posted by brian_b

I took dance lessons in that building and the ballroom is beautiful. It will be sad to see the building destroyed, but from the sounds of it they will at least be building something with quality in its place (not necessarily speaking of architectural quality).

The lobby, or at least parts of it, is also great...

[SamInTheLoop]

Originally Posted by Chicago Shawn

Hey folks,

I thought you would be interested to know that the Old Post Office on the agenda for the April Plan Commission is going to get raped. 800,000 square feet of structure will be removed along with nearly the entire west facade. You know the US POST OFFICE engraving above I-290, well kiss everything above it goodbye. The remainder of the west facade between the two towers will converted to a parking garage. And it gets worse, the old loading dock areas along Canal street will be turned into surface parking!

Come speak out against it if your pissed.


And here is the kicker, they want LEED certification even though they are sending 800,000 of floorspace to a landfill.

Well, at least the good news is that (much like the 29-39 LaSalle proposal) I think the chances of this one moving forward are quite a long shot. They probably will have a lot of pre-leasinig (office) and pre-selling (condos) to do, and I think their chances of success are rather low, particularly on the office side, but also potentially residential...

[SamInTheLoop]

Originally Posted by honte

It's been done before...

Well, this building falls within the 90-day hold period, which was instituted as you know after the Merc ordeal specifically for this kind of issue. It is a legal tool that is designed to "give the city time to evaluate the demo" which of course translates into time to rally the troops and lobby the city. That's exactly what will be done.

This deal is especially interesting because Fitfield clearly knows there is a chance of this happening, and he has an out which = no apparent loss for him. So, the city may be more inclined to landmark because there won't be lawsuits from the developers.

If there is enough support to protect this thing in the community, the alderman will come out in favor of preservation / adaptive reuse, and the city will likely move on it. Meanwhile, of course NU will be flexing its muscle to do otherwise, so the community support will have to be very strong.

Fitfield is wise to hire Lagrange to do some PoMo crap because it will appease a lot of the NIMBY, view-oriented neighbors obviously, and probably muffle their objections. Especially once he starts telling them how much their property values are supposed to rise, and so forth.

Definitely agree with just about everyone here on this one.
The only acceptable reason for demolition would be if the replacement was guaranteed to be spectacular and innovative. I just completely don't understand the mentality of people who'd like to see a new structure blend in as if it has been there for a long time. Why the hell would you want that? It seems like it's the NIMBY, faux-urban, design-challenged crowd who thinks like that...can't believe I'm wishing for this twice in a row (first witht he River East Arts Center atrocity), but I hope SOAR comes out and puts a full court press on the new alderman to landmark and prevent demolition if they are are going with a pomo abomination (and I'm sure whatever the final design is, it will not be good, this is Fifield after all)...

[SamInTheLoop]

Originally Posted by spyguy

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-0704100469apr11,0,2552174.story?coll=chi-business-utl

Alter sees bigger return in smaller project

BY SUSAN DIESENHOUSE
Published April 11, 2007

BUCK PLANS MIXED USE: An approximately $132 million mixed-use project with a 259-room hotel and 121 residences that are likely to be sold as condominiums is being planned for 505 N. State St. by the John Buck Co., said a source close to the deal.

The hotel will fly the flag of San Francisco-based Kimpton Hotel & Restaurant Group LLC.

For Buck, who owns the site in a joint venture with Royal Properties USA Inc. of Champaign, this will be the first "ground-up" condo project it has undertaken.

The developer hopes to start the two-year construction project this year after the city signs off on final approvals. But unlike most major residential projects, Buck plans to start construction before selling an appreciable number of residences, the source said.

Has anyone here actually seen a rendering of this new design? The last one that circulated was for a smaller building (I believe less than 30 stories, while this one is around 40)...

[nicopico]

Originally Posted by trvlr70

On a related note, I hope the increased populations in the immediate vicinity will spur community interest in covering the railroad tracks in Grant Park.

Are there any whispers of this at all anymore. I know it has been proposed or rumored time and again. If I'm not mistaken, at one point it was thought the tracks near OMP would be covered. Any updates? Is anyone still pushing to deck the tracks over?

[bnk]

Originally Posted by nicopico

Are there any whispers of this at all anymore. I know it has been proposed or rumored time and again. If I'm not mistaken, at one point it was thought the tracks near OMP would be covered. Any updates? Is anyone still pushing to deck the tracks over?

Good question. I also have the same question. Awaiting reply. Thanks in advance.

[a chicago bearcat]

it was included as part of the Central Station development,
the entirety would have been covered from roosevelt south.

I believe this has since been deemed too expensive for the "small" benefits

I think the covering from McCormick Place to Millenium park is needed
but it could be argued that because grant park is already split by roads
and activities such as millenium park, art institute, Buckingham fountain
these should be filled over with something other than a conventional park,

whether it is performance art space, a skate sculpture,
a permeable museum of some sort, anything out of the box
something that makes a 21st century park, but not simply a green patch

this could be truly chicago, to have a lakefront free to the public
but more creative and forward thinking than ignoring the fact a rail line is 20 ft below

[jjk1103]

...they have some sort of activity going on right at Roosevelt and the Metra tracks........but I don't think anything is being decked over......I just don't think there is going to be that kind of money for many more years.

[a chicago bearcat]

Originally Posted by jjk1103

...they have some sort of activity going on right at Roosevelt and the Metra tracks........but I don't think anything is being decked over......I just don't think there is going to be that kind of money for many more years.

there is no way they are working on actually decking anything over, that's for sure

but I disagree in that there wouldn't be enough money
if you had special programs at different blocks or intersections, money could be raised faster, rather than having to go through city council shenanigans to garner money from the taxpayers

specializing park activities allows for the whole to be realized on a much more timely fashion, because someone has a vested interest in it

mini philanthropy

[Alliance]

Originally Posted by bnk

Good question. I also have the same question. Awaiting reply. Thanks in advance.

I know the Olympic Committee had discussed covering up some of the south end tracks and removing that hideous wooden bridge.

[ardecila]

Well, if they do deck over the IC tracks, I hope they include a plate-glass deck where you can look down at the trains underneath you. That would be amazing!

The "hideous wooden bridge" will be removed as soon as they finish the new Metra station (Fall 08). They've already started, but they need to move some tracks before any actual construction can begin.

[Loopy]

^The project that jjk1103 mentioned is for the new Roosevelt Metra/South Shore station. They are reconfiguring the tracks and replacing the decrepit wooden platform with this:




Thanks, Ardecilia for renderings.

As for decking over the tracks: There is, of course, no funding in the pipeline for this. The reason that the possibility is mentioned in association with OMP, mostly has to do with the rendering below that depicts it as fait accompli. Another reason is that Gerald Fogelson, the developer of Central Station has long claimed that he received an "agreement" from the City that they would deck over the tracks from Roosevelt to 14th in exchange for land and air rights donated by Central Station to the City to make the straightening of Lakeshore Drive at Roosevelt possible.

[Busy Bee]

Well, if they do deck over the IC tracks, I hope they include a plate-glass deck where you can look down at the trains underneath you. That would be amazing!

At least at certain viewing spots like Balbo, this would be very cool. (I wish they could have incorporated a glass floot into the Renzo Piano Art Institute addition that could have trains shooting right underneath gallery patrons. Maybe even an environmental art installation on the trench bottom that would become a moving organic work.)

I mentioned this viewable section business a while back when the deck talk was going on that I felt there still needed to be visually and audible reminders that there is a treasure of midwest electric rail history running underneath you. Not to mention, who doesn't like trains? I think we just don't want to look at the shabby looking trench.

[honte]

^ I love any ideas to save that building... but having seen their "preservation" tactics in the past, I wouldn't trust them to do a good renovation at all.

On the other hand, if the city were to simply landmark the building, we wouldn't have this problem - whether it was a private developer, McPier, Oprah, you name it.

[Latoso]

I was walking through River Plaza when I saw a rendering and info. on a proposed 17 storey approximately 220 foot building at 403 N. Wabash immediately adjacent to Trump Tower on the north. It would be built over the existing garage entrance and garden area for River Plaza where the pedestrian stairs go through and it would share River Plaza's driveway. Anyway here are some pics of the notice that I took today.

[SlatsGrobnik]

^ Nice catch!

[SamInTheLoop]

Looks fine I guess and a nice piece of infill, but what's with the whole "look how small it is" advertising campaign? Obviously this "ad" is not intended for potential future residents nearly as much as it is for potential future neighbors!

Personally, I would like to see a building here about twice this height - 400-450' would be nice. The last time I checked the 405 N. Wabash condo association did not own any air rights here!

[honte]

^ I hear what you're saying. On the other hand, it might be just the right amount of density to keep TTC from feeling isolated, but yet give it some nice breathing room and visibility.

I wouldn't mind if this one turns out a bit shorter. To equalize this, I would love to see something much larger in scale (TTC scale) on the site of that surface lot / Lakeshore Athletic Club building a littler further north.