CHICAGO | Boom rundown - everything over 12 floors. v5

[Chi_Coruscant]

Originally Posted by Loopy

Fitzgerald and Associates, Architect.

I like it.

Do you think the nimbys bitch queens will protest "It's too tall"? The answer is.....absolutely.

[honte]

I think this new project is fine. All of the blank brick scares me a bit, though. It's nice to see the height and to see someone trying to do something interesting at the top of a highrise.

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by honte

I think this new project is fine. All of the blank brick scares me a bit, though. It's nice to see the height and to see someone trying to do something interesting at the top of a highrise.

Finally, we agree on something!

I'm not concerned about the brick. Battery Park City in NYC has a lot of completely brick buildings, more "heinous" than this, and it doesn't really suffer for it. Interestingly, the World Financial Center was designed with a similar aesthetic in mind: masonry near the bottom to reference the older buildings, but then glass above a certain height.

[denizen467]

Originally Posted by honte

It's nice to see the height and to see someone trying to do something interesting at the top of a highrise.

As long as it doesn't get VE'd after most of the units are sold. Speaking of which, does anyone have a rendering of what 55 E Erie was originally supposed to look like before its crown got VE'd? I have never seen one.

[Chicago Shawn]

Originally Posted by Chi_Coruscant

I like it.

Do you think the nimbys bitch queens will protest "It's too tall"? The answer is.....absolutely.

This project was initially proposed at around 45 stories. So, I am sure the developer lopped off some height to appease the Pussy Dimwit NIMBY Assholes. Yes, that is what I now what I will be referring to PDNA as.

Overall I think the tower is pretty slick. It reminds me of allot of the stock in Battery Park City and I have always loved the feel of that area. The PoMo townhouses though look retarded, and clearly look like the afterthought tack on that they are likely due to PDNA's "architectural taste". The retail space on 21st is a great touch, that area needs more pocket retail, even if it is just a Starbucks.

[Chicago Shawn]

Originally Posted by Marcu

As much as the trucking logistics center will probably have a crappy suburban design, we need that kind of stuff here in the city to maintain Chicago's status as the nation's leading transit hub.

The Chicago region will always be a trucking hub, but the city is really not the ideal place to put such facilities. Driving a 53' intermodal trailor through city streets is not efficient, with heavy traffic, lots of lights slowing the truck down, low clearence viaducts and restrictions such as no trucks on any city street labeled "Boulevard". This is why most logistics centers are built at the airports or in the suburbs and exurbs, where the intermodal container is transfered from planes and trains to trucks and sent out to the final destination, only entering the city off-peak or for a final delivery. This facility at the Brach's plant is likely for local city demand, and I don't see why it could not be utilized as a vertical warehouse, aside from just cost I suppose. Save a few bucks and tear down an old landmark. There are acres of parking lots around the plant which could have been used before ripping down the building complex.

[SamInTheLoop]

I like it as well (with the townhomes being the exception of course - they're just awful and look really silly tacked onto an otherwise nice design....
I too really appreciate that they're trying to do something interesting with the top...

Question though - is this really 500' (or was that the height for the original design at 45 stories, which would seem more likely to me...)?

[SamInTheLoop]

Solarwind - great photos as always! Thanks for posting...

[SamInTheLoop]

Originally Posted by SolarWind

May 21, 2007


^ Just what I thought - thinner in real life

Where is the glass on this one? (obvious response I suppose is "on its way from China")....

Also, I think they are really having difficulty selling the last 5% or so they need to begin marketing 535 St. Clair. They had started a teaser marketing program last year but that hasn't been active for some time (although I think 535's website is still up)... Personally I think Sutherland Pearsall needs to really put some new energy into its marketing (so they can move on to 535 - as you can probably tell I'm really looking forward to that one), or perhaps go with a new marketing partner alltogether....

[SamInTheLoop]

Some projects of note whose descriptions have popped up on Bidclerk.com in the last week or so:

- Streeter II (estimated start date July 2007)

- 21-story tower, 132 condo units, 170 parking spaces, estimated
start date November 2007 (apparently a school
that will be demolished is currently on the site)...does anyone know which
proposal this is? Can't think of it off the top of my head....

- Park 1000 (estimated start date August 2007). I've been wondering when
this project will kick off - the previously reported start month was April,
which clearly didn't happen...

- New Children's Hospital (estimated start date October 2007) This one has
apparently been moved up, as previous starts listed were all in 2008...

[TowerGuy37]

WOW, people are crazy to pay $1,200 sq ft to live in this type of building. It does not appear to have any unique or stand out architecture anywhere. It even ruins the beauty of the Farwell building!!! It just keeps happening over and over and over, what a shame!

[wrab]

Originally Posted by Loopy

Fitzgerald and Associates, Architect.

I like, and I also like the idea of townhouses at the base, but these townhomes are total disconnects from the rest of the project - bland, vaguely historical infill, the architectural equivalents of muzak in how they beg you not to see them & in how they cheapen & disrespect the neighborhood around them. A bone perhaps to the loud not-in-my-backyard minority in the community?

Perhaps we are seeing a new & unfortunate paradigm here for future projects - bland unimaginative pomo infill at a project's base at street level disguising the more interesting project above, one for the community, one for the sales ads.

[SamInTheLoop]

Did anybody who attended last week's Plan Commission meeting happen to snap a few photos of the renderings for the proposed rental tower at Lake and Wells? (BVic - I believe there was evidence on YoChicago last week that you may have been in attendence , and you've been known to bring your camera........anybody??

[forumly_chgoman]

^^^I wonder has work on 353 slowed/ stopped?
I have not been by it in quite a while.....prob about 6 weeks
I had heard that there was a conflict either over an access road / alley or an easement conflict or something

does anyone know anything more?

[honte]

Originally Posted by SamInTheLoop

Some projects of note whose descriptions have popped up on Bidclerk.com in the last week or so:

- Streeter II (estimated start date July 2007)

- 21-story tower, 132 condo units, 170 parking spaces, estimated
start date November 2007 (apparently a school
that will be demolished is currently on the site)...does anyone know which
proposal this is? Can't think of it off the top of my head....

- Park 1000 (estimated start date August 2007). I've been wondering when
this project will kick off - the previously reported start month was April,
which clearly didn't happen...

- New Children's Hospital (estimated start date October 2007) This one has
apparently been moved up, as previous starts listed were all in 2008...

Sam, thanks for always wading through the Bidclerk bog and for updating us with this information.

I can't place the old school they are talking about either. I'll continue to think it through. I'm pretty sure it isn't a public school they're talking about.

[honte]

This e-mail was sent to me from Preservation Chicago
______________________________

JOIN US AT THE RALLY!
HELP SAVE THE LAKE SHORE ATHLETIC CLUB FROM DEMOLITION!
5/21/07

Dear honte,
Only in Chicago do we strut our architectural prowess in front of the 2016 Olympic Committee...then allow the wrecking ball to deliver a sucker punch to an Orange-rated architectural heavyweight - and one that's an Olympic legacy, at that!*

A demolition permit has been applied for. Time to send a message to the Powers That Be: The Lake Shore Athletic Club must be landmarked, not only to save the building...but to show the world we're a city that reveres its formidable historic architecture. Not pummels it into oblivion.


COME ONE, COME ALL!

Date: Sunday, June 3, 2007
Time: 1:00 pm
Where: 850 North Lake Shore Drive at Chestnut Street
(in front of the Lake Shore Athletic Club)


Dress in your favorite athletic gear:
running shorts, sweats, swimsuit, tennis outfit, whatever - or come as you are. Your fighting spirit is what counts!


Let the rally begin!

* Find out more about the Lake Shore Athletic Club at
www.preservationchicago.org/risk/lakeshore.html

Can't make it to the rally?
Voice your concern to Alderman Brendan Reilly (42nd Ward)
Please contact him at
[email protected]
312-642-4242
312-277-1009 fax

[wrab]

^^^ Thanks for the Heads Up.

[VivaLFuego]

Originally Posted by honte

Sam, thanks for always wading through the Bidclerk bog and for updating us with this information.

I can't place the old school they are talking about either. I'll continue to think it through. I'm pretty sure it isn't a public school they're talking about.

I would guess its the project in South Shore.

[Norsider]

Originally Posted by honte

This e-mail was sent to me from Preservation Chicago
______________________________

JOIN US AT THE RALLY!
HELP SAVE THE LAKE SHORE ATHLETIC CLUB FROM DEMOLITION!
5/21/07

Dear honte,
Only in Chicago do we strut our architectural prowess in front of the 2016 Olympic Committee...then allow the wrecking ball to deliver a sucker punch to an Orange-rated architectural heavyweight - and one that's an Olympic legacy, at that!*

A demolition permit has been applied for. Time to send a message to the Powers That Be: The Lake Shore Athletic Club must be landmarked, not only to save the building...but to show the world we're a city that reveres its formidable historic architecture. Not pummels it into oblivion.


COME ONE, COME ALL!

Date: Sunday, June 3, 2007
Time: 1:00 pm
Where: 850 North Lake Shore Drive at Chestnut Street
(in front of the Lake Shore Athletic Club)


Dress in your favorite athletic gear:
running shorts, sweats, swimsuit, tennis outfit, whatever - or come as you are. Your fighting spirit is what counts!


Let the rally begin!

* Find out more about the Lake Shore Athletic Club at
www.preservationchicago.org/risk/lakeshore.html

Can't make it to the rally?
Voice your concern to Alderman Brendan Reilly (42nd Ward)
Please contact him at
[email protected]
312-642-4242
312-277-1009 fax

Thanks for the notice, Honte

[BVictor1]

Originally Posted by SamInTheLoop

Did anybody who attended last week's Plan Commission meeting happen to snap a few photos of the renderings for the proposed rental tower at Lake and Wells? (BVic - I believe there was evidence on YoChicago last week that you may have been in attendence , and you've been known to bring your camera........anybody??

Yes I was there and that was me, and I did have my camera

Think I should threaten to sue for them not asking my permission for the photo

I have images of the rental tower that I will try and post soon. Been hella busy and just haven't had the time. It's nothing special. Typical SCB banding. It could have been better, but I'll take it over what's there.