CHICAGO | Boom rundown - everything over 12 floors. v5

[SevenSevenThree]

I dont understand the love affair with 30 W. Oak. I will admit that its curved face is nice but is that really enough to completely overlook the failure of design and execution of the rear of this building? Im guessing if Lowenberg used high quality glass on the Regatta we'd be singing its praises as well. The Lancaster is better accomplished as a complete design. In my opinion, its expensive curtain wall is the only thing thats keeping 30 W. Oak away from Lakeshore East.

[Chi_Coruscant]

Originally Posted by BVictor1

I don't know if I posted this or not, but there is a possible 45-story building proposed for Wabash Avenue at Lake Street. It would be L-shaped and replace the ugly parking lot/garage that currently occupies the site. It would be build around the recently renovated MDA Apartments. It's being designed by SCB.

Finally, there is a movement in making the NE corner of Lake/Wabash into something special after years of neglect and missed opportunities. Maybe it could be an apartment building with first floor set for retail shops/restaurants/bars.

[Tom Servo]

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[Tom Servo]

[Chi_Coruscant]

^^oops....my bad. So actually the spot that BVictor refers is the middle of Wabsash Ave block between Lake and Randolph, am I correct?

[SamInTheLoop]

Originally Posted by BVictor1

I don't know if I posted this or not, but there is a possible 45-story building proposed for Wabash Avenue at Lake Street. It would be L-shaped and replace the ugly parking lot/garage that currently occupies the site. It would be build around the recently renovated MDA Apartments. It's being designed by SCB.

First I'm hearing of it! This is great news. BVic: do you know who the developer is? And, condo or rental?

[SamInTheLoop]

Originally Posted by Marcu

I wouldn't be surprised if some competing developers are twisting Fioretti's arm as well. There may be some major corporate money behind this.

Honestly I'm not worried about X/O at all. If Fioretti is determined to have this wind up in court, he'll clearly lose. What does concern me is other decisions yet to be made about future towers in the South Loop. This guy is just an activist that wants to make some waves. What is hilarious is part of the whole platform he ran on: not to be beholden to any special interests. Nut-Job NIMBY groups certainly qualify as special interests, Little Bobby...

[SamInTheLoop]

Originally Posted by BVictor1

What I've seen of this project is quite nice

That's very nice to hear. I trust your taste....

[VivaLFuego]

Originally Posted by SevenSevenThree

I dont understand the love affair with 30 W. Oak. I will admit that its curved face is nice but is that really enough to completely overlook the failure of design and execution of the rear of this building? Im guessing if Lowenberg used high quality glass on the Regatta we'd be singing its praises as well. The Lancaster is better accomplished as a complete design. In my opinion, its expensive curtain wall is the only thing thats keeping 30 W. Oak away from Lakeshore East.

The gorgeous front (steel frame) provides the units with dramatic floor-to-ceiling windows for living spaces, and the concrete rear provides privacy for the bedroom spaces. I think it's clever.

[SevenSevenThree]

Originally Posted by VivaLFuego

The gorgeous front (steel frame) provides the units with dramatic floor-to-ceiling windows for living spaces, and the concrete rear provides privacy for the bedroom spaces. I think it's clever.

As you know, floor-to-ceiling windows are pretty much a rule in todays new construction but there are examples that are equally good and better that exist that give consumers open and airy living spaces and maintain privacy without attaching hulking concrete tumors to its rear. 600 North Fairbanks jumps out at me. Lastly, curtains/blinds/shades provide privacy. And Im pretty sure the residents of 30 W. Oak have some type privacy shading applied to their bedroom windows anyway so, to me, its just another reason why the rear did not have to end up the way it has. And not to offend your taste but is it clever or lazy architecture?

Originally Posted by AdrianXSands

BURN...
well let me say this: i hate most (recent) buildings in this city, but i really like 30 w. oak. where you see the rear of the building as disconnected and a failure, that's one of the main things i like about it. i like the juxtaposition of the raw concrete and i think the balconies are integrated really nicely too.

Doesnt the Regatta provide a similar level of juxtaposition using glass and concrete in an overall similar form? Granted, the concrete on the Regatta is painted and not raw but still. It also provides balconies on its face edges somewhat similar to 30 W Oak. And even though that was a bit of a stretch on the balcony similarity, I feel that there better examples of balcony integration out there.

-------------------------------

Replace 30 W Oak's current curtain wall, which I feel is giving this project a pass, with something like anything in Lakeshore East save 340 and tell me it would still be great architecture. With reasons for liking 30 W Oak noted and respected, I dont see anything remarkable about it that justly seperates it from the rest when I truly believe other projects execute the same individual concepts better.

Im just not seeing what others are. And in this case, thats fine with me.

[honte]

^ I rather agree. Comparing it to LSE's lesser works might be a bit too harsh... but 30 West is at best a good building, pretty boring actually. Given the saga about the demolition on that site, I cannot bring myself to like the ultimate outcome. But I am glad that the Newberry Nimbys have to look at something that they are certain to find hideous.

I think the affection for this building comes because it has really fine proportions and is detailed like "real architecture." Custom curtain wall, fine concrete work, really lovely lobby, and so forth. Concerning the concrete, it is the only high-rise building built lately aside from Contemporaine that actually expresses concrete for what it is, left natural, and doesn't try to obscure it or pretend it's limestone, brick, or some other more expensive material. That's refreshing and I think winning some people over.

[i_am_hydrogen]

Originally Posted by denizen467

http://chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=25731

(Crain’s) — Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises Inc. is opening a third Wow Bao restaurant at the northwest corner of State and Lake Streets in the Renaissance Hotel.

SSC recently received a Cease and Desist letter from Crain's regarding the full quotation of articles. SSP may not be far behind. In the future, please provide only an opening paragraph or so of the article with a link to the full article. This should actually be standard practice for all articles from this point on so as to avoid legal action. Thanks for your cooperation.

[BVictor1]

ARCHITECTURE

340 on the Park a welcome breath of fresh design

By Blair Kamin | Tribune architecture critic
July 22, 2007

If you think the twisting, soon-to-be-under-construction Chicago Spire is the only skyscraper that wants to shake up Chicago's skyline, then think again. One of the best of the rest, a freshly completed, 64-story condominium tower called 340 on the Park, is Chicago's first green residential high-rise and, for now at least, its tallest all-residential building. But those superlatives would be meaningless if this tower, which was ceremonially "unveiled" Wednesday, did not make such a robust contribution to the skyline.

read more: http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/reviews/critics/chi-0722_towerjul22,1,2859798.story

[Chicago Shawn]

Originally Posted by SamInTheLoop

Honestly I'm not worried about X/O at all. If Fioretti is determined to have this wind up in court, he'll clearly lose. What does concern me is other decisions yet to be made about future towers in the South Loop. This guy is just an activist that wants to make some waves. What is hilarious is part of the whole platform he ran on: not to be beholden to any special interests. Nut-Job NIMBY groups certainly qualify as special interests, Little Bobby...

This is my biggest worry, regardless of the outcome of X/O, which I am sure will be fine. This action agianst X/O screams to every NIMBY jackass in the 2nd ward who is a little upset over any expected lost view, shaddows or whatever. This says that as long as they find enough people to complain, they can work to kill any development progress regardless of approval status just by bitching and moaning to the alderman. Progress of the city does not matter, improvements to the area does not matter, as long as a few pissy ex-suburbanites congragate they can derail anything for thier own self-indulgent goals. BTW, I have also heard through the grapevine that Pussy Dimwit NIMBY Assholes is trying to cul-de-sac the city streets in "thier" district to prevent outside traffic from using "thier" streets. Nevermind the fact that they moved in next door to the largest convention center in the world.

[Marcu]

Originally Posted by Chicago Shawn

This is my biggest worry, regardless of the outcome of X/O, which I am sure will be fine. This action agianst X/O screams to every NIMBY jackass in the 2nd ward who is a little upset over any expected lost view, shaddows or whatever. This says that as long as they find enough people to complain, they can work to kill any development progress regardless of approval status just by bitching and moaning to the alderman.

This doesn't have to be the case if Daley or the courts come down hard against the move and make it known that downzoning after approval won't be tolerated. If it doesn't happen, nimbys will be putting up fights until cassions are in the ground (maybe even after), not just stalling the projects they don't like, but driving up the cost of new construction for everyone. Every developer will have to assemble a legal team to fight for construction before, during,and after approval.

[Chicago Shawn]

Originally Posted by Marcu

This doesn't have to be the case if Daley or the courts come down hard against the move and make it known that downzoning after approval won't be tolerated. If it doesn't happen, nimbys will be putting up fights until cassions are in the ground (maybe even after), not just stalling the projects they don't like, but driving up the cost of new construction for everyone. Every developer will have to assemble a legal team to fight for construction before, during,and after approval.

Agreed 100%, however this does not bode well for projects without an approved Planned Development status, such as 830 South Michigan. The only argument Rennisant would have is the vested amount of money poured into the proposal. X/O is an approved PD, which not only is a specific zoning attached to the specific project, but a legal document as well. Good luck overturning it, and I hope Frankel and Giles sues for any lost revenue due to this and bankrupts PDNA's treasury.

I am really pissed at Fiorretti right now. He is already breaking campang promisses about not wasting tax payer money. How much is this bullshit legal battle going to cost the city?

[VivaLFuego]

It's over for South Loop, even sooner than I expected/feared. X/O will still happen for reasons already discussed (i.e. legally), but henceforth, don't look for any new and interesting proposals other than what has already been approved in PD (e.g. Central Station). It was only a matter of time before a hot neighborhood reached a critical mass of NIMBY to come in and downzone everything as happened in Gold Coast, and is also presently occurring in Wicker Park/Bucktown. There aren't many easily developable neighborhoods left...

[SamInTheLoop]

Originally Posted by honte

^ I rather agree. Comparing it to LSE's lesser works might be a bit too harsh... but 30 West is at best a good building, pretty boring actually. Given the saga about the demolition on that site, I cannot bring myself to like the ultimate outcome. But I am glad that the Newberry Nimbys have to look at something that they are certain to find hideous.

I think the affection for this building comes because it has really fine proportions and is detailed like "real architecture." Custom curtain wall, fine concrete work, really lovely lobby, and so forth. Concerning the concrete, it is the only high-rise building built lately aside from Contemporaine that actually expresses concrete for what it is, left natural, and doesn't try to obscure it or pretend it's limestone, brick, or some other more expensive material. That's refreshing and I think winning some people over.

^ Yes - all of the above have won me over big time. In addition, this is one of those towers I think is quite acceptable to have a rear that at first glance appears to be little than a typical "background" building. Perhaps it's the lovely proportions that I find most appealing. There is no comparison between 30 W. Oak and The Regatta, Chandler or Lancaster imo. At any rate, I don't think what was demolished to make way for 30 W. Oak shouldn't come into play in when judging the quality of the building - it should be assessed on its own merits. Personally I easily prefer 30 W. Oak to the previous building on site (that is not to say that I nessesarily supported its demolition)...

[chicubs111]

Originally Posted by VivaLFuego

It's over for South Loop, even sooner than I expected/feared. X/O will still happen for reasons already discussed (i.e. legally), but henceforth, don't look for any new and interesting proposals other than what has already been approved in PD (e.g. Central Station). It was only a matter of time before a hot neighborhood reached a critical mass of NIMBY to come in and downzone everything as happened in Gold Coast, and is also presently occurring in Wicker Park/Bucktown. There aren't many easily developable neighborhoods left...

Doesnt daily have to sign off on this proposal from fioretti...Daley is a big supporter of expanding the skyline south more so I dont think its a done deal by a longshot...These people have to realize that the neighborhood is changing so deal with it!!!

[SamInTheLoop]

Originally Posted by Chicago Shawn

Agreed 100%, however this does not bode well for projects without an approved Planned Development status, such as 830 South Michigan. The only argument Rennisant would have is the vested amount of money poured into the proposal. X/O is an approved PD, which not only is a specific zoning attached to the specific project, but a legal document as well. Good luck overturning it, and I hope Frankel and Giles sues for any lost revenue due to this and bankrupts PDNA's treasury.

I am really pissed at Fiorretti right now. He is already breaking campang promisses about not wasting tax payer money. How much is this bullshit legal battle going to cost the city?

I still hold out some hope - 830 is such a solid proposal that all tactics must remain on the table and available to combat these NIMBYs and push Fioretti in the right direction. Right out of the gate, he is proving my earliest intuitions to be correct - that he is nothing more than a puppet for activist types and causes - he'll listen and be persuaded by any small group that makes enough noise, no matter how illogical, no matter how bad for the city's future their positions are. What you get when you have an alderman like Fioretti (there are plenty of other examples in this city) is the least common denominator to be the guiding force in terms of develoment decisions. He's basically just a glorified obstructionist, a poll-taker in a suit. I want strong and quick action by the Daley administration to strike back at this coward and place him on a very short leash. What we need as a representative for the South Loop is someone to provide genuine leadership, courage and most importantly - vision. Clearly as a puppet for dramatically misguided, very special (NIMBY) interest groups, Fioretti has no vision...