CHICAGO | Boom rundown - everything over 12 floors. v5 - Page 124

DHamp · #**2461** Posted **Jul 31, 2007, 2:59 PM**

I mentioned a few pages earlier, after the non-proposal from the named Texas developer, that I wished for a 1500 footer at WP, but that wish also involved tearing down the Apparel Center. Without that, this might be as good as I could hope for. However, I am concerned about the limited street access (Apparel Center has the better street frontage).

I know it's a big site, but I'm also concerned that 3 buildings on this site may leave no or little public space. I like tall towers, but I think WP should also be a major hub of the river walk. Perhaps Daley will get involved if this starts to go somewhere and push for more river walk space, forcing them to combine the towers like the Arquitectonica proposal and pushing it into the low 100s of floors. Perhaps....

kayosthery · #**2462** Posted **Jul 31, 2007, 3:51 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SamInTheLoop

Took the EL past Sat. 10 am - the tower crane had been removed. Took the EL past Sat. 10 pm - the tower crane had been re-erected. Quite peculiar. Anybody know the story?

Preventative maintenance probably.

tm30 · #**2463** Posted **Jul 31, 2007, 4:14 PM**

WP! Sounds like a great preliminary proposal. I'm not sure why everyone wants a supertall on that site. For the size of the property, I'm afraid it would overwhelm everything else nearby. For such a scenic point, I prefer a great design to sheer height. If Pelli provides some effective complements to Hines' new building, we're going to be very happy with the outcome. We'll probably crack a thousand feet at any rate, but it's not like this is the last property in the city that begs for a tall building. And besides, anything that can shroud the apparel mart...

Alliance · #**2464** Posted **Jul 31, 2007, 4:20 PM**

Wolf Point is undoubtedly a disappointment in the height sector for me. 89story res-hotel? Undoubtedly a dissappointment.

X-fib · #**2465** Posted **Jul 31, 2007, 4:44 PM**

I too had hoped (and predicted) a 1500+ footer for Wolf Point. But, if it indeed it will be Trumps height, even a 1100+- still makes a strong statement for this strategic location. Can't wait to see the renderings!

jcchii · #**2466** Posted **Jul 31, 2007, 4:57 PM**

a 1000-footer is great.
and frankly I will be happy when that site ISN'T a surface lot for a holiday inn, I mean please

and I am fine with Pelli, who really only has one scraper here, correct?

newstl2020 · #**2467** Posted **Jul 31, 2007, 5:43 PM**

I'm not familiar with WP. Can anyone post an image of where the site is located in relation to the rest of the city/a link if there is another thread for this proposal? Thanks!

Steely Dan · #**2468** Posted **Jul 31, 2007, 5:52 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by newstl2020

I'm not familiar with WP. Can anyone post an image of where the site is located in relation to the rest of the city/a link if there is another thread for this proposal? Thanks!

here ya go!

Chicago3rd · #**2469** Posted **Jul 31, 2007, 6:09 PM**

honte · #**2470** Posted **Jul 31, 2007, 6:27 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jcchii

and I am fine with Pelli, who really only has one scraper here, correct?

Yes. 181 W. Madison and the athletic center at U of C are his only Chicago-area works that I know of (and from what I've heard, his son did the design work at U of C).

Lecom · #**2471** Posted **Jul 31, 2007, 7:02 PM**

Any plans for taking down that Sun-Times building?

SNT1 · #**2472** Posted **Jul 31, 2007, 7:20 PM**

I borrowed Alliance's image with the darkened silhouettes of U/C buildings and the 3000' megascraper at WP.

I modified it a bit to get an idea of what the proposal might look like, (if someone has a problem I'll take it down) and made it look like its between 1100' and 1200' with its two peon skyscrapers nearby. (yeah, its MS paint and crude shopping skills)

Steely Dan · #**2473** Posted **Jul 31, 2007, 7:21 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lecom

Any plans for taking down that Sun-Times building?

nope. with it's giant floor plates i'd imagine that the apparel center is gonna be with us for the long haul regardless of how ugly it may be. the old sun times building was demolished because of a perceived underutilization of that particular piece of property, but that's not the case with the apparel center.

Rocket1 · #**2474** Posted **Jul 31, 2007, 7:27 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alliance

Wolf Point is undoubtedly a disappointment in the height sector for me. 89story res-hotel? Undoubtedly a dissappointment.

An 89 storey building a "disappointment"?

Only in Chicago.

Lecom · #**2475** Posted **Jul 31, 2007, 7:39 PM**

Anyone care to throw together a river map with all the proposed/uc developments marked, with names/height/floors/status denoted? Something similar to the one that has Wolf Point and Waterview marked, only covering the entire river area.

"Just another" supertall for the Windy City. Damn, Chicago, I'm jealous. The city's skyline will truly change in under ten years, and that's quite a feat for a city with one of, if not THE, most impressive skylines in the world. [/Captain Obvious]

a chicago bearcat · #**2476** Posted **Jul 31, 2007, 7:41 PM**

so, today I was talking to someone in my office
and we were discussing a visit he had made to Pelli
a few months ago

He mentioned that he saw a model for a mixed use project across the river from a project he had worked on before

we continued to discuss and figured out he ws talking about this wolf point proposal.

He said it was really elegant, and one of pelli's best recent designs
he also said pelli is one of the classiest architects he's had the opportunity to interview

Chicago3rd · #**2477** Posted **Jul 31, 2007, 7:42 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lecom

Any plans for taking down that Sun-Times building?

At least they put more windows in it. That helped a little. So now it goes from 100% F**ken Ugly to 99.5% F**ken Ugly.

honte · #**2478** Posted **Jul 31, 2007, 8:14 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lecom

Any plans for taking down that Sun-Times building?

Don't you work for SOM?

This building is one of the few SOM buildings that I think doesn't really work - I wouldn't mind seeing it replaced with something better. But I don't think it's as bad as some make it out to be.

Steely Dan · #**2479** Posted **Jul 31, 2007, 8:25 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by honte

But I don't think it's as bad as some make it out to be.

don't forget, the windows have helped. it is not as hideous now as it was when it earned its "ugliest building in chicago" title.

still, i think the greatest failing of the apparel center is the way in which it utterly shuns it prominent riverfront site, it's like the east bank club on roids. i know that the river is looked at differently today than it was back in the 70s, but couldn't they have at least given a modicum of acknowledgment to the fact that the building fronts a prominent waterway. it's as though the architects weren't even aware that the building would sit on riverfront property.

honte · #**2480** Posted **Jul 31, 2007, 8:38 PM**

^ This is true.

Not to spend too much time on this building, but it's also worth noting that there were vastly different plans for this area when it was built. Kinzie was being planned to become an elevated street all the way over to Grand, and Wolf Point was in play. So, I chalk the "shun the river" aspect up to the blank wall phenomenon that we see so often when adjacent buildings are anticipated in short order. The Kinzie aspect explains why the back at sidewalk level feels like a giant loading dock.