CHICAGO | Boom rundown - everything over 12 floors. v5 - Page 261

VivaLFuego · #**5201** Posted **Jan 9, 2008, 3:40 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by honte

Was this information on K Station posted? I don't remember a few of these details. What is a "sail pavilion"?
_____________

Two Major Apartments Break Ground in Chicago
http://midwest.construction.com/news/building/default.asp#2

Construction has begun on two apartment towers 37 stories and 41 stories and a 1-acre park in the K Station residential development in Chicago’s Fulton River District.

Located at North Clinton and West Kinzie, the towers are the third and fourth buildings being developed within the $750 million, 2,400-unit K Station. The first was Left Bank at K Station, and the second was 353 N. Des Plaines St.

The two buildings have green elements, which are increasingly popular with the upscale rental market. Designs incorporate green roofs with native landscaping, efficient building operating systems, recycled materials and energy efficient building materials.

...

Construction has also started on the 1-acre The Park at K Station across Jefferson Street from the two towers. This public space will include an amphitheater with a sail pavilion for live performances, walking paths, a family play area, dog-friendly area and seating areas. It is slated for completion in spring 2008.

Neat! That's a nice tidbit about the public space. As of Friday, construction hadn't started on these towers, I'll try to make it over tomorrow to confirm whether foundation activity has commenced.

SamInTheLoop · #**5202** Posted **Jan 9, 2008, 4:57 AM**

The Community Development Commission was expected to vote today on TIF $ for the proposed wicked Ralph Johnson-designed tower (around 14 stories)on the Rush campus...

ardecila · #**5203** Posted **Jan 9, 2008, 5:08 AM**

Sail pavilion:

I'm not a big fan of the idea for K Station, since the sails can't support the weight of heavy snow and will have to be taken down in winter, leaving behind an ugly random assemblage of poles. A permanent pavilion with some Art Deco accents could be quite attractive, but much more expensive.

alex1 · #**5204** Posted **Jan 9, 2008, 6:48 AM**

according to emporis Citygate Central Grand in Naperville is topped out and the Fairfield Napervile was never built.

honte · #**5205** Posted **Jan 9, 2008, 8:35 AM**

Lynn Becker reports on possible forthcoming desecrations to Marina City:

http://lynnbecker.com/repeat/marinacitycurdles/marinacitycurdles.htm

Alliance · #**5206** Posted **Jan 9, 2008, 2:34 PM**

^^^ I kind of agree with the article. The Landmakrking commission is more involved in tax breaks for developers than in preservation

the urban politician · #**5207** Posted **Jan 9, 2008, 2:54 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SamInTheLoop

The Community Development Commission was expected to vote today on TIF $ for the proposed wicked Ralph Johnson-designed tower (around 14 stories)on the Rush campus...

^ I'm not remembering this project. What kind of tower will it be (office, hotel, etc)? Any renderings?

spyguy · #**5208** Posted **Jan 9, 2008, 3:25 PM**

http://chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?post_date=2008-01-09&id=27680

Zell considering building new tower in W. Loop
By Thomas A. Corfman

...Mr. Zell’s private holding company, Equity Group Investments LLC, has hired Chicago-based architecture firm Solomon Cordwell Buenz & Associates Ltd. to draw up preliminary designs for a tower that would replace a public plaza between the 26-story 2 N. Riverside and the west bank of the river, people familiar with the plans say.

spyguy · #**5209** Posted **Jan 9, 2008, 3:26 PM**

http://chicagorealestatedaily.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=27683

Panel to hear Congress Plaza expansion proposal
By Alby Gallun

A proposal to expand the Congress Plaza Hotel goes before the Chicago Plan Commission next week, adding a new wrinkle to the hotel’s ongoing labor troubles and its legal dispute with Alderman Robert Fioretti.

The owner of the hotel at 520 S. Michigan Ave. wants to build five floors on top of the existing 14-story building to make room for a new swimming pool, health club, restaurant and more guest rooms.

Busy Bee · #**5210** Posted **Jan 9, 2008, 3:59 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by spyguy

http://chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?post_date=2008-01-09&id=27680

Zell considering building new tower in W. Loop
By Thomas A. Corfman

...Mr. Zell’s private holding company, Equity Group Investments LLC, has hired Chicago-based architecture firm Solomon Cordwell Buenz & Associates Ltd. to draw up preliminary designs for a tower that would replace a public plaza between the 26-story 2 N. Riverside and the west bank of the river, people familiar with the plans say.

Why? I'm not a fan of this at all.

wrab · #**5211** Posted **Jan 9, 2008, 4:07 PM**

^^ Yeah - and you'd think that the maverick Zell would go for a maverick firm. SCB's gotta have one heck of a rainmaker.

nomarandlee · #**5212** Posted **Jan 9, 2008, 4:53 PM**

The old man has really lost it. If he is crass enough to try to pull this off I have little doubt he really wouldn't think twice about selling Wrigley Field naming rights. The thing is the name Wrigley could always be brought back but if this goes happens there is no going back.

Via Chicago · #**5213** Posted **Jan 9, 2008, 6:04 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by honte

Lynn Becker reports on possible forthcoming desecrations to Marina City:

http://lynnbecker.com/repeat/marinacitycurdles/marinacitycurdles.htm

they really are hell-bent on destroying that building, arent they

aaron38 · #**5214** Posted **Jan 9, 2008, 6:15 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Via Chicago

they really are hell-bent on destroying that building, arent they

Did I read the article wrong? It sounded like all the changes would be to the separate restaurant, not to the towers themselves.

Mr Roboto · #**5215** Posted **Jan 9, 2008, 6:15 PM**

Woah, Zell's idea has got to be one of the dumbest Ive seen. Trying to fit a building in that small plaza, and cut off the river walk on the west? How crazy can you get. I couldnt even picture how they could do it without it looking like a complete mess.

aaron38 · #**5216** Posted **Jan 9, 2008, 6:21 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Roboto

Woah, Zell's idea has got to be one of the dumbest Ive seen. Trying to fit a building in that small plaza, and cut off the river walk on the west? How crazy can you get. I couldnt even picture how they could do it without it looking like a complete mess.

It is a nice plaza. I've hung out there many times while waiting for my train.
But I wouldn't be completely opposed to a tower, provided the river walk path stayed open.

But looking at the satelite photo, it would be a very narrow tower. I really don't see how it would be economical, how they would get the floor plates size they wanted.

But here's an idea. What if the building catalivered out over the plaza area, so that you have an open plaza along the river, with the building overhead?

Dan in Chicago · #**5217** Posted **Jan 9, 2008, 6:25 PM**

^ If that were built, it would block views of the Boeing Headquarters from the south, looking up the river. I seriously doubt it will look as good as the Boeing. It sounds disastrous.

honte · #**5218** Posted **Jan 9, 2008, 6:39 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by spyguy

http://chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?post_date=2008-01-09&id=27680

Zell considering building new tower in W. Loop
By Thomas A. Corfman

...Mr. Zell’s private holding company, Equity Group Investments LLC, has hired Chicago-based architecture firm Solomon Cordwell Buenz & Associates Ltd. to draw up preliminary designs for a tower that would replace a public plaza between the 26-story 2 N. Riverside and the west bank of the river, people familiar with the plans say.

"Any new development probably would require the demolition of two low-rise bustles that extend from 2 N. Riverside to the river’s edge."

I am so sick of these greedy bastards. Zell is a billionaire - I thought he was done with the real estate game. This sounds just like the Mercantile Exchange story, when the billionaire Crown family gave the big F-you to the people of Chicago, abusing the city for their own benefit. And the city is so scared to criticize them, nothing happens to stop it.

Zell has been talking about this on and off for years. The preservation community and the Tribune advocated strongly to protect the building after he dropped the plans the first time; the City did nothing, of course. It's a total sham and I am fed up.

If Zell wants to build a tower, he should develop the worthless lot behind the Tribune Tower, since he owns that now too.

honte · #**5219** Posted **Jan 9, 2008, 6:44 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by aaron38

Did I read the article wrong?

Yes. First, it's a large complex - you can't change one part of it without screwing up the composition. Second, they will be altering the riverfront facade, changing it from one seamless composition into two different commercial "experiences."

CenIL_LA · #**5220** Posted **Jan 9, 2008, 6:45 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by spyguy

http://chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?post_date=2008-01-09&id=27680

Zell considering building new tower in W. Loop
By Thomas A. Corfman

...Mr. Zell’s private holding company, Equity Group Investments LLC, has hired Chicago-based architecture firm Solomon Cordwell Buenz & Associates Ltd. to draw up preliminary designs for a tower that would replace a public plaza between the 26-story 2 N. Riverside and the west bank of the river, people familiar with the plans say.

I'm not confident that this could really gain that much steam to follow through. There are many more valuable sites and this site would likely be overpriced and not as usuable as many other commercial buildings under construction or in planning. Also we cant neglect the fact that it is a prefered development policy to have plazas face the river. This building would destroy that and make riverfront space unusable. I dont think it will happen easily if at all.