CHICAGO | Boom rundown - everything over 12 floors. v5

[honte]

^ I'm definitely not in the mood for an argument, but basically it's an great example of the Chicago commercial loft style, one of the last links to Streeterville's past, supposedly the oldest remaining building in the area, perfectly reusable, and so on.

[trvlr70]

Originally Posted by Sir Isaac Newton

Agreed. The fact that a building is somewhat old, is really not a good reason to preserve it, in my mind. I really don't see any redeeming qualities to this building (unless it holds some sort of historical significance, which I am guessing it does not).

The mere fact that so little vintage building stock remains in Streeterville is a good enough reason to preserve this good looking building. This neighborhood is relatively sterile, especially with all the hospitals and new condo towers. I like the juxtoposition of the old and new together.

[spyguy]

http://www.globest.com/news/1250_1250/chicago/173982-1.html

Lynd Begins Construction on 29-Story Apts
By Cari Brokamp

Lynd Development Partners, based in San Antonio, broke ground last month on 161 W. Kinzie, a 300,000-sf, 29-story apartment building. The development will offer 249 units for lease, ranging in size from studios to two bedrooms, with an expected delivery of early 2010. The apartment building, to be known as EnV, is being constructed in the River North neighborhood.

...The building will also offer 129 parking spaces and 27,000 sf of retail and office space.

[BVictor1]

Originally Posted by trvlr70

The mere fact that so little vintage building stock remains in Streeterville is a good enough reason to preserve this good looking building. This neighborhood is relatively sterile, especially with all the hospitals and new condo towers. I like the juxtoposition of the old and new together.

there's nothing at all special about the building. so it's old. SO WHAT! that's not nearly a good enough reason to save the building. it has some granite arches and then what?

i believe that it was an ice warehouse or cold storage.

[cbotnyse]

Originally Posted by trvlr70

The mere fact that so little vintage building stock remains in Streeterville is a good enough reason to preserve this good looking building. This neighborhood is relatively sterile, especially with all the hospitals and new condo towers. I like the juxtoposition of the old and new together.

I totally agree with you. Streeterville has very little vintage and old buildings and sterile is the perfect adjective for it. Its kind of sad. I dont know if that particular building is worth saving, but the neighborhood could use a little character, thats for sure.

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by BVictor1

there's nothing at all special about the building. so it's old. SO WHAT! that's not nearly a good enough reason to save the building. it has some granite arches and then what?

i believe that it was an ice warehouse or cold storage.

i think you're missing the point victor. i believe that people are interested in preserving that particular building not merely because it's old, but because it's probably billions of times more beautiful than some craptacular bland-o-rama ronald mcdonald house that will take its place, if the current trends of other hospital/medical structures in the area are anything to go by.

[BVictor1]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

i think you're missing the point victor. i believe that people are interested in preserving that particular building not merely because it's old, but because it's probably billions of times more beautiful than some craptacular bland-o-rama ronald mcdonald house that will take its place, if the current trends of other hospital/medical structures in the area are anything to go by.

not necessarily. the RM House that was just completed in Hyde Park is actually quite nice. soar has been working on getting better esigns for buildings in the neighborhood as you know, so i won't knock what could be built before i see a real rendering.

[Ch.G, Ch.G]

^ There's also an argument to be made about adaptive reuse. If the City of Chicago is so environmentally friendly, shouldn't it urge fewer teardowns? They're a waste of energy and resources and symbolically send the wrong message to the public. Honte's absolutely right: This building could be smartly incorporated into any future development on the site. But here the tendency is to either restore or start over; thought is rarely given to a third way.

[jc5680]

9.23

[the urban politician]

At least this thing will be replaced by something taller and denser. WTF is up with Northwestern tearing down historic buildings for parking lots? That to me is MUCH more irritating than the RM House project

[Alliance]

I'm more with BVic on this one.

Personally, I'd be more pleased if the building was incorporated into the new design ala Legacy. I think there are real times for preservation. I don't think this is one of them.

But yes, i do regret that it will be most likely replaced by POMO junk.

[Bellow]

The value of the of the building on the RM House site lies in both its individual distinction (its materials and craftmanship cannot be duplicated today and it is a pleasant but not outstanding design) and, more importantly, its contribution to the context of Streeterville. Great cities, like New York and Paris, contain buildings with a wide variety of scales, styles, functions and materials that work within a cohesive whole. Their buildings are filled with details that grab your eye in differant ways. One way I define urban quality is whether you can walk down the same street many times and each time find something interesting to look at. Variety and quality lead to interest. I do not have much faith that the new RM house will warrant looking at more than once.

[Mr Downtown]

Originally Posted by BVictor1

i believe that it was an ice warehouse or cold storage.

Wholesale grocery, according to the fire insurance maps.

[trvlr70]

Originally Posted by BVictor1

there's nothing at all special about the building. so it's old. SO WHAT! that's not nearly a good enough reason to save the building. it has some granite arches and then what?

i believe that it was an ice warehouse or cold storage.

If the city allows every vintage building to be torn down, then Streeterville will eventually look exactly like the New Eastside neighborhood.

[Tom In Chicago]

Originally Posted by trvlr70

If the city allows every vintage building to be torn down, then Streeterville will eventually look exactly like the New Eastside neighborhood.

You make that sound like it's a bad thing. . .

[honte]

Originally Posted by BVictor1

not necessarily. the RM House that was just completed in Hyde Park is actually quite nice. soar has been working on getting better esigns for buildings in the neighborhood as you know, so i won't knock what could be built before i see a real rendering.

Well, this rotten, fake Victorian POS that I have to look at quite frequently was a Pappageorge design. The new McDonald house aspires to even greater lows, with the prime choice of Antunovich as their designer.

Edit - Sorry, BVictor... I know you said you like it, so I shouldn't have been so harsh. I just happen to really dislike this thing.

[harryc]

They don't build em like they used to








History ( this building has seen some reworking already )
addiition

Street raised ?

echos of past portals


Thankfully this parking masterpiece will be saved.

[VivaLFuego]

Isn't that garage the site of the 535 St. Clair proposal?

[photoLith]

Originally Posted by trvlr70

If the city allows every vintage building to be torn down, then Streeterville will eventually look exactly like the New Eastside neighborhood.

Does Chicago not have historic districts like NYC does where they cant tear anything down or build anything new? I sure hope that it does because there are tons of awesome neighborhoods north of downtown and west of it that are beautiful. I would hate to see them get torn down in the future.

[Mr Downtown]

Yes, Chicago has 266 individual landmarks and 50 landmark districts.