CHICAGO | General Developments

[EarlyBuyer]

^^^^Wow! Really? "A rare construction start" is right tup. With the downtown/loop(s) market still flooded with unsold developer units, unsold resales, shortsales and foreclosures, I'm surprised this developer has been able to secure financing for condos. The new construction residential financing activity as of late has been for rental towers.

[Nowhereman1280]

Originally Posted by Thundertubs

Those are exactly the types of public spaces I'd like to see in Chicago, but we just don't seem to get that concept here. We just do lawns and baseball fields.

Yes lawns and baseball fields like Millennium Park and the Lincoln Park Zoo...

[brian_b]

Originally Posted by EarlyBuyer

^^^^Wow! Really? "A rare construction start" is right tup. With the downtown/loop(s) market still flooded with unsold developer units, unsold resales, shortsales and foreclosures, I'm surprised this developer has been able to secure financing for condos. The new construction residential financing activity as of late has been for rental towers.

There's not a big glut of 3BR condos at less than $750,000 in the downtown area. If this development was about 5 blocks east I'd go take a look.

[Thundertubs]

Originally Posted by Nowhereman1280

Yes lawns and baseball fields like Millennium Park and the Lincoln Park Zoo...

Neither of which is a typical neighborhood park.

I suppose my complaint is steered towards my local parks - Welles, Winnemac, Horner, Chase - which are all very sports-oriented.

This city is a bit short on the Union Square/Pioneer Square type of public space, in my opinion.

[headcase]

Target scouts site at former Cabrini-Green development

LINK

Originally Posted by The Sun-Times

Target Corp. is in land-swap talks with the Chicago Housing Authority that is expected to result in a new Target store at the northwest corner of Division and Larabee streets in the former Cabrini-Green development, CHA spokespeople said Monday.

...

No one could give the size of the new Target store, which will be on 5 acres on a site where the William Green Homes once housed residents.

...

Target also agreed to hire 75 CHA residents at the new store, Aguilar said. A typical Target superstore employs about 500, but a new and smaller urban format such as one slated to open in the former Carson Pirie Scott & Co. building in the Loop will employ 200.

Based on the size of the land in question, I assume this would be more like a "typical" Target, than any of the urban varieties that have gone up...

SSDD

[EarlyBuyer]

Originally Posted by brian_b

There's not a big glut of 3BR condos at less than $750,000 in the downtown area. If this development was about 5 blocks east I'd go take a look.

While I'd agree, there isn't exactly a glut, there's no shortage either. A search on realtor.com of 3BR's for sale within 60601 and an 8 block radius outside, yielded 161 homes/condo's priced between $550K and $750K; including several units in new/newer construction towers such as the Parkview, Lancaster, Silver Tower, Park Place and Skybridge.

http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhome...p/price-100000-750000?ml=1#pg-9/sortby-2

[J_M_Tungsten]

Originally Posted by headcase

Target scouts site at former Cabrini-Green development
SSDD

I assume it will look a lot like the Domincks down the road... Ohhhh the horror..

[george]

Originally Posted by denizen467

Everyone, your new favorite chain drugstore in the city is now open.

CVS inside the classical bank building at Division/Ashland recently opened with a stunning atrium interior, chandeliers, and old-school entry doors, among other things.

If you roll with rubber rather than steel wheels, there is covered free parking and a separate full entrance (and cashier station) at the west end of the structure.

I will say the fluorescent lighting scheme they chose for the shelving is a little too glaring. But the building looks a zillion times better on that big corner by having those grand, street-level windows no longer boarded up.

CVS did a great job of showing off the beautiful old ceiling, window details and even leaving the marble columns exposed. The old terrazzo floor is covered with industrial carpet squares. Much was lost or covered up but all in all a pretty good rehab retaining original features.

[wrab]

Originally Posted by headcase

Target scouts site at former Cabrini-Green development

LINK



Based on the size of the land in question, I assume this would be more like a "typical" Target, than any of the urban varieties that have gone up...

SSDD

With so much open space at the old CG, developers will be sorely tempted to anchor their big-box stores with acres of surface parking. This impulse must be discouraged. The CG property isn't a tabula rasa.

[lawfin]

Originally Posted by headcase

Target scouts site at former Cabrini-Green development

LINK



Based on the size of the land in question, I assume this would be more like a "typical" Target, than any of the urban varieties that have gone up...

SSDD

This could be very very bad;
Do we really want the division / clybourn area to mimic the shitstorm of nonsense at north / clybourn....seriously

[J_M_Tungsten]

^^^ The roads are already so bad over there (division backs up like crazy during rush hour) adding any more parking lots that encourage people to drive, would be the worst possible decision for the area.

[the urban politician]

^ You gotta love how the city just keeps acting like they have absolutely NO leverage with developers on this issue in areas of town like this. We aren't talking 89th st here, we are talking about mere blocks from the Gold Coast. Why the city would sit idle and allow Target to build a massive suburban-style store with acres of surface parking just boggles the mind

[VivaLFuego]

Originally Posted by wrab

With so much open space at the old CG, developers will be sorely tempted to anchor their big-box stores with acres of surface parking. This impulse must be discouraged. prevented at all costs.

Fixed it.

In fairness, we don't actually know what format store Target has planned yet.

[Chicagoguy]

NEWS UPDATE: Just released this morning by Harpo Studios...
I for one have wondered for some time what will become of Oprah's Studios here in Chicago when her show ends in May. They released this morning that once Oprah's show is over in May that Rosie O'Donnell will be coming to Chicago and hosting her talk show HERE. I find this very good news...I was worried it might sit empty for a while!

http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/entertainment&id=8041122

[the urban politician]

Originally Posted by VivaLFuego

In fairness, we don't actually know what format store Target has planned yet.

^ Tell me in which other way an 'urban' designed Target will make use of 5 acres of land. A theme park named Targetland? A sledding hill for children? A ninja training camp?

Surface parking. Once again, we — the — of the parking —..

[the urban politician]

Originally Posted by Chicagoguy

NEWS UPDATE: Just released this morning by Harpo Studios...
I for one have wondered for some time what will become of Oprah's Studios here in Chicago when her show ends in May. They released this morning that once Oprah's show is over in May that Rosie O'Donnell will be coming to Chicago and hosting her talk show HERE. I find this very good news...I was worried it might sit empty for a while!

http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/entertainment&id=8041122

This is truly great news. I'm not really a Rosie O'Donnell fan nor do I ever watch her show, but it's good to see that somebody that is clearly nationally recognized will be doing a show here.

[Chicagoguy]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

This is truly great news. I'm not really a Rosie O'Donnell fan nor do I ever watch her show, but it's good to see that somebody that is clearly nationally recognized will be doing a show here.

I agree. Not a huge fan of hers myself, but her show will mean good things for our city and economy. Mostly meaning a lot of people will not be out of a job, and hopefully will bring more attention to Chicago for talk shows. If I am correct I believe Harpo studios actually has at least one more stage so it could possibly host another show in the future as well!

[J_M_Tungsten]

3-29

Demolishing old Grossinger Toyota

[intrepidDesign]

Originally Posted by Chicagoguy

I agree. Not a huge fan of hers myself, but her show will mean good things for our city and economy. Mostly meaning a lot of people will not be out of a job, and hopefully will bring more attention to Chicago for talk shows. If I am correct I believe Harpo studios actually has at least one more stage so it could possibly host another show in the future as well!

Harpo has two sets. So theoretically we can tape two shows simultaneously. Most modern sets, including those at Harpo are modular and can be broken down and set up for a completely new show in a matter of hours, so there is the capacity to tape way more than 1 or 2 shows.

[lawfin]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

^ Tell me in which other way an 'urban' designed Target will make use of 5 acres of land. A theme park named Targetland? A sledding hill for children? A ninja training camp?

Surface parking. Once again, we — the — of the parking —..

This really needs to not be allowed. I mean the Domick's there is bad enough as it is!