CHICAGO | General Developments

[Segun]

Originally Posted by Hayward

Saw them. Coincidentally, I was at Irving Park and Lincoln for a party last night. The street was well lit

Yeah, guess who was texting you about it!!

[VivaLFuego]

^ re: Bucktown retail project,

Still a major improvement over a surface parking lot, and over some previous designs that I seem to recall involved demolishing the building to the north.

[the urban politician]

^ could...not...agree...more

More infill of this sort, please. It sure beats the hell out of parking lots and strip malls.

[denizen467]

Originally Posted by Segun

I was walking near Irving Pk and Lincoln yesterday and noticed a few blocks with new white streetlights. I've noticed them in other scattered areas across the city. Does anyone know whats going on with this? Chicago without the orange glow will be a brave new world.

I posted about this in the Transit thread the other day because I saw a lot of LSD (Oak-Hollywood) has been switched over to these. Guess they have set out full force to do a switchover, though I don't have any specific or official information. I agree it will be quite a huge makeover, both from the street view as well as the macro view from the air. The new lights are crisp and may save energy, but there is something warm and also so urban about those sodium vapors.

[the urban politician]

Two very different philosophies toward development from the 2 guys running for Alderman of the 45th ward. Garrido apparently has led the polls (unfortunately), but I'm hoping Portage Park gets a guy like Arena:

Development debate sparks race in Chicago’s 45th Ward

By Abdon M. Pallasch Political Reporter [email protected] Apr 4, 2011 2:06AM

Voters in the Northwest Side 45th Ward have a clear choice in Tuesday’s aldermanic runoff.

John Arena, 44, who owns a graphic design company, has been active in the Portage Park Neighborhood Association for more than a decade, trying to steer what he thinks is the right kind of pedestrian-friendly development to the Six Corners business district. Arena is a Democrat running with strong support from unions.

John Garrido, 43, a police lieutenant and lawyer, says he would be far less picky about development in the ward, green-lighting just about any business that wants to come in. A Republican, Garrido is endorsed by the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce.

“For the past 10 years, we have been recruiting businesses to the ward — Six Corners is a model for where we need to go. It is in a process of transition. A new restaurant is opening just behind the Klee Building,” Arena said at a forum Thursday at the Copernicus Center.

“Well, I don’t know if I would use Six Corners as a model for the ward — we’ve got a 40 percent vacancy rate, Garrido said. “They wanted to put a curb cut in there so you could actually get to parking from Milwaukee Avenue. That was blocked by my opponent. That caused businesses like Chipotle, FedEx and Caribou Coffee to pull out of there and now those storefronts still sit vacant.”

Nothing the neighborhood group did scared any business away, Arena said. And he has been involved in recruiting businesses to Six Corners for 10 years, while Garrido has not been involved. While Garrido talks about bringing a Starbucks to the ward, Arena said he has actually been talking to Starbucks for 10 years. Arena said city transportation officials rejected the curb cut because it would have created a traffic jam.

“Six corners is a pedestrian-friendly model, people first and cars second,” Arena said. “Putting parking lots in the middle of that intersection [would not work as well as] perimeter parking. What the community was advocating for was to maintain the plan.”

When CVS proposed to tear down a historic abandoned building at Milwaukee and Montrose to open a store, Arena’s group collected 600 signatures to oppose that plan and instead steer CVS to Milwaukee and Lawrence. When CVS proposed a “generic” storefront there, Arena said his group succeeded in pressuring them to use a more aesthetically pleasing design.

“You never start a negotiation by saying, ‘What’s your first offer?’ and then say ‘Yes’ to it,” Arena said. “John has consistently shown himself to not have any understanding of these issues.”

[J_M_Tungsten]

Originally Posted by Segun

I was walking near Irving Pk and Lincoln yesterday and noticed a few blocks with new white streetlights. I've noticed them in other scattered areas across the city. Does anyone know whats going on with this? Chicago without the orange glow will be a brave new world.

Not too sure, but I really hope it goes city wide. Light pollution in Chicago is a huge problem IMO.

[the urban politician]

Looking south on Broadway from the same intersection (Devon/Sheridan).

^ Pulled from SSC (thanks to Mr. Downtown). This old pic gets me wondering--the building on the right was torn down for what is now a defunct drive through business. Does anybody know who currently owns that lot? I have long felt that that site would be ideal for a mixed use development (residential above, retail below) that makes better use of a rather prominent and busy intersection.

I would hope that Loyola would see the value of such real estate, especially since they have developed so many sites to the east and north of this one.

[Nowhereman1280]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

Two very different philosophies toward development from the 2 guys running for Alderman of the 45th ward. Garrido apparently has led the polls (unfortunately), but I'm hoping Portage Park gets a guy like Arena:

I was living in this ward up until recently and have gotten to know John. He is very straightforward and more of the "SOAR" NIMBY and less of the "WLCO" NIMBY. I really hope he wins, but I have a hard time seeing how 6 Corners will ever recover because of its lack of transit connections. They really should have continued the Blue Line as a subway under Milwaukee instead of down the middle of the Kennedy...

Originally Posted by the urban politician

^ Pulled from SSC (thanks to Mr. Downtown). This old pic gets me wondering--the building on the right was torn down for what is now a defunct drive through business. Does anybody know who currently owns that lot? I have long felt that that site would be ideal for a mixed use development (residential above, retail below) that makes better use of a rather prominent and busy intersection.

I would hope that Loyola would see the value of such real estate, especially since they have developed so many sites to the east and north of this one.

I believe Loyola actually owns most of that block and is waiting to complete the Loyola Station redevelopment that has been on hold since the recession hit before moving on that block.

The business in that drive through is no longer defunct and has been replaced by a fairly decent hot dog stand. Its a shame that old building was leveled, I had no idea what was previously there and always just figured it was probably something much better than the hot dog stand.

In related news, Loyola has had some success in leasing the retail at the Morgan and now has all spaces leased out except one small ~2,000 SF space. They also have managed to be able to attract a series of businesses that more resemble the retail makeup of Lincoln Park than that of Rogers Park. They have also opened a small, student run, boutique hotel with 10-12 rooms in what was originally supposed to be a condo building that Loyola constructed adjacent to the parking garage. I have a feeling the Loyola El stop district is going to be a very different place in about 10 years.

[ChiTownCity]

Originally Posted by Nowhereman1280

I was living in this ward up until recently and have gotten to know John. He is very straightforward and more of the "SOAR" NIMBY and less of the "WLCO" NIMBY. I really hope he wins,

What does SOAR and WLCO stand for? and what are their differences?

[Nowhereman1280]

SOAR is Streeterville Organization of Active Residents or something and WLCO is West Loop Community Organization. Both are "NIBMY" groups that seek to alter development in their respective neighborhoods. They are, however, or vastly different ends of the spectrum.

SOAR generally accepts and even welcomes dense, urban, developments. Where they make complaints it almost always over things that are bad urban design. They complain about stuff like parking podiums and curb cuts instead of "oh noes my views!" or "we need more parking since we have a god given right to unlimited quantities of free parking spaces".

WLCO is the exact opposite. All they complain about is "thats too tall" or "there are too many units there" or "oh no, not enough precious parking".

So essentially SOAR is a very positive force for good design and planning while WLCO goes around and tries to make every development as anti-urban as possible.

[SamInTheLoop]

Originally Posted by ardecila

I don't think the design is unattractive, it's just inappropriate.

If CPS was really planning properly, they could have consolidated into a 4-story school, leaving the east half of the block to be leased later for high-rise development. The future proceeds from the lease would more than cover the added construction cost of the taller building.

CPS' land policies in general are astoundingly stupid. They occupy bloated plots in some of the city's most desirable neighborhoods, and yet every year they complain about how they don't have enough money to provide decent education to kids. Then, when they need more land to build new schools, they carve chunks of land out of public parks, paying nothing since it's just a transfer from CPD.

I agree about the issues being raised aobut the overall land use and CPS policy. However, I'm going to have to take issues with the design here. I agree with I Am Hydrogen. This is far from the worst design we've seen on these pages recently, and it's not hideous, but still it's a disappointment, especially considering some of the other design work going on right now for schools (CPS and other) around the city. NHDKMP (why don't they just add 2 or 3 other name partners while they're at it) came up short with the design of the new Ogden School. I've even looked through the recent and current CPS prototype school designs, and I would say virtually all are superior to Ogden. It's just too staid, too conservative, and it doesn't say anything to me. I think it especially looks lacking when you can see the elegant 30 W. Oak tower (is this the Gold Coast's best new highrise - along with the Sofitel of course - in a long time or what? - in the background). The project deserved better......NHDKMP isn't a bad firm - I like some of their work, but this was played so ultra-safe that the end-result is disappointing to me...

[SamInTheLoop]

Have we seen a rendering of the UNO school that's under construction? This isn't the very nice design we saw floating around a couple months back is it? (I have a feeling that is a separate proposal - a UNO high school if I remember correctly)...

[Nowhereman1280]

^^^ Someone above suggested it is indeed that very sleek Hadid-esque proposal from a while back.

[BWChicago]

Originally Posted by J_M_Tungsten

Not too sure, but I really hope it goes city wide. Light pollution in Chicago is a huge problem IMO.

Some of those new lights on Irving are way too intense, though, the glare and eyestrain work against the illumination. It seems like you can have a bright, effective light or an attractive, faux historic light, but not both. Maybe a hybrid approach would be better - high modern full-cutoff streetlighting and low 'historic' sidewalk lighting.

*rant*

This trend of decorative street lighting is resulting in some grating anachronisms. A great example is Dempster through Morton Grove. They've taken out all the concrete poles with cobra heads, probably original to the 50s and 60s development in the corridor. They've put in ornate cast fixtures, and a half-mile down there's a totally differently designed, but equally anachronistic pole. And the concrete ones looked nicer, frankly, because they look neutral but still have some texture. There really should be some regional coordination and thought put into how these things fit in their context rather than being something a city staffer picks from the shopping center catalog because they look nice. It makes a major impact on the streetscape. Chicago's done pretty well lately with the 90-degree full cutoff modern poles on side streets and the standard streetscape design that actually resembles some of the ones that used to be there.

[jdcpamba]

They have started digging up the parking lot that will become the new Jones College Prep High School at the corner of State and Polk.

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by SamInTheLoop

NHDKMP (why don't they just add 2 or 3 other name partners while they're at it)

I believe they are going by Nagle Hartray now... everyone called them that anyway.

I've even looked through the recent and current CPS prototype school designs, and I would say virtually all are superior to Ogden. It's just too staid, too conservative, and it doesn't say anything to me.

I agree... the architecture is not spectacular, but it's not horrid either. It's just not terrible enough to fight over.

I would personally have preferred something like Skinner in the West Loop. Pretty much all the new schools by SMNG-A are really good.

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by Nowhereman1280

They really should have continued the Blue Line as a subway under Milwaukee instead of down the middle of the Kennedy...

I've always thought Irving Park was perfect for a light-rail line like the ones they're building in LA or Toronto. Going from Harlem-Irving to the lakefront, it would have transfers to Red, Brown, Blue, Metra UP-NW, Metra MD-N (also possible Amtrak). You'd have a subway east of Western to the lakefront, and a short subway at Six Corners. Maybe a flyover at Harlem.

The street is certainly wide enough to accommodate transit in the median.

You could get it done for about $1.5 billion, based on the cost of LA's Gold Line Eastside project. Ridership would be through the roof, especially if the alignment diverged from Irving Park to pass Wrigley.

[djlx2]

Originally Posted by ardecila

I've always thought Irving Park was perfect for a light-rail line like the ones they're building in LA or Toronto. Going from Harlem-Irving to the lakefront, it would have transfers to Red, Brown, Blue, Metra UP-NW, Metra MD-N (also possible Amtrak). You'd have a subway east of Western to the lakefront, and a short subway at Six Corners. Maybe a flyover at Harlem.

The street is certainly wide enough to accommodate transit in the median.

You could get it done for about $1.5 billion, based on the cost of LA's Gold Line Eastside project. Ridership would be through the roof, especially if the alignment diverged from Irving Park to pass Wrigley.

Irving's a good place to start. How would construction get started? I wonder if it would make more sense for them to start by working with it from the overall visual angle of Irving, or checking into the metra tracks.

[Rizzo]

Originally Posted by ardecila

I believe they are going by Nagle Hartray now... everyone called them that anyway.



I agree... the architecture is not spectacular, but it's not horrid either. It's just not terrible enough to fight over.

I would personally have preferred something like Skinner in the West Loop. Pretty much all the new schools by SMNG-A are really good.

I will say the Ogden School looks pretty good from above at least. My living room window looks onto it, and I'm looking forward to seeing the green roof. Currently the roof is just barren concrete. The red color does add some much needed saturation to all the damn beige/grey concrete around me....though I would have found some colored glass to be the ultimate solution. There's actually not all that much curtainwall glass around here. On that note, I definitely see a few potential towers that could use a good reclad.

[denizen467]

Originally Posted by jdcpamba

They have started digging up the parking lot that will become the new Jones College Prep High School at the corner of State and Polk.

>filler for 10 characters<