CHICAGO | Highrise Projects & Construction - Page 714

joeg1985 · #**14261** Posted **May 7, 2014, 1:40 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by streetline

Agreed. All it would take is a ~100ft section under the Michigan Ave bridge, and another ~80ft where the Wrigley Building meets the river, and we'd have a continuous River Esplanade from Wabash to the Spire site on the north side of the river. You'd think it would make sense for Trump to lobby to make that happen, and perhaps kick in some funding since he'd be the biggest beneficiary (it'd certainly be better for his name than that ridiculous sign).

Except this river front esplanade east of Michigan is pretty dead. Is the idea that with the Spire it would suddenly be very lively? It would be another huge — for Trump to do this. The odds are stacked against him.

I think he would be more likely to glamorize the plaza between Trump and Wrigley to attract folks from Michigan ave than he would to support this idea. Maybe add lots of gold accents and lighting. Maybe even a gold brick path leading right from Michigan Ave to his river front retail. Now that would be a site!

LouisVanDerWright · #**14262** Posted **May 7, 2014, 1:54 PM**

— it, confirmation that RAM is being selected by Related to RAM another Related turd into our skyline:

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/realestat...cruits-robert-stern-to-design-next-tower

Related is really quite hilarious. I can't believe there was talk about them "bringing in higher quality design" a while ago and this is the "starchitect" they choose? I'm sure this building will be even worse than 550 N LSD and 111 W Wacker. Let's just pray to god that they don't get their hands on the Sprie site and permanently blight that prominent location with another garbage design with piss poor quality materials.

SamInTheLoop · #**14263** Posted **May 7, 2014, 2:02 PM**

^ When everyone was complaining about Related's design quality in Chicago the last couple years, this is most certainly NOT what we had in mind as far as a change!!

I could always be shocked by a remarkable turnaround here and Stern deciding to do real Design for a residential tower, but my gut is saying I'd take several more Related towers of roughly 500 N LSD and 111 W Wacker quality than 1 Stern!

guesswho · #**14264** Posted **May 7, 2014, 2:20 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SamInTheLoop

^ When everyone was complaining about Related's design quality in Chicago the last couple years, this is most certainly NOT what we had in mind as far as a change!!

I could always be shocked by a remarkable turnaround here and Stern deciding to do real Design for a residential tower, but my gut is saying I'd take several more Related towers of roughly 500 N LSD and 111 W Wacker quality than 1 Stern!

Frankly, when I think of Starchitect, I think of Zaha Hadid, Lord Norman Foster, Santiago Calatrava, Frank Gehry, Daniel Libeskind, Rem Koolhaas, Renzo Piano.

Honestly I'd not heard of Robert Stern until I was in two of his projects (15 CPW and the GW Bush Library in Dallas) and didn't even know it....

SamInTheLoop · #**14265** Posted **May 7, 2014, 2:29 PM**

^ Yeah, no kidding. I mean, the only way Robert Stern can get into a magazine - not even total 'vanguard of design' type stuff - such as just an Architectural Record, for instance - is in an advertisement, literally (I think there is a recurring one that they print!)

Those people who drool (not making this up, there are these people out there) over 15 CPW need to find interests other than architecture and design, because clearly it's just not their thing....

LouisVanDerWright · #**14266** Posted **May 7, 2014, 2:32 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by guesswho

Frankly, when I think of Starchitect, I think of Zaha Hadid, Lord Norman Foster, Santiago Calatrava, Frank Gehry, Daniel Libeskind, Rem Koolhaas, Renzo Piano.

Honestly I'd not heard of Robert Stern until I was in two of his projects (15 CPW and the GW Bush Library in Dallas) and didn't even know it....

That's why I put "starchitect" in quotes. No one takes him seriously outside of a few nouveau riche types in NYC that like to circle jerk over "how classy" the over priced condo in 15 CPW they just bought is. He's just another Lucien Lagrange and don't let anyone else tell you otherwise. I'm not impressed regardless of how many architecture schools he was dean of. I think it is actually hilarious that people always mention "he was dean of Yale architecture school" when they talk about him so they sound more sophisticated. Guess what? Mies was dean of IIT, but people almost never mention it unless they are talking directly about his history or his work on the IIT campus. Why? Because Mies work doesn't need to be associated with some lofty intellectual title to be recognized as revolutionary and fantastic. Stern's work is just another hack neo-classicist design until you jack the prices up and mention he was the dean of Yallleeeee*.

* Dean of Yale is to be pronounced with the hoityest of toity accents to emphasize how intellectual and classy you are for buying one of his trashy units.

munchymunch · #**14267** Posted **May 7, 2014, 2:42 PM**

I'm loving this ^^^^

guesswho · #**14268** Posted **May 7, 2014, 2:45 PM**

I still strongly think that this will be condos. Stern hasn't designed apartments before (I believe), and I think Related is money hungry with all their new agents they've just hired for Related Realty to take on a development project. However we should see the designs soon enough to find out, after they are submitted to the City (Spyguy?!)

Starchitect - Kind of like how three groups of friends offer to take you out for a birthday dinner.

SCB (500 N LSD) and his pal Handel Architects (111 W. Wacker) offer Quartino in River North (solid choice, upscale, nothing surprising)

Robert Stern offers Morton's (more of an upscale choice, but again nothing surprising)

And your Starchitect NYC friends Santiago, Zaha, Norman, Daniel, Frank, Rem, and Renzo offer Alinea (world renowned cuisine and you have no idea what you'll receive but you automatically know it will be stunning and declicious)

LouisVanDerWright · #**14269** Posted **May 7, 2014, 2:51 PM**

^^^ SCB is a better firm than RAM by a long shot. I'll take mediocre modernism over hack neo-classicism any day. Also, RAM is more like Olive Garden than Mortons...

Edit: if RAM is Olive Garden then LaGrange is Sbarro...

guesswho · #**14270** Posted **May 7, 2014, 2:55 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by LouisVanDerWright

^^^ SCB is a better firm than RAM by a long shot. I'll take mediocre modernism over hack neo-classicism any day. Also, RAM is more like Olive Garden than Mortons...

Edit: if RAM is Olive Garden then LaGrange is Sbarro...

Fair enough. I was going more for price/sq ft achieved by architect.

Olive Garden....yummy. Maybe we can lobby Stern to include one in the new Related tower.

Funny how Sbarro and LaGrange are both bankrupt!

LouisVanDerWright · #**14271** Posted **May 7, 2014, 3:31 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by guesswho

Funny how Sbarro and LaGrange are both bankrupt!

Bingo, there's no long term market for low-grade knockoff Roman culture (though I guess Lagrange's stuff is supposed to be french?)... Why don't we have a chain of low grade french restaurants in this country?

joeg1985 · #**14272** Posted **May 7, 2014, 3:44 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by LouisVanDerWright

Bingo, there's no long term market for low-grade knockoff Roman culture (though I guess Lagrange's stuff is supposed to be french?)... Why don't we have a chain of low grade french restaurants in this country?

Low grade and French cuisine don't mix.

Notyrview · #**14273** Posted **May 7, 2014, 5:22 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by munchymunch

I'm loving this ^^^^

Me too!

Skyguy_7 · #**14274** Posted **May 7, 2014, 6:27 PM**

..

Skyguy_7 · #**14275** Posted **May 7, 2014, 6:29 PM**

Drive-by shot.. As reported earlier, there's active Case equipment on site.

Is this the first large condo project to start since the recession?

LouisVanDerWright · #**14276** Posted **May 7, 2014, 7:34 PM**

Yes 1345 is the first condo highrise since the recession.

FYI there is a soil testing rig running full bore in the HOJO parking lot in River North right now.

Quote:

Originally Posted by joeg1985

Low grade and French cuisine don't mix.

Same with low grade and Second Empire style architecture. If the chefs can figure that out then why can't the architects?

rlw777 · #**14277** Posted **May 7, 2014, 7:56 PM**

Lol Stern is totally another Lagrange and he is certainly no Starchitect in that his work isn't at all groundbreaking. I think he only get's that title occasionally because he has become the go to guy for astronomically expensive condos after the limestone Jesus. I don't think his work is awful though. I mean he produces coherent compositions with a consistent design language which is more than I can say for a lot of architects. I just think of him like he's the Rolls Royce of buildings. He's not doing anything new or groundbreaking but what he is doing he does well enough and with the right materials for people who are concerned about such things to buy the hype.

Swicago Swi Sox · #**14278** Posted **May 7, 2014, 9:12 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by LouisVanDerWright

Bingo, there's no long term market for low-grade knockoff Roman culture (though I guess Lagrange's stuff is supposed to be french?)... Why don't we have a chain of low grade french restaurants in this country?

Maybe not as "low grade" as Sbarro, but there is Au Bon Pain, and Pret a Manger, which at least have french-ish names. There is also Ba Le and Pastoral that sell french-ish sanwiches (good cheese and meat on baguette).

Alot of places sell French Fries...

Swicago Swi Sox · #**14279** Posted **May 7, 2014, 9:31 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swicago Swi Sox

Maybe not as "low grade" as Sbarro, but there is Au Bon Pain, and Pret a Manger, which at least have french-ish names. There is also Ba Le and Pastoral that sell french-ish sanwiches (good cheese and meat on baguette).

Alot of places sell French Fries...

Not to belabor the point, but a co-worker reminded me Chicago is slated to get a few Le Pain Quotidien chains pretty soon....Baguettes for all!!!

ardecila · #**14280** Posted **May 8, 2014, 1:32 AM**

Le Pain is hardly low-grade. It's actually really pretentious for a lunch joint.

Anyway, I hope y'all are wrong when it comes to Stern... I agree that some of his buildings are mediocre but I would say the same about any large firm, including hometown heroes like SOM or SCB. Based on the warehouse history of Streeterville I'm guessing we will see more like his NY designs for Related... all red brick towers with large windows and some subtle Art Deco flair. IIRC the parking for this building already exists beneath the park, so Stern doesn't even need to incorporate a huge —-ugly podium or ramps/curb cuts.