CHICAGO | Highrise Projects & Construction

[hawainpanda]

Originally Posted by wierdaaron

That's some fine flare work there, Lou.

Am I forgetting something or is that Hyatt the only active construction site within the Loop proper? There's another Hyatt on Clark across from the federal center, but that's just a gut rehab. Everything else is on the fringes of the Loop.

the only big Loop project i can think of is 130 N franklin (which is IMO also one of the nicest tower designs currently proposed), any one have any news?

[spyguy]

I don't know if it was reported here, but the developers of 171 N Halsted (below) are planning to "adopt" the old landmarked bank at 2 N. Halsted. I'm not sure to what extent, but it would be great to finally see this beautiful building renovated in addition to all the nearby activity (Lennar tower, Buck's big plans for H2O site, new Whole Foods, various other parcels in play, etc.)

[ardecila]

Neat. I hope they restore the cornice.

[spyguy]

Originally Posted by SamInTheLoop

^^ Aha - completely forgot Taxman sold it. Perhaps then all bets are off about it being condemned to be an Antunovich? SCB is never a bad, if ever boring guess here now....

Nope, still Antunovich. Bland, but that's probably a good thing in this case.

[Chi-Sky21]

I am always surprised that building has been vacant for this long, especially the bottom floor. The interior of that 1st level was really nice. I guess re purposing it from a bank to something else is rather difficult, the entire 1st floor would most likely need to be 1 store. Walgreens flag rehab like Wicker park then take the Walgreens plot across the street and put up a nice tall one?!?!

[the urban politician]

Too bad 171 N Halsted is such a turd

[Link N. Parker]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

Too bad 171 N Halsted is such a turd

Other than the parking podium, I think it will be a fine building.

[Link N. Parker]

Originally Posted by Chi-Sky21

I am always surprised that building has been vacant for this long, especially the bottom floor. The interior of that 1st level was really nice. I guess re purposing it from a bank to something else is rather difficult, the entire 1st floor would most likely need to be 1 store. Walgreens flag rehab like Wicker park then take the Walgreens plot across the street and put up a nice tall one?!?!

+1

Great idea! I want to add that to my "wish list" of developments.

[denizen467]

Originally Posted by Chi-Sky21

I am always surprised that building has been vacant for this long, especially the bottom floor.

I assume we mean 2 South (not 2 North) Halsted. I've always thought its retail potential was being held back because of the narrow sidewalk along Halsted. I assume cutting open an arcade isn't quite realistic here. Maybe Halsted should be converted to a 1-way street, and pair it with Green? Then sidewalks could be widened.

Halsted's entire stretch there has suffered somewhat from this problem and Greektown overall could be greatly enhanced with wider sidewalks.

[ardecila]

Um, or you could just nix the parking and shift bikers to an adjacent street. You'd still need to have a few curbside loading zones and bus stops, but you could widen most of the sidewalk.

[Tom Servo]

Originally Posted by george

This was just posted 2 pages back.^^

7-9

Arkadia

@Ch G

Yes!

I have a hard time keeping tract of what's what on this forum. I was just on Halsted and nearly crashed my car, thinking: WTF IS THAT

I barely noticed the tower. That god damn garage is just so... IMPOSING.

[streetline]

Originally Posted by Link N. Parker

Other than the parking podium, I think it will be a fine building.

I'm not wild about the podium, but given that it's right up against the el tracks, some blank walls over parking seem inevitable for a residential tower. I do like the way the tower protrudes slightly past the podium along halsted (but the portruding section doesn't seem to come down as far in recent renderings as in these older plans).

And it's certainly good so see something fairly dense going in there. I remember some months ago the 1-story retail across the street was torn down with the intention of replacing it with more 1-story retail and surface parking; hopefully the example this sets will encourage denser development there as well.

I'll definitely look forward to seeing some renovation at 2 S Halsted St as well. A flagship-Walmart, like the one in Wicker Park would be an interesting use there (especially if Whole Foods doesn't include a pharmacy). I've actually thought it might make a nice Apple Store when walking by (their Chicago stores are ok for the most part, but I'm more impressed by some other cities' stores in restored landmarks). Whatever goes in there, between the new apartment tower going up next door, this renovation, and the Whole Foods going in across the street, that corner should look quite changed next year.

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by BVictor1

This is for the tower at the southeast corner of Lake and Halsted.

Orientation on the east/west axis to prevent the wall effect like other towers along Halsted

I hate that Booth Hansen thinks urban design works this way.


src

^^ What a terrible, inhumane city this is where all the buildings line up...

[Rizzo]

I do like the curve. The podium could be a total disaster but I'll have to wait and see. But usually they look bad. There's so many materials at architects' disposal. I wouldn't even care if the tower portion looked cheap. Spend money near the ground with nicer cladding so people driving by or walking on the street are impressed and might think it's a nicer residential building vs a jail.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by ardecila

I hate that Booth Hansen thinks urban design works this way.


src

^^ What a terrible, inhumane city this is where all the buildings line up...

Eh - I've seen that a lot in Europe. Pretty sure the above is in Europe...

[denizen467]

Originally Posted by ardecila

Um, or you could just nix the parking and shift bikers to an adjacent street. You'd still need to have a few curbside loading zones and bus stops, but you could widen most of the sidewalk.

The general idea is good but I don't think it would work in that configuration because of the interruptions you mention - bus stops and loading zones. Deleting the parking lane not only leaves those two problems, but also would inevitably create blockages from taxis, Ubers, and other cars who would otherwise pull into the parking lane for passengers, and the idea also would put at-speed traffic immediately next to the curb and pedestrians. Long story short, a parking lane, with plenty of no-parking sections for bus stops and other loading, seems essential along a retail-dense artery.

Moving the bike lanes to Green would be an idea I love; I've long been suggesting moving bikes from chaotic arteries to dedicated lanes on the next street over (and deleting a parking lane from those streets if need be).

[Skyguy_7]

New City, old Borders.

[joeg1985]

Originally Posted by ardecila

I hate that Booth Hansen thinks urban design works this way.


src

^^ What a terrible, inhumane city this is where all the buildings line up...

I assume this is sarcasm. Paris, the most horrid, inhumane city our species has ever seen. Nobody ever dreams of going there let alone living there.

[emathias]

Originally Posted by joeg1985

I assume this is sarcasm. Paris, the most horrid, inhumane city our species has ever seen. Nobody ever dreams of going there let alone living there.

I can't believe it, those buildings are still there. But they are learning from Chicago - they've added some sort of weird, giant wheel thing like you might have seen in Chicago's 1893 Worlds Fair if you look at the most recent Google street view.

[Tom Servo]

Big construction site at Jackson and Jefferson. Info please. Thanks.