CHICAGO | General Developments

[Kenmore]

I have been walking the river walk from michigan to lasalle lately and noticed tons of large channel catfish this morning. I have to imagine they recently stocked the area.

[VKChaz]

Originally Posted by Kenmore

I have been walking the river walk from michigan to lasalle lately and noticed tons of large channel catfish this morning. I have to imagine they recently stocked the area.

Maybe they are the ones from a year ago..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oUAU5EBX-o

[Kenmore]

Originally Posted by VKChaz

Maybe they are the ones from a year ago..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oUAU5EBX-o

It must have been a different species or a different group because these were already pretty large. The IDNR release said those were expected to take years to reach full size. Either way it was cool to see so many large fish so close to the river while being downtown early in the morning.

[MayorOfChicago]

I saw huge fish as well when I walked it last week!

[Via Chicago]

Originally Posted by Ned.B

Improvements have been happening bit by bit over the last 5 years. Historic elevators have been restored, air conditioning was added to the Great Hall, the Legacy Club opened in the old Men's Lounge and the barber shop space was restored. The stairs are definitely being replaced. You should see physical evidence of that work in 2 weeks.

Many other things are coming down the pipe line including reactivating all of the retail spaces facing Canal street; it will be interesting to see how and when they come to fruition. Key people at the station are definitely pushing for change.

reactivating all the Great Hall spaces is really good to see, but fixing the platforms and the interior corridors needs to be priority #1.

[munchymunch]

You'd be surprised how many fish live in the river. However I've seen a a couple of rats in the river before too.

[nomarandlee]

So with the 606, Riverwalk, Northerly Island, Maggie Daley Park, river flyover, and Navy Pier reconstruction all done or iin the midst of being done where do you hope to see the next big public space project in the city be realized? And which do you think is most likely to be set in motion?

Olive Park refurbishment? Kennedy green cap? Continued capping of Grant Park IC tracks? Dusablle Park? More rails to trails projects in the city?

[sage]

I know there's a couple potential rails-to-trails projects, in Englewood (A Bloomingdale Trail for Englewood? City Moves To Get Train Tracks for Park) and on the northwest side (The Northwest Side Might be Getting Its Own 606 Trail). Wondering when there'll be an update on the Englewood one, as that article is from last September.

[LouisVanDerWright]

I'd like to see Related push for the St. Charles Air line to be converted to a true high-line like space cutting through the South Loop now that they control the enormous Hudson Yards esque parcel that the SCAL passes through.

But this is Related Midwest we are talking about so that will never happen, we are probably in for Dearborn Station part deux.

[mark0]

Originally Posted by LouisVanDerWright

I'd like to see Related push for the St. Charles Air line to be converted to a true high-line like space cutting through the South Loop now that they control the enormous Hudson Yards esque parcel that the SCAL passes through.

But this is Related Midwest we are talking about so that will never happen, we are probably in for Dearborn Station part deux.

Speaking of Related, any idea of what they have in store for Marshal Field Garden Apartments? It would be a shame and major missed opportunity for Chicago to fail at redeveloping that complex.

As for the St. Charles Air Line; Ive always thought what a great circle line that could be if it went west along 16th street viaduct via BNSF lines and connected to the north / south belt line west of western. The right of way is already there and hardly being used to capacity.

[Mr Downtown]

^I think you mean Dearborn Park part deux.

But just for fun, here's Dearborn Station part deux, as proposed in 1923:

[mark0]

That would have been amazing to have today

[wierdaaron]

Too dense! Not enough parking! My views!

Nice reminder though that Clark Street south of Roosevelt would be riverfront land today if they hadn't straightened out the kink in the river in 29.



What's now the Rezko/Related lot is infill of a former riverbed.

[sentinel]

Ironic, considering that what was actually built at that location is some of the least dense development in the City...sadly.

[Busy Bee]

Originally Posted by LouisVanDerWright

I'd like to see Related push for the St. Charles Air line to be converted to a true high-line like space cutting through the South Loop...

If a true midwest high speed rail program is ever to be a reality, at this point probably still a generation away before being politically tenable, the SCAL is absolutely integral in getting high speed trains from the IC row to Union Station or a HSR terminal in the vicinity.

So I vote for staying away from trying to parkify the St. Charles Air Line. You can't get that kind of infrastructure back.

[BVictor1]

Originally Posted by Mr Downtown

^I think you mean Dearborn Park part deux.

But just for fun, here's Dearborn Station part deux, as proposed in 1923:

it's much better than the garbage there right now. This will certainly come in handy if anyone who currently lives in that area wants to complain about the proposed River South and or Related developments.

[jpIllInoIs]

Originally Posted by Busy Bee

If a true midwest high speed rail program is ever to be a reality, at this point probably still a generation away before being politically tenable, the SCAL is absolutely integral in getting high speed trains from the IC row to Union Station or a HSR terminal in the vicinity.

So I vote for staying away from trying to parkify the St. Charles Air Line. You can't get that kind of infrastructure back.

Agreed.. The southern entrance to Union Station is constricted by 2 track low level bridges over the south branch near canal. Any shipping/boating traffic has ROW and train traffic must be stopped while the bridge is raised. The goal of a higher level 3 track bridge is complicated by the Orange Line tracks on the south and the 18th street bridge on the north.

The SAL is no less complicated but at least has room to elevate over the RI tracks and Chicago river and descend into the Metra/Amtrak yards. With that scenario the southern River bridges could remain intact to handle local freight traffic.

[LouisVanDerWright]

Originally Posted by Mr Downtown

^I think you mean Dearborn Park part deux.

But just for fun, here's Dearborn Station part deux, as proposed in 1923:

Yes I do mean Dearborn Park, I was actually trying to figure out in my head if it was park or station, but was in too much of a hurry to bother googling it. I'm glad I didn't because I've never seen that proposal you posted before. Reminds me of the LSE/Illinois Center predecessor. Very cool, I just hope we are closer to Dearborn Station than Park on the Related site.

[BrinChi]

Originally Posted by mark0

Speaking of Related, any idea of what they have in store for Marshal Field Garden Apartments? It would be a shame and major missed opportunity for Chicago to fail at redeveloping that complex.

I heard from the leader of a community not-for-profit looking to lease space on the ground floor that Related is keeping the building as subsidized.

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by BrinChi

I heard from the leader of a community not-for-profit looking to lease space on the ground floor that Related is keeping the building as subsidized.

I think that's part of the deal. Related does a lot of affordable housing.