CHICAGO | Obama Presidential Library

[aaron38]

Originally Posted by IrishIllini

You'd think the Obama Foundation would have the cash to bury the parking structure...

Why would they, when they can get the city to fork over free land?

[left of center]

Ugh, I'm torn. I would hate for a fugly parking garage to be located on Midway Plaisance, but the thought of seeing half the FotP committee committing ritualistic suicide when ground is broken is very tempting...

[left of center]

In all seriousness though, theres a parking lot used by the UofC at 60th and Stony Island. Can't they build there, and share it with the university?

[ithakas]

Originally Posted by left of center

In all seriousness though, theres a parking lot used by the UofC at 60th and Stony Island. Can't they build there, and share it with the university?

Wondering the same thing...

It's not a well-used or even well-maintained little section of the Midway, and I'm into the idea of activating it as a more functional transitional park space between the Obama Library/Jackson Park and the rest of the Midway/UChicago, but putting a 5-story garage there seems a terrible idea.

[TimeAgain]

Originally Posted by left of center

In all seriousness though, theres a parking lot used by the UofC at 60th and Stony Island. Can't they build there, and share it with the university?

This whole thing is technically a "University of Chicago" library or whatever (yes, I know that U of C has stayed hands off, obviously). Not sure what the thinking is here, but I just hope it doesn't delay things. This thing needs to get built sooner rather than later.

[VKChaz]

This should be a complete non-starter. I really don't understand how this could even be considered. Beyond the pale.

Plus after much of the MSI lot was buried, it would seem there would be more sensitivity to this kind of thing.

[VKChaz]

Originally Posted by aaron38

What an absolute scam.

When this was proposed, didn't anybody with the city or community or any other organizations ask "where do you plan to have people park?" Seems obvious something was missing.

[pilsenarch]

I think we should all wait to see the details of the design... it is my understanding that the green roof will be no higher than the tracks of the commuter train line... if a new station is built there, you could reach the 'park' directly from the platforms...

regardless, it is also my understanding that the garage would be terraced with landscaping, so it is essentially landscaping the front of the concrete viaduct wall that splits the midway...

[BuildThemTaller]

Originally Posted by pilsenarch

I think we should all wait to see the details of the design... it is my understanding that the green roof will be no higher than the tracks of the commuter train line... if a new station is built there, you could reach the 'park' directly from the platforms...

regardless, it is also my understanding that the garage would be terraced with landscaping, so it is essentially landscaping the front of the concrete viaduct wall that splits the midway...

Evergreen comment on this forum

My first reaction was also to notice the position of the garage next to the rail line. A new integrated parking platform and station would be pretty great.

[jchase79]

Didn't they already release the design of the garage in August? According to those images, it looks like two floors no higher than the Metra embankment. Why are people here saying 5 stories? Did new information come out?

[woodrow]

Originally Posted by jchase79

Didn't they already release the design of the garage in August? According to those images, it looks like two floors no higher than the Metra embankment. Why are people here saying 5 stories? Did new information come out?

It says 5 levels NO WHERE in the ArchPaper article. It says it would impact 5 ACRES. You are correct, it is a 2 level garage that will be buried. From the cross sections that the Obama Foundation provided and which the Chicago Curbed article included, it will appear as a landscaped hill. They did not included a rendering from the street.

The ArchPaper article was a little alarmist.

[10023]

Originally Posted by woodrow

It says 5 levels NO WHERE in the ArchPaper article. It says it would impact 5 ACRES. You are correct, it is a 2 level garage that will be buried. From the cross sections that the Obama Foundation provided and which the Chicago Curbed article included, it will appear as a landscaped hill. They did not included a rendering from the street.

The ArchPaper article was a little alarmist.

Let's hope so. Anything even visible above ground would be ridiculous.




I can't get over the fact that they're even building it in the park, and not one of the many underdeveloped parcels of land on the south side of the plaisance.

[jchase79]

Originally Posted by woodrow

It says 5 levels NO WHERE in the ArchPaper article. It says it would impact 5 ACRES. You are correct, it is a 2 level garage that will be buried. From the cross sections that the Obama Foundation provided and which the Chicago Curbed article included, it will appear as a landscaped hill. They did not included a rendering from the street.

The ArchPaper article was a little alarmist.

Actually the diagram in the ArchPaper article does say a 5 story parking garage. That is why I was confused because that seems excessive. Glad to hear that is not the case.

[Chi-Sky21]

i think the library would do better tourist wise in the park...not that i think it will draw as many tourists as they think....but people going to MSI will be more likely to go to the library in the park than if it were closer to the university.

[woodrow]

Originally Posted by Chi-Sky21

i think the library would do better tourist wise in the park...not that i think it will draw as many tourists as they think....but people going to MSI will be more likely to go to the library in the park than if it were closer to the university.

It is very near the MSI. The pic that 10023 posted is shows the Midway from the west. The Obama library would be at the east end of the picture, in Jackson Park, with the parking structure on east end of the Midway. My hope is that the parking structure, basically disguised as a hillock, will actually activate that end of the Midway and minimize the fact of the railroad line.

[pip]

Originally Posted by Mr Downtown

From ArchPaper:

what the Center hasn’t made as clear is that the complex’s footprint is growing, with its leaders recently proposing an aboveground parking garage that could take up about five acres of the Midway. The library’s concession for eating into this space is a green roof, which opponents claim should not be considered green space at all.

Original plans for the center, released in May, did not include any building on the Midway. The land is owned by the city’s Department of Transportation, and the move would need to be approved by the Chicago City Council.

AN/Matthew Messner

That's terrible

[10023]

Yeah. This is like write your alderman and the mayor's office bad.

[moorhosj]

Originally Posted by bcp

there is so much vacant land near train stations.... let's build IN a park!

This development is next to a train station.

[Mister Uptempo]

Have the plans for the parking garage been altered significantly since they introduced this concept over the summer? I haven't found any other renderings indicating a five story structure, just this two story garage.







img src - curbed

[maru2501]

they might actually be insane.

they are going to wind up jeopardizing the entire thing in court