CHICAGO | General Developments

[Joe Zekas]

A view over the West Loop to the skyline by YoChicago, on Flickr

Click the photo to go to Flickr, then click the down arrow at the lower right of the photo to view much larger versions. You'll be able to see scores of new projects, from River North to the South Loop.

[west-town-brad]

Originally Posted by marothisu

The Shell Gas Station at Division & Damen got a demolition permit yesterday. Owners are the same that did the 11 story high rise at 1611 W Division. Could we see another midrise/high rise here?

additional info/photos: https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20171005/wicker-park/throwback-thursday-division-damen-gas-station

[OhioGuy]

Originally Posted by west-town-brad

additional info/photos: https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20171005/wicker-park/throwback-thursday-division-damen-gas-station

Cool old building. Unfortunate it's not there anymore. But the good news is that a corner gas station is gone. Hopefully something decent is built.

The building immediately east of this lot, 1944 W Division, has windows on its west side. I wonder if any redevelopment plan of the gas station lot involves taking over that building? Otherwise any development would need to be detached to maintain those windows for whoever lives there.

[left of center]

Originally Posted by west-town-brad

additional info/photos: https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20171005/wicker-park/throwback-thursday-division-damen-gas-station

Damn. I can't look at stuff like that. Really ruins my day, even if it was something that happened almost half a century ago. That building was gorgeous.

[Joe Zekas]

New C.H. Robinson headquarters and the Finkl Steel site by YoChicago, on Flickr

[spyguy]

North Ave & Western

[ithakas]

Originally Posted by west-town-brad

additional info/photos: https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20171005/wicker-park/throwback-thursday-division-damen-gas-station

Art Shay photo of Nelson Algren on that corner

[Joe Zekas]

Archer Daniels Midladnd flour mills and Fulton West, in foreground by YoChicago, on Flickr

[west-town-brad]

Originally Posted by spyguy

North Ave & Western

nice another giant pizza hut gone... nothing against the chain though!

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by spyguy

North Ave & Western

NICE! Where that Pizza Hut currently is? If so then that's awesome.


In other news, there's a pretty sizable development in Galewood (Austin) happening under our knowledge (well, maybe). Last week there were permits issued for a total of 13 buildings and 78 units for some vacant land where roads don't extend yet between the Galewood and Mars Metra stations. West of Natchez and east of the Shriners Childrens Hospital. There were 5 other buildings issued permits too in August and September for 30 more units. A little south of there closer to the Galewood stations was 3 buildings (18 total units) issued permits in January 2016.

It looks as if Dickens will be extended west and Nashville will be extended south. In the very lower left of my image below is part of Mars Inc's site


Total buildings now in that immediate area? 21 buildings with 126 total units, all on vacant land. I can't find anything on this development though



Oh and a 4 story building was issued a new construction permit at 235 N Paulina near the Ashland Green Line stop..

[the urban politician]

Originally Posted by spyguy

North Ave & Western

Fantastic!

[PKDickman]

Originally Posted by Stockerzzz

How does this work?

Are windows on the side of a building "grandfathered in" forever?

No, party walls have needed to be non-combustable since the fire.
But this is not an issue as the adjacent property has the required 3' 6" gangway on the windowed side.

[Stunnies23]

Originally Posted by marothisu

NICE! Where that Pizza Hut currently is? If so then that's awesome.


In other news, there's a pretty sizable development in Galewood (Austin) happening under our knowledge (well, maybe). Last week there were permits issued for a total of 13 buildings and 78 units for some vacant land where roads don't extend yet between the Galewood and Mars Metra stations. West of Natchez and east of the Shriners Childrens Hospital. There were 5 other buildings issued permits too in August and September for 30 more units. A little south of there closer to the Galewood stations was 3 buildings (18 total units) issued permits in January 2016.

It looks as if Dickens will be extended west and Nashville will be extended south. In the very lower left of my image below is part of Mars Inc's site


Total buildings now in that immediate area? 21 buildings with 126 total units, all on vacant land. I can't find anything on this development though



Oh and a 4 story building was issued a new construction permit at 235 N Paulina near the Ashland Green Line stop..

Doing a little research on the project in Galewood, I found that Noah Properties has built a luxury rental community at that location. Right now, there are 90 total units available to rent, with average rents about $1600 for a 2 bed 2 bath. There website has them listed in the rental communities section.

http://www.noahpropertieschicago.com/#gallery[main-78]/1/
http://sergioandbanks.com/listings/2148-n-natchez-ave-unit-3b/

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by Stunnies23

Doing a little research on the project in Galewood, I found that Noah Properties has built a luxury rental community at that location. Right now, there are 90 total units available to rent, with average rents about $1600 for a 2 bed 2 bath. There website has them listed in the rental communities section.

http://www.noahpropertieschicago.com/#gallery[main-78]/1/
http://sergioandbanks.com/listings/2148-n-natchez-ave-unit-3b/

Yep. I found a few more listings as they call it Galewood Flats. Some sites mention Phase 2 and based on other links, I'd say that's exactly what it is. So essentially after this phase they'll be up to close to or over 175 total units. Pretty interesting given where it is, but it's good stuff like this is being built in parts of town like this. Pretty convenient on the train too - only 20 or so minute ride to Union Station. 2 bed 2 bath for $1600/mo like that is pretty good deal even if it's not right around a bunch of stuff. If that's what you want then that's a pretty good deal for what you get.



Going back to the gas station, I doubt it's related but there were a few Shell gas stations sold all on 7/27:
* 1400 W Division (Division and Noble)
* 505 N Ashland (Grand and Ashland)
* 1600 N Western (North and Western)

Would be quite amazing if the gas station AND pizza hut were both demolished with something semi dense put there. It would totally change that intersection.

[HomrQT]

Originally Posted by Joe Zekas

Archer Daniels Midladnd flour mills and Fulton West, in foreground by YoChicago, on Flickr

Excellent photo. My eyes are playing Sim City with all the spaces that are available in this photo to put up some quality buildings.

[J_M_Tungsten]

Along with all the potential development opportunities seen within these aerial, it’s easy to see how much space rail and highways take up. Obviously necessary, but imagine if these were located underground... continuous street grids and neighborhoods throughout. Highly imaginative as i don’t think any city exists with completely buried rail and highways, but still cool to think about.

[PKDickman]

Originally Posted by marothisu

Going back to the gas station, I doubt it's related but there were a few Shell gas stations sold all on 7/27:
* 1400 W Division (Division and Noble)
* 505 N Ashland (Grand and Ashland)
* 1600 N Western (North and Western)

Shell oil owned the land or land leases on the stations and in turn leased the to the franchisees. Over the years these were transferred to subsidiaries Equilon and then True North Energy.
They have been divesting themselves of these properties for several years.
In these cases, all three were sold to various LLCs headed by Raviraj Mohil who also heads the LLCs that run the gas stations.

[HomrQT]

Originally Posted by J_M_Tungsten

Along with all the potential development opportunities seen within these aerial, it’s easy to see how much space rail and highways take up. Obviously necessary, but imagine if these were located underground... continuous street grids and neighborhoods throughout. Highly imaginative as i don’t think any city exists with completely buried rail and highways, but still cool to think about.

Absolutely. I daydream all the time about having the highways and rail lines underground, and where those lanes and lines used to be would all be converted to park land. And specifically the loop downtown after it is put under ground, the elevated tracks would remain and be converted as a path/jogging trail connecting you to buildings all over the loop where inevitably shops and restaurants would be located like some downtown urban trail. From the newly converted elevated tracks you would have awesome views down the skyscraper canyons of Chicago. I believe people around the world would enjoy the hell out of something like that. I day dream way too much about this stuff.

[LouisVanDerWright]

^EW no. Chicago's above ground tangled burly infrastructure is a treasure. Grade separate it all you want, bury some of the freeways, but you must be joking to propose burying our beautiful freight lines.

[HomrQT]

Originally Posted by LouisVanDerWright

^EW no. Chicago's above ground tangled burly infrastructure is a treasure. Grade separate it all you want, bury some of the freeways, but you must be joking to propose burying our beautiful freight lines.

Not joking. Bury all train lines. Especially the ones that halt street traffic as they make their route. If it's rail lines vs parkland or even new development projects, the railways lose this one for me. Put them all underground.