CHICAGO | General Developments

[HomrQT]

Originally Posted by Jibba

source

The pastiche of neo-Industrial buildings seems much better suited to contemporary building design than something Classical referencing. If the elements of buildings are having to balloon in size, for whatever reasons (regulatory, efficiency of materials, infrastructure requirements, whatever), at least the faux factory look accommodates this without the severe cognitive dissonance of a Classically styled building with blown-up proportions and coarsely rendered ornament. I still feel like I'm being lied to, but at least my intelligence isn't being insulted (as much). I do wish, though, that the cut lines between panels of brick weren't so obvious; it really pulls the curtain on the whole thing.

I really dig this neo industrial craze. Traditional and modern elements blended well.

[Kenmore]

Sounds like Cedar Streets project at the Aon building on N. Broadway is getting close to becoming reality. For better or worse, definitely feels like an uptick in activity in Uptown right now.

[KWillChicago]

Originally Posted by Kenmore

Sounds like Cedar Streets project at the Aon building on N. Broadway is getting close to becoming reality. For better or worse, definitely feels like an uptick in activity in Uptown right now.

I had to look this one up to remember. Good re-use I suppose.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.dnainfo...nits-grocery-rooftop-lounge-broadway.amp

[Kenmore]

getting some density on the surface lot across the street will be a nice win

[moorhosj]

Originally Posted by marothisu

Here's some preliminary sales data I took from realtor.com for the month of March (2018) for Chicago by area. This counts a lot of things from multi unit buildings (usually 2 or 3 units... not the larger ones. A 10 or 40 story building wouldn't show up here), land (barely shows up though), condo, etc.


1. Near North Side: 271 sales
2. Lakeview: 205
3. West Town: 198
4. Lincoln Park: 132
5. The Loop: 129
6. Near West Side: 110
7. Logan Square: 95
8. Uptown: 91
9. Near South Side: 74
10T. Edgewater: 72
10T. North Center: 72
12. Austin: 71
13. Lincoln Square: 66
14. Portage Park: 62
15T. Auburn Gresham: 52
15T. West Ridge: 52
17. Irving Park: 48
18T. Avondale: 46
18T. Dunning: 46
20. Ashburn: 42
21T. Humboldt Park: 41
21T. Rogers Park: 41
23T. Belmont Cragin: 38
23T. Roseland: 38
25T. Albany Park: 36
25T. South Shore: 36
27.. Washington Heights: 35
28T. Greater Grand Crossing: 34
28T. South Chicago: 34
30. Grand Boulevard: 33
31. Jefferson Park: 32
32. West Pullman: 31
33. Norwood Park: 30
34T. Garfield Ridge: 27
34T. North Lawndale: 27
36T. Bridgeport: 24
36T. West Lawn: 24
38T. Brighton Park: 23
38T. Morgan Park: 23
40T. Forest Glen: 22
40T. Woodlawn: 22
42T. Clearing: 21
42T. New City: 21
44T. Chicago Lawn: 20
44T. Mount Greenwood: 20
46. West Englewood: 19
47T. Englewood: 18
47T. Hyde Park: 18
47T. North Park: 18
50T. Chatham: 17
50T. Lower West Side: 17
52. Kenwood: 16
53T. Beverly: 15
53T. Douglas: 15
53T. East Side: 15
53T. West Garfield Park: 15
57T. Avalon Park: 14
57T. Calumet Heights: 14
57T. East Garfield Park: 14
57T. Hermosa: 14
57T. South Deering: 14
62. Gage Park: 13
63T. Edison Park: 11
63T. Little Village: 11
63T. O'Hare: 11
66. Hegewisch: 9
67T. Montclare: 8
67T. Oakland: 8
69T. Archer Heights: 7
69T. McKinley Park: 7
69T. West Elsdon: 7
72. Armour Square: 6
73T. Burnside: 5
73T. Pullman: 5
73T. Washington Park: 5
76. Fuller Park: 1
77. Riverdale: 0

Thanks for the great data. Does a multi-unit sale count as 1 in your analysis?

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by moorhosj

Thanks for the great data. Does a multi-unit sale count as 1 in your analysis?

It counts as just 1 sale.

[the urban politician]

^ Austin continues to generate a lot of activity for a non-gentrified, non-northside neighborhood

[Kenmore]

it's the largest community area by pop and size so the number makes sense

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by Kenmore

it's the largest community area by pop and size so the number makes sense

It's not the largest anymore. Lakeview is. Besides that, I don't fully agree with what you say. You have to look at population change and in Austin's case, its lost a lot of population in the last decade. I'm probably oversimplifying, but I think it's much more complicated than how many people live there. Proportionally, your argument doesn't hold up for most community areas. Size is only one factor out of many factors.

[Kenmore]

even if it's the second largest, it's 12th in sales, i don't see the hype but this board is all about boosterism so i'll leave it at that

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by Kenmore

even if it's the second largest, it's 12th in sales, i don't see the hype but this board is all about boosterism so i'll leave it at that

I think it's positive, but not amazing.. and again you are oversimplifying. Look at all the other areas of town losing many more people in the last few years, like Englewood and West Englewood. They don't have close to the same number. Total population count isn't everything here, just one factor. This isn't sign of a resurgence, but it's a sign that there's probably more going on there than meets the eye. You'll see when my renovations map comes out. Areas like Austin, South Shore, Chatham, and Woodlawn have a lot more true renovations/rehabs going on than most other areas of town.

[ardecila]

Austin is such a big area that parts of it have a totally different culture. There are definitely pockets at the north end and a little bit at the south end that are vastly quieter and more family-friendly than the gangbanging center of the neighborhood.

It doesn’t surprise me that the quieter pockets are seeing activity, you get easy access to Oak Park shopping and (some) amenities at a fraction of the cost. Obviously not the schools, but North Austin has some semi-decent CPS and charter options.

[harryc]

Originally Posted by ardecila

Austin is such a big area that parts of it have a totally different culture. There are definitely pockets at the north end and a little bit at the south end that are vastly quieter and more family-friendly than the gangbanging center of the neighborhood.

It doesn’t surprise me that the quieter pockets are seeing activity, you get easy access to Oak Park shopping and (some) amenities at a fraction of the cost. Obviously not the schools, but North Austin has some semi-decent CPS and charter options.

You'd be surprised at the number of kids - HS particularly - that appear to be coming from outside of OP - all you need is a relative with an address in OP. Furthers our standing as the ultimate magnate school.

The few streets just E of Austin are pretty nice "house proud" enclaves stuck between the wild west side and the land of broad lawns and narrow minds.

[Jim in Chicago]

Originally Posted by harryc

You'd be surprised at the number of kids - HS particularly - that appear to be coming from outside of OP - all you need is a relative with an address in OP. Furthers our standing as the ultimate magnate school.

The few streets just E of Austin are pretty nice "house proud" enclaves stuck between the wild west side and the land of broad lawns and narrow minds.

This has been a hot topic of discussion in OP for many years. Anecdotally, you only need to watch the Austin stop on the Green line to see the kids streaming off the EL in the morning. When we lived in OP we actually had an ex-neighbor ask if they could use our address so their kids could continue to go to OPRF. We said "no." So, yes it does happen, but I have no idea to what extent.

[harryc]

Originally Posted by Jim in Chicago

This has been a hot topic of discussion in OP for many years. Anecdotally, you only need to watch the Austin stop on the Green line to see the kids streaming off the EL in the morning. When we lived in OP we actually had an ex-neighbor ask if they could use our address so their kids could continue to go to OPRF. We said "no." So, yes it does happen, but I have no idea to what extent.

Ridgeland stop - I love that my kids go to school with kids from the "wrong side of the tracks/Austin" Unlike Naperville we have economic diversity as well as ethnic diversity.

[Kenmore]

Originally Posted by harryc

Ridgeland stop - I love that my kids go to school with kids from the "wrong side of the tracks/Austin" Unlike Naperville we have economic diversity as well as ethnic diversity.

[LouisVanDerWright]

Just noticed fresh boreholes at the mega mall site. Also was just reported today that it will now house a small format Target. Sounds like that project may finally happen after all.

[HomrQT]

Originally Posted by harryc

Ridgeland stop - I love that my kids go to school with kids from the "wrong side of the tracks/Austin" Unlike Naperville we have economic diversity as well as ethnic diversity.

While ethnic diversity is something I neither seek out nor avoid because it means nothing to me.. being around people from "the wrong side of the tracks" is something I do actively avoid. It only takes one stupid incident for one of my kids or my wife to get hurt. No thanks.

[moorhosj]

Originally Posted by LouisVanDerWright

Just noticed fresh boreholes at the mega mall site. Also was just reported today that it will now house a small format Target. Sounds like that project may finally happen after all.

Did they get a height reduction approved on this project? I seem to remember them looking to chop off 1 or 2 floors a while back.

Either way, glad to see this get off the ground. I was starting to worry about it happening this cycle.

[the urban politician]

^ It has some decent retail anchors so....let’s get started!