CHICAGO | Highrise Projects & Construction, v7

[harryc]

Originally Posted by The Lurker

What a pity they'll lose their view of congestion on the Kennedy

I quite like my view of the Kennedy parking lot - gives me a good shot of smug satisfaction as I look out the window of my speeding El car.

[PittsburghPA]

Originally Posted by k1052

The beauty of rentals is that one can, eventually, move if unhappy with the situation. Also most apartment dwellers don't seem to subscribe to the idea that nothing should ever change once they take up residence...unlike a lot of condo owners.

Most definitely, I rent in K2 and I say build build build!

[spyguy]

Looks like the River North firehouse redevelopment is moving forward:

Alderman Reilly invites you to join him and the River North Residents Association at an informational presentation regarding a development proposal for the site located at 45-75 W. Illinois St., 430-450 N. Dearborn St., 46-76 W. Hubbard St., 431-451 N. Clark St., Chicago, Illinois.

Representatives of the EC 42 Developer LLC ("Applicant") development team will present their plans and answer any questions you may have about this proposal. Alderman Reilly will be present at this meeting to monitor the discussion and record your feedback.

The Applicant has submitted a proposal to construct a new firehouse for City of Chicago Engine Co. 42 with the subsequent demolition of the existing firehouse and the construction of a new commercial building at the southwest corner of North Dearborn Street and West Illinois Street.

WHAT: New Firehouse and Commercial Building at
444 North Dearborn Street

WHO: Hosted by Alderman Brendan Reilly and the
River North Residents Association

WHEN: Tuesday, July 17, 2018 at 6:00 P.M. - 8:00 P.M.

WHERE: Albert Theatre, inside Goodman Theatre
170 N. Dearborn Street
Chicago, IL 60601

[Rizzo]

Originally Posted by spyguy

Looks like the River North firehouse redevelopment is moving forward:

Wondering if they are changing up the original concept design. I was pretty happy with it

[NYer34]

Originally Posted by spyguy

Looks like the River North firehouse redevelopment is moving forward:

So would that just be the redevelopment of the crappy Modernist firehouse (a good thing), or would they also be razing the 10+ beautiful, well-maintained historic buildings on the block (an incomprehensibly bad decision), which seem to be captured in the address given?

[emathias]

Originally Posted by NYer34

So would that just be the redevelopment of the crappy Modernist firehouse (a good thing), or would they also be razing the 10+ beautiful, well-maintained historic buildings on the block (an incomprehensibly bad decision), which seem to be captured in the address given?

That's the old courthouse. Is that not a protected building? It absolutely ought to be, even if it was ugly - which it's not. All sorts of famous cases were heard there. Friedman owns it, so perhaps it's included in the planning to make use of FAR, or to renovate part of it it maybe somehow tie it to the new building? I guess we'll find out soon enough.

[k1052]

Originally Posted by emathias

That's the old courthouse. Is that not a protected building? I absolutely ought to be, even if it was ugly - which it's not. All sorts of famous cases were heard there. Friedman owns it, so perhaps it's included in the planning to make use of FAR, or to renovate part of it it maybe somehow tie it to the new building? I guess we'll find out soon enough.

It's landmarked so not going anywhere. Also looks to have had significant interior renovations happening in the last few months.

[jpIllInoIs]

Originally Posted by emathias

That's the old courthouse. Is that not a protected building? It absolutely ought to be, even if it was ugly - which it's not. All sorts of famous cases were heard there. Friedman owns it, so perhaps it's included in the planning to make use of FAR, or to renovate part of it it maybe somehow tie it to the new building? I guess we'll find out soon enough.

Also the setting inspiration for one of Chicago's great playwrights Ben Hecht story "The Front Page" about yellow journalism the red menace and greedy politicians, which was later made into the romcom "His Girl Friday" with Cary Grant & Rosiland Russell.

[the urban politician]

This is the project that will incorporate a Fire Station into a highrise, right?

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

This is the project that will incorporate a Fire Station into a highrise, right?

Yes. Probably they are lumping the whole block into the PD so as to gather up unused FAR from the lowrise buildings, that way they do not need to purchase it from the Neighborhood Opportunity Fund. The developer already has to purchase city property (the air rights) so he will be forced to provide affordable housing.

[left of center]

Originally Posted by NYer34

So would that just be the redevelopment of the crappy Modernist firehouse (a good thing), or would they also be razing the 10+ beautiful, well-maintained historic buildings on the block (an incomprehensibly bad decision), which seem to be captured in the address given?

This is my fear as well. That block long section of Clark has one of the most attractive street fronts in the entire hellscape that is River North. This neighborhood absolutely cannot afford to lose any more historic building stock. I seriously hope they survive intact, or at the very least, their facades get preserved.

[harryc]

June 29

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by left of center

This is my fear as well. That block long section of Clark has one of the most attractive street fronts in the entire hellscape that is River North. This neighborhood absolutely cannot afford to lose any more historic building stock. I seriously hope they survive intact, or at the very least, their facades get preserved.

Guys, I don't think Friedman has any intention of kicking out some of the most successful bars and restaurants in Chicago. Or the courthouse building which seems to be well-occupied with office tenants and is a City Landmark to boot.

Interestingly, the firehouse site was once the site of the original Cook County Jail, including the site of various gallows when hangings were still acceptable punishment. I wonder if the firehouse is haunted?

https://www.friedmanproperties.com/sites...-place-54-w-hubbard-04.jpg?itok=MwlUM394

[k1052]

Originally Posted by left of center

This is my fear as well. That block long section of Clark has one of the most attractive street fronts in the entire hellscape that is River North. This neighborhood absolutely cannot afford to lose any more historic building stock. I seriously hope they survive intact, or at the very least, their facades get preserved.

Per the memo with the city that's all staying The addresses span the entire block because the developer wants the city to bump the FAR for the whole block which they will then utilize for the new tower. I think they already own much of the block already.

[k1052]

Originally Posted by ardecila

Guys, I don't think Friedman has any intention of kicking out some of the most successful bars and restaurants in Chicago. Or the courthouse building which seems to be well-occupied with office tenants and is a City Landmark to boot.

Interestingly, the firehouse site was once the site of the original Cook County Jail, including the site of various gallows when hangings were still acceptable punishment. I wonder if the firehouse is haunted?

https://www.friedmanproperties.com/sites...-place-54-w-hubbard-04.jpg?itok=MwlUM394

Yes and Bayless has his daughter launching some new cocktail lounge concept in the basement of Frontera. Extremely unlikely they've be making any such investment if they were going to lose their buildings.

[marothisu]

Reminder of the renderings of the proposed high rise + firehouse. Honestly, I can't imagine living up above a fire station. After having lived downtown for numerous years, I was pretty annoyed by sirens at night when my windows were open. Windows closed I think is probably fine as long as they choose the right windows. I like how it looks though.

Source: City of Chicago

[The Lurker]

^You don't have to be above a firehouse to hear sirens all night in this location. I hope they do something decently tall. It could help fill that irritating gap between Trump and Wrigley from certain angles

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by The Lurker

^You don't have to be above a firehouse to hear sirens all night in this location. I hope they do something decently tall. It could help fill that irritating gap between Trump and Wrigley from certain angles

I lived a half mile away from this firehouse when I lived in Chicago and have some "fond" memories of sirens waking me up at 3am when I decided to leave my bedroom window open on a really nice breezy night. Eventually I got used to it, but it took a few years of not getting awoken to this. That was a half mile away. I like the idea and the ground floor in the rendering looks nice, but just my experiences alone on that would make me pull my hair out if it was a very nice night out and the window was cracked open.

[Bombardier]

^I think that is why the developers moved away from hotel and apartment for this location and are now proposing office. Agree that would really — to live above, but could stomach having my office above for the right price.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by Bombardier

^I think that is why the developers moved away from hotel and apartment for this location and are now proposing office. Agree that would really — to live above, but could stomach having my office above for the right price.

Yeah that's interesting. Office would be do-able as offices of this class don't usually open windows. My office in NYC is at Hudson Yards - tons of construction going on and I think there's a firehouse nearby, but at the windows you can't hear anything at all from outside. It could be interesting to see office - just more reason to spur new development of more high rises in Near North Side