CHICAGO | Highrise Projects & Construction, v7

[kolchak]

Maybe I'm late to the party (memorial service?) but I just read in Curbed that 312 Huron is cancelled. What happened with that one?

[jc5680]

Originally Posted by kolchak

Maybe I'm late to the party (memorial service?) but I just read in Curbed that 312 Huron is cancelled. What happened with that one?

Crains said the lot was sold to urban innovations, the group owns a lot of the office space in the area. They don’t have any specific plans, at the moment. Could end up office, apartments, or both. They only really said “Eventually we will build on this site. It's not going to be a surface lot forever”

The few listings I saw for units always seemed high priced for what what they were offering. Particularly with some more interesting boutique developments in the immediate area at similar prices.

This building always seemed to me to be the likeliest landing spot for a proper grocery store that western RN needs so much—in that regard I am kind of sad it isn’t moving forward

[Fvn]

Originally Posted by harryc

March 30

I might be alone on this but I really love the way this one is turning out. Great contrast with the surrounding buildings

[lakeshoredrive]

Originally Posted by LouisVanDerWright

Y'all see IMD proposing more giant towers by Western and Ogden?

https://abc7chicago.com/science/illinois...fe-sciences-innovation-district/5224506/

Wow, this would be incredible! I live in Tri Taylor so I think this would be so great. I always felt like Western and Odgen area is a very blighted area so it would be nice to see that area improved. I still have no idea what is going on over at the Gateway development. They built two small retail buildings. I am not sure what is supposed to go in there or when that will open.

[aaron38]

I have to say, I'm not sad 312 W. Huron got cancelled. Dodged a bullet there, someone else can do much better with that space.

[Jibba]

Originally Posted by aaron38

I have to say, I'm not sad 312 W. Huron got cancelled. Dodged a bullet there, someone else can do much better with that space.

I liked that proposal. The graduated massing was nice, and the park butted up against a glassy, 2-story retail space would have activated that strip of Orleans really nicely.

[pilsenarch]

Originally Posted by Jibba

I liked that proposal. The graduated massing was nice, and the park butted up against a glassy, 2-story retail space would have activated that strip of Orleans really nicely.

Agree.

[the urban politician]

^ I'm not sure, I also think we could do better. Seems like a lot of air space wasted on that 2 story podium. Too much sunlight hitting the ground. Cities need more shadow. People need to live in fear of the might of the city around them. Ladies with cats sitting near the window need to be sad that their cat can't bask in the sun.

[harryc]

April 02

[harryc]

March 30

[Hourstrooper]

Originally Posted by harryc

March 30

Wow that building looks more than half full! they need another tower to be put up in the area!

[harryc]

March 30







March 31 - 2014

Lost -
Chicago | Bush Temple of Music by Harry Carmichael, on Flickr

[aaron38]

How does River North feel on the ground these days? Been a few years since I’ve really walked around there. A noticeable increase in pedestrians, change in retail offerings? Or about the same?

[maru2501]

^yeah noticeably busier and denser, and all the sight lines have changed. Lots of new buildings at the visual termination points make the whole city feel "bigger" fwiw.. and a lot more cars.
and Hubbard on the weekend is still a full shitshow

[the urban politician]

Not only that, but it’s pretty damn fugly in some places due to the parking podia.

But yes, way more bustling and dense than before

[BuildThemTaller]

Originally Posted by aaron38

How does River North feel on the ground these days? Been a few years since I’ve really walked around there. A noticeable increase in pedestrians, change in retail offerings? Or about the same?

Walking from the River to Chicago Ave, you're going to find about one store, shop, or restaurant on almost every block. Pretty soon, it will be at least one or more shops and restaurants on every block. Wells is like that now. Lasalle isn't far off. It is getting quite dense. One Chicago Square, in particular, is going to help fill in one of the biggest gaps.

[pullmanman]

The city GIS application site shows some revisions to this project.

I don't think these changes have been posted here, so I'll copy over a few of the important points. Let me know if this is a repost and I can delete it.

Removal of four parking levels and associated louvers, resulting in no off-street parking spaces in the Planned Development. A partial 18th floor for hotel amenity space located below the mechanical penthouse will be built utilizing the floor area recaptured due to the elimination of parking floors. Per the Planned Development, the maximum number of hotel keys is 615.

An overall reduction in building height from 251.83 feet to 221.79 feet.

Incorporation of a two-story base and S. Clinton St. facade expression with vertical piers, recessed spandrels and a neutral color scheme similar to the property's immediate context.

Elimination of the parking entrance and curb cut from the first floor of the building's S. Clinton St. elevation, provision of a new winter garden facing S. Clinton St. and a change from a sky-lobby to a ground floor hotel lobby.

The provision of a ceremonial interior stair from the ground floor lobby to the second floor and additional conference room and amenity areas on the second floor.

Setback of the building's mechanical penthouse from the facade at the 19th floor level and screening of the mechanical equipment at that point with architectural treatment.

These sound like nice changes. Is there any actual progress on the site since this time last year?

[emathias]

Originally Posted by aaron38

How does River North feel on the ground these days? Been a few years since I’ve really walked around there. A noticeable increase in pedestrians, change in retail offerings? Or about the same?

I think the other commenters are significantly underselling the change in feel. At rush hour it's far busier with foot traffic than it used to be.

I've lived here for fifteen years near Huron and LaSalle and where it was once quiet during the week, it no longer is. It's much, much busier than it used to be and all the new construction hasn't even fully leased out yet.

It used to be that during the day there's be a few tech workers walking to lunch or whatever but now the sidewalks are frequently busy all day and then just get really busy at rush hour. So many people walk home along LaSalle, Clark and Wells now.

There is still room for more businesses to open, but they're getting there. Even the commercial unit in my condo association has finally been filled in after being vacant for about 12 of the 15 years I've been here because we have restrictions in how it can be used and it's a tight, tricky space.

One benefit to that has been a marked reduction in homeless people creeping around. That might seem counterintuitive because there are theoretically more people to panhandle from, but it also means more eyes on the illegal activity and drug deals they bring in. Just two years ago there was visible open dealing in Superior between Clark and Dearborn. No more. There is still some drugs activity, but it's more in line with the coke dealers on Hubbard than the dealers who mostly supplied the homeless further north.

[Blahshead]

Originally Posted by harryc

March 30

I like this white cladding. Makes me wonder what NEMA would look like with cladding instead of paint.

[RedCorsair87]

While not my favorite material, I imagine Nema would look slightly better. I'm not a fan of the painted concrete. It looks cheap.