CHICAGO | General Developments

[aaron38]

Originally Posted by marothisu

Zoning app is up for this proposal at 3914 N Lincoln Ave with a few changes

https://chicagoyimby.com/2021/04/ren...th-center.html



The number of units are staying the same, but the number of affordable units is increasing from 13 or 14 to 20. At the same time, the amount of parking is decreasing from 36 spaces down to 27 spaces. Bicycle space increases from 68 to 76 spaces too. There is still ground floor commercial.

https://chicago.legistar.com/Legisla...vanced&Search=

Parking is expensive space to build and maintain. Easy trade to turn 9 parking spaces into 6-7 more units. But in this case looking at the plans in the link, I wonder if they are taking the 9 parking spots from the north end at Damen. That would let them bring the commercial space across and a place could have an entrance on both Lincoln and Damen. I saw a bar being built like that in Elgin this summer.

The Damen side looks bad. Boarded up blank windows for the parking. They show an LED screen concept, which could work, could be horrible.

Building is going here: Not much worth keeping except that one in the middle. Would be nice to disassemble that facade and reuse it somewhere.
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.9532...4!8i8192?hl=en

[marothisu]

It looks like the Ramova Theater renovation had its "groundbreaking" ceremony today. Also discovered that a new music museum is opening soon nearby

https://twitter.com/ChicagoDPD/statu...uVUPii88g&s=19

[Chi-Sky21]

I seem to remember one of the original proposals for this being really good looking. Can't find a pick for it now though.

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by BrinChi

Yeah it better include all of those old viaducts for that price. And they are super wide. And if this is on the scale of the Red Line modernization project, phase 1 of that is $2.1 billion. Sometimes the costs get escalated when they are required to maintain service during construction as well. Englewood flyover may have been simpler by not having to deal with passenger rail. Hopefully Federal and state funds can pay for most too.

Englewood Flyover was certainly built with active traffic (passenger + freight) passing through the work site. And A-2 has way more space to work with for construction staging, temporary shoofly tracks, or whatever they need to work efficiently. The problem is they are using the A-2 project as an excuse to rebuild every crusty bridge and crumbling street within a mile radius, using those sweet, sweet Federal dollars.

Also interesting that putting the new station near Ashland makes the most sense so that it can serve all of those lines simultaneously and provide good connectivity with CTA. This would continue to push the office market west to Damen.

The city still has a PMD that locks all the land west of Ashland into low-intensity. You can do offices, but not midrise or highrise. But the area just south of the station between Ashland and Ogden would boom for sure, the city rolled back the restrictions in that area already.

Originally Posted by aaron38

Parking is expensive space to build and maintain. Easy trade to turn 9 parking spaces into 6-7 more units. But in this case looking at the plans in the link, I wonder if they are taking the 9 parking spots from the north end at Damen. That would let them bring the commercial space across and a place could have an entrance on both Lincoln and Damen. I saw a bar being built like that in Elgin this summer.

The Damen side looks bad. Boarded up blank windows for the parking. They show an LED screen concept, which could work, could be horrible.

The latest floorplan in the zoning app shows a very shallow commercial space on Damen (borderline un-leasable) and a gym for the residents.

[ithakas]

I've been thinking about a few projects/sites in the South Loop and was wondering if anyone's heard anything about them recently:

-SAIC-owned block at State/Harrison
-NEMA twin
-Roosevelt Collection residential tower
-Sugar House + 601W-owned Holiday Inn block near OPO

Also, this isn't the thread, but there's been a ton of construction activity on the Southbank site beyond the Reed in recent weeks (some for a biennial installation, some for utilities, I believe?). I also just saw that the retail spaces at The Cooper will be filled with a taco place and bottle shop. Perhaps they'll get started on the next rental building before long?

[JK47]

Originally Posted by marothisu

Yeah that makes no sense. It must include costs for years to come for repairs and deep rooted structural/infrastructure changes they need to make this a reality.

On the Asia topic it's hilarious because their stations are still way better than ours on average at a fraction of the cost. oof.

It's an issue of scale and complexity. The Englewood Flyover eliminated conflict between about 140 trains (80 Metra and 60 Freight & Amtrak). The A-2 Interlocking sees about 350-400 trains go through it daily. Additionally, site constraints are a lot more pronounced with the A-2 project since it is hemmed in by buildings on either side. The Englewood Flyover had a lot more room to work with and was constructed alongside before being tied into the existing line. The Englewood Flyover is also carrying 60-70 trains daily on two tracks whereas the A-2 flyover would be carrying around 200 trains daily on 4-5 tracks. Complexity is also a major factor. The A-2 interlocking is ancient ... the equipment there dates back to the 1930's so updating it will be a complicated task (flyover looks to add capacity but trains will still need the interlocking to access maintenance yards).

On cost, Asia has advantages in lower material costs, little to no environmental constraints, no zoning process, less design & safety regulation, looser worksite regulations, dramatically lower wages and benefits, and a much larger pool of willing/able workers. They also engineer their buildings with much lower lifespans (25-30 years versus 75 to 100 years in the US & Europe) which helps keep costs down and speeds up construction.

[moorhosj1]

Originally Posted by JK47

It's an issue of scale and complexity. The Englewood Flyover eliminated conflict between about 140 trains (80 Metra and 60 Freight & Amtrak). The A-2 Interlocking sees about 350-400 trains go through it daily. Additionally, site constraints are a lot more pronounced with the A-2 project since it is hemmed in by buildings on either side. The Englewood Flyover had a lot more room to work with and was constructed alongside before being tied into the existing line. The Englewood Flyover is also carrying 60-70 trains daily on two tracks whereas the A-2 flyover would be carrying around 200 trains daily on 4-5 tracks. Complexity is also a major factor. The A-2 interlocking is ancient ... the equipment there dates back to the 1930's so updating it will be a complicated task (flyover looks to add capacity but trains will still need the interlocking to access maintenance yards).

Is/Was this project a part of the CREATE program? I can't find any reference.

[harryc]

Originally Posted by ithakas

I've been thinking about a few projects/sites in the South Loop and was wondering if anyone's heard anything about them recently:

-SAIC-owned block at State/Harrison
-NEMA twin
-Roosevelt Collection residential tower
-Sugar House + 601W-owned Holiday Inn block near OPO

Also, this isn't the thread, but there's been a ton of construction activity on the Southbank site beyond the Reed in recent weeks (some for a biennial installation, some for utilities, I believe?). I also just saw that the retail spaces at The Cooper will be filled with a taco place and bottle shop. Perhaps they'll get started on the next rental building before long?

Yes the work next to the Cooper (N) is for a new electrical vault.

[KOgc]

The project called 166 Aberdeen (or at least that's what the construction fence said) looked to be having a ceremonial groundbreaking today. The deep foundation equipment was already mobilized and started a few days ago.

[gebs]

Originally Posted by ithakas

Also, this isn't the thread, but there's been a ton of construction activity on the Southbank site beyond the Reed in recent weeks (some for a biennial installation, some for utilities, I believe?). I also just saw that the retail spaces at The Cooper will be filled with a taco place and bottle shop. Perhaps they'll get started on the next rental building before long?

Here's an image:

Diana Darling, LinkedIn

[thegoatman]

Shocking news, residents are actually pushing for more density and less parking. This proposal is absolutely terrible, looks like it belongs in Schaumberg rather than the city of Chicago.

https://blockclubchicago.org/2021/10...-parking-lots/

[Busy Bee]

What am i even looking at? What year is this? Where am i? Someone please help...

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by moorhosj1

Is/Was this project a part of the CREATE program? I can't find any reference.

No. CREATE is primarily a program to untangle freight rail. Englewood Flyover was included in CREATE because Metra had the right-of-way at the old Englewood Junction. Without the flyover, NS' Chicago Line had to grind to a halt every morning and afternoon for rush hours, with freight trains stacking up across the South Side and into Indiana.

A-2 sees very little freight traffic and is essentially a passenger-only project. With the ADM silos on Ogden torn down by Sterling Bay, I think the only freight customer left is Blommer Chocolate.

Originally Posted by JK47

IThe Englewood Flyover is also carrying 60-70 trains daily on two tracks whereas the A-2 flyover would be carrying around 200 trains daily on 4-5 tracks.

Englewood Flyover was built as a 3-track structure, they just didn't lay ballast in the 3rd trackway. A 4-track flyover at A-2 should not cost 1000% more for only 33% more capacity.

[SolarWind]

October 14, 2021

[SolarWind]

October 14, 2021

[pip]

Originally Posted by thegoatman

Shocking news, residents are actually pushing for more density and less parking. This proposal is absolutely terrible, looks like it belongs in Schaumberg rather than the city of Chicago.

https://blockclubchicago.org/2021/10...-parking-lots/

Two thoughts here. I absolutely love the residents push back and it's not just this proposal, its in other parts of the city recently. Great trend! The other thought is wtf is this a joke of a proposal.

[Busy Bee]

Originally Posted by SolarWind

October 14, 2021

The Buff Man Cometh.

[glowrock]

Originally Posted by pip

Two thoughts here. I absolutely love the residents push back and it's not just this proposal, its in other parts of the city recently. Great trend! The other thought is wtf is this a joke of a proposal.

I agree that this proposal in its current form is a complete joke. Six Points has massive promise to be redeveloped back into the thriving area it once was, and the current developments of the Clarendon and associated retail as well as the Sears building redevelopment are excellent steps in the right direction. This one, however, is nothing more than a dog. Just build a damned parking garage if you want that much parking, then build additional residential above!

Aaron (Glowrock)

[Via Chicago]

Originally Posted by Skyguy_7

^^Re the city-wide graffiti; did the mayor fire all of her sand blasting crews? In the administrations prior to hers, graffiti was cleaned up literally the next morning, as the paint was drying. Since she took office, the problem has gotten noticeably out of control. Granted, nare-do-well kids had been home for most of a school year, what's going on with this. The vandalism is ALL over the new Circle construction, as you drive thru the Loop. Not a great look.

if you want grafitti cleaned up you actually need to file a 311 ticket. they still come out next day or so anytime i report gang tagging in my neighborhood

[marothisu]

Lawson House on Chicago Ave in River North/Gold Coast was issued its renovation permit to the tune of over $74M estimated cost a few days ago.