CHICAGO | Highrise Projects & Construction, v7 - Page 1153

ardecila · #**23041** Posted **Jan 4, 2024, 3:15 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by left of center

The renderings look really slick, my only complaint is that the tower is set back from Congress. A super wide boulevard like that benefits aesthetically from tall buildings on each side, but I can understand that the developer wanted to take advantage of the view of the tree-filled plaza to the east of the federal prison building (instead of the lower floors looking directly into the ugly concrete parking garage to the west).

I know it's not ideal urban massing, but the problem is the Blue Line subway tunnel that curves under the gas station from Congress onto Dearborn. If they want to put the tower above that tunnel, they will need to do all kinds of costly structural gymnastics underground (cantilevers and transfers) because they can't sink caissons through the tunnel. It's easier to just use shallow foundations in that area, which limits the building to 1-2 stories.

However, ideally the lowrise part should be active use, retail along Congress and Dearborn. I'm worried it will be a blank parking podium. For 360 units I'd expect the developer to provide at least 100-150 spaces, which would need to be spread over 2 levels.

r18tdi · #**23042** Posted **Jan 4, 2024, 3:51 PM**

A blank podium with no retail would be criminal at that location.

Tcmetro · #**23043** Posted **Jan 4, 2024, 4:06 PM**

I'm not sure of the exact position of the tunnel but it would be if it was designed to swoop along the curve of the turn. Similar to the building built along the Brown Line by the Mart.

ardecila · #**23044** Posted **Jan 4, 2024, 5:01 PM**

Yep, that's a good way to visualize it. There's actually a similar turn that was built under the Selwyn Theater (now the Goodman) at Lake & Dearborn.

MorganChi · #**23045** Posted **Jan 4, 2024, 5:55 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ardecila

I know it's not ideal urban massing, but the problem is the Blue Line subway tunnel that curves under the gas station from Congress onto Dearborn. If they want to put the tower above that tunnel, they will need to do all kinds of costly structural gymnastics underground (cantilevers and transfers) because they can't sink caissons through the tunnel. It's easier to just use shallow foundations in that area, which limits the building to 1-2 stories.

However, ideally the lowrise part should be active use, retail along Congress and Dearborn. I'm worried it will be a blank parking podium. For 360 units I'd expect the developer to provide at least 100-150 spaces, which would need to be spread over 2 levels.

To the guy that say’s the blue line runs underneath the gas station. That isn’t true I work for Cta rail. The blue line runs under Dearborn. I don’t see an issue with them digging but no retail on podium is crazy to me

Klippenstein · #**23046** Posted **Jan 4, 2024, 7:55 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MorganChi

To the guy that say’s the blue line runs underneath the gas station. That isn’t true I work for Cta rail. The blue line runs under Dearborn. I don’t see an issue with them digging but no retail on podium is crazy to me

Are you suggesting the blue line makes a 90 degree turn from Dearborn to Ida B Wells?

ithakas · #**23047** Posted **Jan 4, 2024, 8:25 PM**

I wonder if the project page's model is just to show massing/basic design and doesn't include a level of detail that would include retail space windows on Dearborn or Congress.

It would be a serious flaw of the project if it doesn't, as the stretch of Dearborn between the Monadnock and Dearborn Station has the potential to turn into one of the nicest commercial corridors downtown in the coming years.

Mr Downtown · #**23048** Posted **Jan 5, 2024, 4:31 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MorganChi

To the guy that say’s the blue line runs underneath the gas station. That isn’t true I work for Cta rail. The blue line runs under Dearborn.

Luckily, the subway was built by the city, and has curves the rapid transit cars can negotiate. Traced from the original plans:

Chisouthside · #**23049** Posted **Jan 5, 2024, 5:21 PM**

someone needs to film an escape hole where someone drills a hole down to the blue line tunnel and escapes from the federal detention center.

SolarWind · #**23050** Posted **Jan 5, 2024, 10:12 PM**

January 4, 2024

SolarWind · #**23051** Posted **Jan 5, 2024, 10:13 PM**

January 4, 2024

SolarWind · #**23052** Posted **Jan 5, 2024, 10:13 PM**

January 4, 2024

sentinel · #**23053** Posted **Jan 5, 2024, 10:19 PM**

^^Nice pics, Solar!

So odd to me that no renderings have been released, STILL.

sentinel · #**23054** Posted **Jan 5, 2024, 10:33 PM**

Also, I guess Urbanize requires log-in access to read articles/see renders of new projects?

Seems silly.

Mr Downtown · #**23055** Posted **Jan 6, 2024, 12:09 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chisouthside

someone needs to film an escape [movie] where someone drills a hole down to the blue line tunnel and escapes from the federal detention center.

And is recaptured 40 minutes later still waiting for a train to arrive . . .

SamInTheLoop · #**23056** Posted **Jan 6, 2024, 6:34 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ardecila

It's funny that we have two sizable CMK projects going in South Loop and no idea what they look like...

It is unusual.

But something else I'm getting is that Kihnke (sp?) really, really understands how to time markets, and that he's better than most on the financing side.
You want to be delivering in the first few years of a new cycle, which these 3 (as Marothisu pointed out) projects will be, and also it's not the easiest to put together financing right now (although clearly easier than, say, office), and he's like, let's launch these 3 right now. Apparently smart dude with good capital connections.