CHICAGO | General Developments

[wierdaaron]

Northwestern comings and goings.



View courtesy of an overnight kidney stone hospitalization.

[J_M_Tungsten]

^sorry about the kidney stone, but that view is pretty awesome!

[N830MH]

Originally Posted by J_M_Tungsten

^sorry about the kidney stone, but that view is pretty awesome!

Yeah, hope he will get better soon. Just take it easy.

[guesswho]

Originally Posted by wierdaaron

Northwestern comings and goings.



View courtesy of an overnight kidney stone hospitalization.

Is anything planned for that huge (double football field size?) empty field? Was that the old broadcast studios or something different?

[Rizzo]

Originally Posted by wierdaaron

Northwestern comings and goings.



View courtesy of an overnight kidney stone hospitalization.

Hmm, that must be the room they put all kidney stone operation patients

[left of center]

^ Its been a fallow and empty field for some time.

I assume its Northwestern's "land bank", sitting around until the hospital/school requires an expansion. Although I may be wrong...

[sentinel]

Originally Posted by guesswho

Is anything planned for that huge (double football field size?) empty field? Was that the old broadcast studios or something different?

No, that's the next parcel over to the right, where the RIC-cube tower is currently under construction. This GIANT parcel is NWM's next big hospital site...even though it's probably big enough to accommodate a giant hospital AND the new research center planned for the Prentice site (lack of vision? Very much so, but I digress)...

Feel better weirdaaron..and thanks for the pic!

[wierdaaron]

Originally Posted by guesswho

Is anything planned for that huge (double football field size?) empty field? Was that the old broadcast studios or something different?

Used to be a Veterans Administration hospital until 2008. http://www.chicagoarchitecture.info/...n-Hospital.php

No idea about future plans, but Northwestern owns it so it will probably be more hospital someday.

Alls well with me and the stone. They sent me home with some lovely pills.

[r18tdi]

Originally Posted by wierdaaron

Used to be a Veterans Administration hospital until 2008. http://www.chicagoarchitecture.info/...n-Hospital.php

No idea about future plans, but Northwestern owns it so it will probably be more hospital someday.

Alls well with me and the stone. They sent me home with some lovely pills.

The shitty NIMBYs in Streeterville literally demanded that parcel be completely fenced-in and grass planted and routinely mowed. They we convinced anything less would "lower their properly values," etc.

Idiotic.

[streetline]

The Department of Planning and Development is having a meeting to discuss the Fulton Market / Randolph area in the West Loop tomorrow (April 1st) at 6pm at Venue One (1044 W. Randolph St.).



With one boutique hotel almost built (SoHo House), and two or three more in planning (Nobu, Brooklyn Bowl, and the Sterling Bay property across Morgan from Google's new offices), this is a very exciting time for the neighborhood.
Unfortunately, the Randolph/Fulton Market Association seems to want to restrict development severely based on existing zoning.

It would be nice if anyone here who is interested in how the area develops would attend.

[denizen467]

Originally Posted by r18tdi

The shitty NIMBYs in Streeterville literally demanded that parcel be completely fenced-in and grass planted and routinely mowed. They we convinced anything less would "lower their properly values," etc.

Idiotic.

Go back to square one and learn what "NIMBY" means. The site was a dilapidated demolition ruin that was going nowhere, so people felt it would look better with a modest makeover of grass - until the expected hospital is constructed. There has not been opposition to construction there.

Also, you need to understand Streeterville is probably the least nimby neighborhood in the city.

Also, as an aside, what do you perceive is the difference between "literally demanding" and "lobbying" or "pushing for" or "petitioning"? This is how democracy works. What a horror that someone would not just figuratively, but literally demand something.

God forbid that the residents or city pursue beautification of junky unoccupied parcels.

[the urban politician]

Originally Posted by r18tdi

The shitty NIMBYs in Streeterville literally demanded that parcel be completely fenced-in and grass planted and routinely mowed. They we convinced anything less would "lower their properly values," etc.

Idiotic.

No, I think the only thing idiotic I'm seeing here is your comment. Exactly how does their preference for a fenced lot with grass over an ugly gravel lot get catagorized as NIMBYism?

As Denizen said, SOAR is one of the least idiotic NIMBY groups in the city. The actively promote quality design and actually prefer taller buildings. They generally "get it". If you want idiots, go to Lincoln Park--those are the most god-awful self-entitled and tasteless snobs in the city by far.

[r18tdi]

Originally Posted by denizen467

Also, you need to understand Streeterville is probably the least nimby neighborhood in the city.

Tell that to RIC.

God forbid that the residents or city pursue beautification of junky unoccupied parcels.

God forbid someone have to look out their window and see some gravel across the street.

[the urban politician]

Originally Posted by r18tdi

Tell that to RIC.
God forbid someone have to look out their window and see some gravel 16 floors down.

Pardon me for being baffled, but......this offends you....HOW?

[guesswho]

Yea, I actually think that a grassed over site is preferable to just a gravel/construction dumping site if it lays fallow for years and years. Is the property fenced in or is it accessible to dog walkers, kids playing soccer, etc.?

[r18tdi]

Originally Posted by guesswho

is it accessible to dog walkers, kids playing soccer, etc.?

No.

[Swicago Swi Sox]

Before NW fixed up the site, it was surrounded by a very temporary looking construction fence. The fence was bent and falling in some places and the fabric screening was ripped and faded. Since NW had indicated that they have no concrete plans for the site yet, and that it would sit empty for sometime, there was pressure on them to fix it up for both aestheic reasons and for safety concerns. In the end NW showed that they are good neighbors and agreed to install a more permanent looking fence, widen the side walks, and do some fairly maintenece free plantings to cut down on dust and dirt. Remember that most of the buildings looking at this site are NW buildings anyway, so it was kind of a no brainer...

[wierdaaron]

Speaking of gravel pits and unpleasantness, I'm happy to announce that last night I gave birth to a bouncing baby stone. 8mm, NaN ounces. We're naming it Rocky. In lieu of flowers please drink lots of water.

[guesswho]

A bit of a random question:

But has there ever been a proposal to develop the METRA tracks between Washington & the half block (to the south), Lake (to the north), Canal (to the east), and Clinton (to the West)? That's two full blocks that could hold at least four (maybe five?) 1MM+ sq foot towers (office?) I'm estimating.

I know that all the other surface lots in that area would be developed first, as the infrastructure costs associated with capping RR tracks are expensive, but you think that with the revenue hole at METRA, (who I assume owns the air rights or would it be someone else?) the owner would be beginning to think about development proposals sometime later this decade....as it seems a good deal of surface lots in the West Loop are actively being developed as residential (rather than office).

Capping has been done extensively in Millennium Park (obviously), but there isn't 5MM sq feet of office space above that, so the only other parallel would be in NYC (i.e. Hudson Yards?) and the area immediately south of Union Station?

[ChiHi]

Originally Posted by r18tdi

The shitty NIMBYs in Streeterville literally demanded that parcel be completely fenced-in and grass planted and routinely mowed. They we convinced anything less would "lower their properly values," etc.

Idiotic.

Since it's likely to sit vacant for the next 10 years or so I'd say it's one of the first decent things a NIMBY group has done. NWH owns the garage and lot to the west of Onterie/Axis (building with the Xs on the side) and its just become a muddy gravel pit for locals to take their dogs to crap. Since they don't pay taxes and are holding it for that long I'd say its the least they could do. Hopefully they are eventually talked into doing the same with the lot at McClurg and Ontario as well.