CHICAGO | General Developments

[LouisVanDerWright]

The Brown Line is not 24 Hours, but it still hosts a variety of nightlife along it's route. I think Chiguy is the most right, there are not yet enough nodes of activity connected along the Pink Line. That is about to change in a hurry though given the activity in the West Loop. Once the Western parts of Pilsen (i.e. Heart of Chicago) start to change, it is possible that the Pink Line will become hotter than the O'Hare branch. If only we could get a United Center stop, the Pink Line would be basically just as good as the North Main Line in terms of the amenities and neighborhoods it connects. Of course we need a whole lot of gentrification on the West side, but it is happening, Little Village is even changing now.

I could see the Pink Line someday becoming the third 24 hour line if they ever construct a true entertainment center around United Center. I am still confused as to why Wirtz is holding back on this. Just look at what Anschutz did with Staples center and that was from the ground up! At least we have the arena already, so screw it Rocky, build us a Staples Center! At least we have mass transit here in Chicago so you don't need a ten thousand car garage like LA Live. I would love to see an 800' tall hotel tower too, just like LA. Lol, maybe I am getting too carried away. WLCO would be so pissed if they did that though.

[marothisu]

From the Zoning agenda for June:

* 678 N Kingsbury (KIngsbury & Huron) - verbiage is a little confusing but converting a 5 story building to 39 residential units with 62 parking spaces including an automated lift system for 26 of the spaces?

* 619 S LaSalle (LaSalle & Harrison) - verbiage a little confusing, but converting a 7 story building to 106 units?

* The Cubs are trying to create 1000 parking spaces at 3900 Rockwell (~Rockwell and Irving Park Rd)

* Some Washington Park development news. St. Edmunds Redevelopment Corp is seeking to build two new buildings around 61st and Prairie. One would be 3 stories and 27 units while the other would be 2 stories and 12 units. Here's a link to their site:
http://www.stedmundsrc.org/

* 2808-14 W North Ave (North & Western) - 4 story, 8 unit building on a vacant lot just west of Western.

* 1868 N Milwaukee - 4 story, 6 unit building near the Western blue line stop on a vacant lot with ground floor commercial.

* 3215 N Cicero - 725 seat religious assembly building (Belmont & Cicero)

[Via Chicago]

Part of the problem with Pilsen is its only convenient if you live nearby/in it.

For me to visit friends in that area, I first need to take the red line, then transfer to the orange, then transfer to the Halsted bus (they live on the eastern edge in the Pods). Its an hour ordeal. As others have mentioned, the Pink is really only convenient if you're visiting the western side, but ultimately its a hassle whichever way you slice it coming from the north. The 18th bus also stops operating early so transferring from the Pink is hit or miss. Its a 20 minute walk from there to Halsted.

The opposite is also true. If they want to visit any of the attractions up on the north side, its a huge PITA for them. Even if you live on the north side, its still (relatively) easy to get to get to things like Logan/Wicker.

I really love Pilsen and considered it but its simply too inconvenient for anything other that commuting to the Loop (which is admittedly a nice selling point). The lack of greenery is also a big drag. The other thing is it surprisingly difficult to find rentals. Most of the building owners dont advertise online and the ones that do seem to overcharge due to lack of competition. And the units themselves often have very strange layouts.

Thalia Hall should definitely be a nice boost though. Really solid bookings announced so far and its only going to make more people aware of the area who otherwise would have never set foot.

[LouisVanDerWright]

Originally Posted by marothisu

* The Cubs are trying to create 1000 parking spaces at 3900 Rockwell (~Rockwell and Irving Park Rd)

They better not be planning on tearing down the nice, multi-story, industrial buildings on site!

* 3215 N Cicero - 725 seat religious assembly building (Belmont & Cicero)

!!! That's the old Belpark Theater which has long been a bingo hall with heinous drop ceilings hiding what is one of the largest auditoriums ever built in Chicago. This theater has the largest single floor area of any Chicago neighborhood theater even over monsters like Congress and Uptown, but had a lower capacity because it has no balconies.

I hope we are getting a restoration here and not a hackjob. The plaster should still be in great shape. The 725 seat capacity is concerning because the original theater was in the neighborhood of 2,000 seats. The city should have landmarked this thing before letting a permit go through.


Edit:
From this Flickr Set, it looks like they are indeed fixing it up: http://www.flickr.com/photos/balines...57642708855874

I HIGHLY recommend clicking through to see those photos, it made my day... So good to see such utter idiocy reversed.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by LouisVanDerWright

They better not be planning on tearing down the nice, multi-story, industrial buildings on site!

Yeah, I was wondering where it would be. It says 3900 N Rockwell, but I'm pretty sure there is open space on the south end of Rockwell. However, isn't that where the Chicago Fire are building their dome?

!!! That's the old Belpark Theater which has long been a bingo hall with heinous drop ceilings hiding what is one of the largest auditoriums ever built in Chicago. This theater has the largest single floor area of any theater even over monsters like Congress and Uptown, but had a lower capacity because it has no balconies.

I hope we are getting a restoration here and not a hackjob. The plaster should still be in great shape. The 725 seat capacity is concerning because the original theater was in the neighborhood of 2,000 seats. The city should have landmarked this thing before letting a permit go through.

Very interesting. Because it seems to be a large church or whatever, New seating configuration I guess - seems like one of those mega churches so it would probably have random open spaces too in it. Who knows - but that's very interesting. I hope that if they're OK'd to do this, the renovation is good. The applicant is "Chicago Tabernacle of the Assemblies of God"

[Justin_Chicago]

Pilsen does have easy access to employers in the UIC Medical District, the emerging West Loop tech sector, and the Lacuna Artist Loft Studios due to the Halsted and Ashland bus routes. I do agree with everyone's remarks, especially that the neighborhood is only convenient to those that live within the vicinity. However, CTA rail access is not stopping East Humboldt Park from gentrifying. Brendan Sodikoff now has two properties:

http://chicago.eater.com/archives/20...-body-shop.php

[BVictor1]

http://politics.suntimes.com/article...6042014-1228am



Emanuel launches design contest to make Chicago 'city of lights'
WED, 06/04/2014 - 12:28AM
FRAN SPIELMAN

Calling it a “seminal project” with huge potential to boost tourism, Mayor Rahm Emanuel has launched an international design competition to find a team to deliver on his promise to transform Chicago into “North America’s city of lights.”

The so-called “request for concept design proposals” for a “citywide lighting framework plan” comes four months after Emanuel shined the light on his controversial plan to turn Chicago into a Midwest version of Paris: “La Ville Lumiere, the City of Light.”

By July 7, teams of artists, building and landscape architects, engineers, urban and graphic designers must envision ways to spotlight five Chicago signatures: the Chicago River, iconic buildings, 180 bridges, a CTA L system that’s one of the most “physically striking” in the world and Lower Wacker Drive.

[chris08876]

Some pics/info of the lighting:






================================

Some of the sites that could become the focus of lighting installations in the near future include the Chicago Riverwalk, iconic structures like the Merchandise Mart and Millennium Park, downtown bridges, the L, and Lower Wacker Drive. According to the city, successful proposals will include sustainability features, contrast between lightness and darkness, installations that will provide a "holistic tourist experience", energy innovations and installations that are sensitive to bird migration.

One interesting note is that parties who seek to submit a bid for the "international design competition" have only until July 7 to get their proposals completed and submitted. The city had four months to announce the project, and are only providing a month for candidates to submit their bids. Some believe the city may already have a contractor picked out and that the design contest is only for show.

Either way, the plan remains controversial, and certainly has some ardent critics as the Sun-Times points out. The city plans to host a pre-submittal conference on June 13 at City Hall.

======================================
http://chicago.curbed.com/archives/2...ework-plan.php

[Via Chicago]

oh, this again?

if the city is really hell bent on this the they should talk to Luftwerk
http://www.luftwerk.net/projects.html

[UPChicago]

I really hope they don't do that to the merchandise mart.......

[Via Chicago]

Originally Posted by UPChicago

I really hope they don't do that to the merchandise mart.......

its just conceptual.

i agree tho that one months notice is probably not nearly enough time to get quality proposals returned...

[Jibba]

Conversion of old hospital building in Lincoln Park at Webster/Lincoln (Webster Square) is expected to start this summer. 100 condo units.



source

[Chi-Sky21]

I don't think they really need anything over the top, maybe just light the bridges a little better or in colors and have nice lighting for the new riverwalk. Nobody is going to come to Chicago just to see some lights so i am not sure why they have the graph of tourists and where they go, plus, wouldn't it be better for the city for the tourists to be spread out all over and spend their money in different locations? What this does show is how isolated Navy Pier is from where everywhere else people go. How about we use that spire hole as the start of a new subway line? 8)

[Jibba]

Originally Posted by MayorOfChicago

Got a message from the Buena Park community group [...]

https://buenaparkneighbors.files.wor...8x10-set-3.pdf

[...]

Studio Dwell...yay! Sucks about the property that it's replacing, though; that's some nice Sullivan-copycat terra cotta on the existing building, and there are plenty of lesser-value buildings that would make better candidates for replacement. Oh well, one can't demand what property becomes available...

[tjp]

RE: Pilsen. Is there gentrification occurring along the Pink line, or is it pretty much concentrated towards the eastern end of the neighborhood?

[Rizzo]

Originally Posted by Jibba

Studio Dwell...yay! Sucks about the property that it's replacing, though; that's some nice Sullivan-copycat terra cotta on the existing building, and there are plenty of lesser-value buildings that would make better candidates for replacement. Oh well, one can't demand what property becomes available...

The parking curb cut is terrible, but unfortunately they are are allowed this with no alley service. It's unfortunate to lose a nice commercial building for something that will take away from street level experience. I like studio dwell's work, but this particular proposal is not a favorite.

[harryc]

1345 S Wabash
Shoring up the building with 88' piles driven 86' into the ground


Big plans from the last boom, left small holes



1645 S Wabash

[Justin_Chicago]

Originally Posted by tjp

RE: Pilsen. Is there gentrification occurring along the Pink line, or is it pretty much concentrated towards the eastern end of the neighborhood?

Well.. I can confirm that the German population erupted off the California Pink Line CTA stop!

http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20140...-up-at-embassy

All kidding aside, I believe creative incubators like Lacuna Artist Lofts and large employers like Cinespace and Lagunitas Brewery are increasing the ethnic and economic diversity of the area. Depaul University now has a stage at Cinespace for film students (https://newsline.depaul.edu/Pages/Ci...mstudents.aspx). As someone mentioned earlier, Thalia Hall is pulling in some heavy hitter musicians that normally play The Metro or The Vic. Red Moon Theater recently relocated to Pilsen. You also have a world class BMX facility (http://insidethebakery.com) owned and operated by local X-Games professional. It is amazing to think that Pilsen is the first Chicago experience for many professional bmxers from around the world (Australia, France, Germany).

My one good friend who is a Charlie Trotters alumni and an executive chef at many fine dining restaurants told me that he was considering opening a restaurant in Pilsen.

In other news, I was shopping at a boutique a few weekends ago and the owner told me that a small garment industry is emerging in East Garfield Park. Stock Manufacturing (https://www.stockmfg.co) is one of facilities attracting local designers.

[george]

6/4

Jesse White Field House, 412 W. Chicago Ave

[george]

Attended the 1345 Wabash party last night. Units are compact with a mix of exposed concrete and slick kitchens & baths.