CHICAGO | General Developments

[harryc]

Originally Posted by Chi-Sky21

Was the caisson being driven in when he was taking this picture? He must be deaf now!! I was a few blocks away when they were doing one of these and I couldn't hear ANYTHING while they were doing it.

It brought back the days of rock concerts - the dog was dead set against going ANY closer to that thing.

River Dancing

[untitledreality]

More action for the Polish Triangle:

LG Development Group is moving forward with plans to demolish a stretch of commercial buildings in Wicker Park it bought late last year and develop a mixed-used project in their place. A venture of the Chicago-based real estate firm recently filed a zoning change application with the city that would allow it to build a 60-unit development with 12,868 square feet of retail space at 1237-53 N. Milwaukee and 1230-40 N. Ashland Ave., the application shows. The project, designed by Chicago-based Jonathan Splitt Architects Ltd., would include units in a new seven-story building and above an existing structure whose first-floor tenant is a Bank of America branch. An LG executive could not immediately be reached.

sauce

[Link N. Parker]

Originally Posted by untitledreality

More action for the Polish Triangle:

This sounds like good news. Confused though about this; does this mean the set of buildings that hugs the corner of ashland and milwaukee are being torn down and replaced? And if so, does that include the strip mall with the Dunkin Donuts etc? I hope so, as that strip mall needs to be torn down and replaced with something better. I also wish they would tear down the domincks and kmart and fill that entire lot in with dense high rises somehow.

[Rizzo]

No it's the Bank of America down to the footlocker. Pretty much that set of devastated commercial buildings. Too bad they were neglected and stripped over time. I think it's time they go and be replaced by something bigger and taller

I agree the strip mall is terrible though.

[streetline]

Originally Posted by Hayward

No it's the Bank of America down to the footlocker. Pretty much that set of devastated commercial buildings. Too bad they were neglected and stripped over time. I think it's time they go and be replaced by something bigger and taller

I agree the strip mall is terrible though.

1237-53 N. Milwaukee is from the Bank of America on the corner down to the Foot Locker, as you say.
But 1230-40 N. Ashland Ave seems to be the southern three storefronts of that strip mall (the Harris and Dunkin Doughnuts are 1242 and 1244 respectively, so they're not included). I wonder if they're really going to cut the strip mall in half, or if there's some mistake.

[untitledreality]

Originally Posted by Link N. Parker

I also wish they would tear down the domincks and kmart and fill that entire lot in with dense high rises somehow.

Statements like this are why people are scared of the word density.

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by streetline

1237-53 N. Milwaukee is from the Bank of America on the corner down to the Foot Locker, as you say.
But 1230-40 N. Ashland Ave seems to be the southern three storefronts of that strip mall (the Harris and Dunkin Doughnuts are 1242 and 1244 respectively, so they're not included). I wonder if they're really going to cut the strip mall in half, or if there's some mistake.

No. There is a diagonal alley through the middle of that block; the LG project stays on the Milwaukee side.

In other words: the strip mall (formerly Joseph Freed, now Centrum) will be unaffected.

Interestingly, the Bank of America building will be retained and re-clad in a glass curtain wall. The 7-story portion will be built on the remainder of the site, which means a rectangular tower oriented to Milwaukee.

[Link N. Parker]

Originally Posted by untitledreality

Statements like this are why people are scared of the word density.

Sorry; I wasnt sure how to describe what could go there. It doesnt have to be high-rises but I would love to see that parking lot go away entirely. I have a vision for that entire parcel of land:

-Demolish the existing kmart and Jewel;
-Mid-rises along Ashland that are about the same height as what is across the street (first floor retail new Jewel with residences above);
-Side-street residential that runs along Blackhawk from Ashland to Paulina;
-A street that cut thru the plot of land, named Potomac (I believe Potomac ran thru there at one time, decades ago) with residences (apartments and condos), helping to restore the street grid;
-A corner building that hugs the corner of Milwaukee and Paulina, with first-floor retail (possibly an alternative new Jewel that replaces the existing one that would get demolished as opposed to putting it on Ashland);
-A diagonal "alley" that runs from Ashland where the curb-cut is at the Dunkin Donuts, that functions as a public gathering space like you see in Europe with tables etc.

[ardecila]

That awful strip mall was actually touted as the savior of Milwaukee Ave back in 1982... the thinking was that the Jewel and K-Mart would work like anchors in a shopping mall and drive traffic to the smaller businesses along Milwaukee. Who knows, maybe it worked?

It was actually proposed by Gerald Fogelson, who would later build Central Station, and financed in part by a huge tax break (large scale "slum clearance" like this never happens without public subsidy). Joseph Freed came in a little later to finish the project.

[marothisu]

That strip mall area is really terrible. It's always weird if you're going south on Milwaukee and then you run into that thing pretty much. Just imagine what could be there instead.


In other news, this is funny in the NIMBY chronicles. Residents of Dunning think a proposed 4 story, 30 unit building near Harlem & Waveland is too big. wtf? Oh, and it's replacing a tire shop. Residents think it will create too much traffic, but as someone pointed out in the comments - it's replacing a fucking tire shop.

http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20140...aws-complaints


Also some news of some beautification going on in Chatham:
http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20140...vestment-pride

[Rizzo]

Originally Posted by marothisu

That strip mall area is really terrible. It's always weird if you're going south on Milwaukee and then you run into that thing pretty much. Just imagine what could be there instead.


In other news, this is funny in the NIMBY chronicles. Residents of Dunning think a proposed 4 story, 30 unit building near Harlem & Waveland is too big. wtf? Oh, and it's replacing a tire shop. Residents think it will create too much traffic, but as someone pointed out in the comments - it's replacing a fucking tire shop.

http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20140...aws-complaints


Also some news of some beautification going on in Chatham:
http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20140...vestment-pride

"Too much traffic". Yep....replacing a tire shop. The NIMBYS are crazy. In other news the sun shines in the northern skies of Chicago and cast shadows to the south

[i_am_hydrogen]

Originally Posted by Hayward

"Too much traffic". Yep....replacing a tire shop. The NIMBYS are crazy. In other news the sun shines in the northern skies of Chicago and cast shadows to the south

What is this city coming to when a freaking four-story building is too dense?

[harryc]

Clark st bridge will be closed June 10-13 and 17-20
Dearborn st bridge for 7 days in late june
State st bridge for 7 days in July.

(anonymous but official looking flyer in my bldg).

[zachary78]

http://www.ric.org/the-ability-insti...uction-webcam/

[marothisu]

I'm liking some of the permitted stuff for new construction in the general Bronzeville/Douglas/Grand Boulevard area this year. Not a ton but some signs of life.

* 8 vacant lot multi unit buildings near the 47th Street Green Line stop totaling 32 units.
* 3 vacant lot multi unit buildings near the 43rd Street Green Line stop totaling 10 units
* New vacant lot 9 unit building near 40th and Ellis
* 10 single family homes, 9 on vacant lots, in the area. In the last few days, there's been 4 permitted on vacant lots on 41st near Vincennes.
* A new Mariano's to go up near Pershing & Martin Luther King Jr Drive

I think there's stuff like the Rosenwald Rehab, some senior housing down there, and also the recently completed Park Boulevard stuff. I think that the first two bullet points above are part of Legends South, which I'm pretty sure will be adding even more units. The single family home stuff is a good sign too of course.

[J_M_Tungsten]

This would be interesting. BUI's (Boating under the influence!)?
http://www.nbcchicago.com/entertainm...FlowFB_CHBrand

[Ryanrule]

Originally Posted by J_M_Tungsten

This would be interesting. BUI's (Boating under the influence!)?
http://www.nbcchicago.com/entertainm...FlowFB_CHBrand

ah, a rich people only island. that will help with high end condo sales

[Rizzo]

Originally Posted by Ryanrule

ah, a rich people only island. that will help with high end condo sales

I wouldn't say $20 estimate is high end for access. I mean that's about how much I paid for two White Sox tickets last night.

[r18tdi]

Originally Posted by Ryanrule

ah, a rich people only island. that will help with high end condo sales

I'd be just like Blarney Island, but for people who still have all their teeth.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by J_M_Tungsten

This would be interesting. BUI's (Boating under the influence!)?
http://www.nbcchicago.com/entertainm...FlowFB_CHBrand

I like it, if they can do it right. I think it would be fun and interesting. Depends on the activities/shops there too of course. By the way, they mention Istanbul in their promo video as the only other city in the world to have this. It's called Suada Island/Club (http://www.suadaclub.com.tr/en/). I have seen this place in my visits to Istanbul but have never been on it, but as you can see on the website above it actually attracts celebrities there.


This is actually going to sound really weird, but I've had a few dreams about a floating island like this in Lake Michigan in the last year, though it didn't look like this, but same concept. Kind of strange.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpG6Nj72Wtc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEdeBEFdGM4 (In German - starts at 1:20)