CHICAGO | General Developments

[detroitismylove]

Originally Posted by Ch.G, Ch.G

Hipsters don't wear Crocs.

No one should.

I couldnt agree more. Yuck

[JV_325i]

I check this thread just about every day, and I have yet to come across anything about remodeling (for lack of a better, more specific term) going on at the Chicago Theater. It appears as if they are replacing some of the stone on the building with some other bricks/panels of a dark green color. Maybe this portion of the building isn't a part of the theater, but it certainly abuts it. Does anyone know what is going on here?



Looking at my photograph upon posting it appears as though it is possibly undergoing a repainting.

[jpIllInoIs]

^That is the Page Bros Building. Which has a long history of underperforming. I think it is owned by the city, and is in the process of converting the former OTB parlor into retail/resteraunt.

My hopes for this building are a late-late night high end deli, and maybe a piano bar on the 2nd floor. Also would be a good spot for the Chicago Jazz/Blues museum.

[VivaLFuego]

http://www.globest.com/news/1090_109...1.html?type=pf

UPDATE Last updated: February 8, 2008 07:39am
McCaffery Begins $400M Mixed-Use Project
By Gina Kenny
CHICAGO-McCaffery Interests Inc., based here, broke ground this week on the Morgan at Loyola Station. The project is the first phase of the $400 million Loyola Station development on 5.4 acres owned by Loyola University Chicago, in Chicago’s Rogers Park neighborhood. Loyola Station is expected to have a total of 60,000 sf of retail space, 400 residences and 600 parking spaces when complete, a university spokeswoman says.

This sounds good all around -except- at the end it mentions that one site to be developed, a "64259-sf parcel on Loyola, currently has a "student residents and an apartment building", so presumably those would be demolished, but I'm not sure which buildings those are; i.e. I'm not sure if that part of this project will be a step backwards. The other components sound great, and replace horribly underutilized parcels immediately adjacent to a rapid transit stop.

[Nowhereman1280]

^^^ I missed that article. They started work on that more than a month ago and already have a very large hole dug with some concrete and the likes being poured in there. I have friends in Fordham Hall/Granada Center (yes the building they torn down the Granada Theater to build) across the street and have a bird's eye view of this site from their room. Will provide an update next time I'm up there.

I believe the building they are talking about tearing down in the future would be Campion Hall/ St. Joseph's Seminary. It is on the block directly north of Loyola Ave. and directly east of Sheridan. Its widely known at Loyola as the second shititest dorm on campus, the first being Coffey Hall which was supposed to be torn down years ago and is on the other side of campus.

[Chicago3rd]

[Eventually...Chicago]

I just figured i'd throw these two crain's articles in. It's always a happy day when people and companies, no matter how big or small, see the city as a place of opportunity:

Chicago wins 2009 La Raza convention
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=28124

Texas-based sandwich chain to enter Chicago
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=28125

[Mr Downtown]

Gotta laugh about "Jason's Deli" opening at Roosevelt/Canal, around the corner from Manny's. Maybe next Olive Garden could have a Taylor Street location.

[the urban politician]

Originally Posted by VivaLFuego

http://www.globest.com/news/1090_109...1.html?type=pf
This sounds good all around -except- at the end it mentions that one site to be developed, a "64259-sf parcel on Loyola, currently has a "student residents and an apartment building", so presumably those would be demolished, but I'm not sure which buildings those are; i.e. I'm not sure if that part of this project will be a step backwards. The other components sound great, and replace horribly underutilized parcels immediately adjacent to a rapid transit stop.

^ Good point. My inclination is to say that there wouldn't be much financial motivation for Loyola to pursue this project if there weren't a significant net gain in density after its completion. Does anybody know what the plans are for the existing structures currently occupying phase II of the project?

[the urban politician]

^ .....after a quick investigation, it turns out that Phase II of Loyola Station will replace (if demo's are planned):

2 buildings containing 48 units of rental housing each
1 building contining 176 units of student dorms.

So, basically, if the replacement for this entire complex does not include greater than 272 housing units, we are losing net density.

Here's hoping that this will not be the case. However, considering what's said in the article above (the entire project will have 400 units and 162 will be in Phase I, presumably leaving 238 for Phase II), things don't look too good. What redeems this whole thing is the fact that Phase I will ultimately add more people, and a considerable amount of retail will be added which, I assume, wasn't present before

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

^ .....after a quick investigation, it turns out that Phase II of Loyola Station will replace (if demo's are planned):

2 buildings containing 48 units of rental housing each
1 building contining 176 units of student dorms.

So, basically, if the replacement for this entire complex does not include greater than 272 housing units, we are losing net density.

I doubt Loyola would allow a reduction in the number of dorm rooms unless they were to be replaced elsewhere on or near campus. If Loyola really DOES have a surplus of dorm rooms and this building simply isn't needed, then the building is probably nowhere near full.

[laro3]

just noticed the United airlines logo on top of the R R Donelly building.

[the urban politician]

Originally Posted by laro3

just noticed the United airlines logo on top of the R R Donelly building.

^ Wonder how long that's gonna last? Tilton has "softened" his stance on keeping UAL's management in Chicago, whereas Continental doesn't appear to have (from a Tribune article within the past week)

[honte]

^ Another exec just looking to cash out.

[the urban politician]

Feb. 09, 2008
By Paul Merrion
Airlines near Midway deal
Carriers expect to sign off soon on Daley's privatization plan

Mayor Richard M. Daley's plan to privatize Midway Airport is gaining altitude.
Airlines operating at Midway say an agreement is near that would allow the city to seek a private operator for the South Side airport, a deal expected to raise up to $3 billion for Chicago's underfunded public pension plans and long-term infrastructure needs.
Crains

[Mr Downtown]

Wonder how long [United Airlines logo]'s gonna last?

Hey, the Santa Fe's logo is still on the Railway Exchange Building, 20 years after they moved to Schaumburg--and 12 years after it ceased to exist altogether.

[honte]

^ That sign is now landmarked.

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

Feb. 09, 2008
By Paul Merrion
Airlines near Midway deal
Carriers expect to sign off soon on Daley's privatization plan

Mayor Richard M. Daley's plan to privatize Midway Airport is gaining altitude.
Airlines operating at Midway say an agreement is near that would allow the city to seek a private operator for the South Side airport, a deal expected to raise up to $3 billion for Chicago's underfunded public pension plans and long-term infrastructure needs.
Crains

$3 billion is HUGE. That alone is enough to build many of the CTA's planned projects. The Orange Line in Miami has a cost of about $105 million/mile. Assuming that Chicago's costs are roughly equivalent, than $3 billion allows us to build 28 miles of rail without any federal funding whatsoever. Since the federal government is willing to chip in half of the cost, that means that Chicago could build 56 miles of rail. Our costs may be even less if we use rail rights-of-way to avoid expensive property takings.

Of course, I'm assuming that no money will go to pension plans, which it clearly will.

[Chicago2020]

are there any other major airports that are privatly operated in the US???

[Dr. Taco]

Originally Posted by ardecila

$3 billion is HUGE. That alone is enough to build many of the CTA's planned projects. The Orange Line in Miami has a cost of about $105 million/mile. Assuming that Chicago's costs are roughly equivalent, than $3 billion allows us to build 28 miles of rail without any federal funding whatsoever. Since the federal government is willing to chip in half of the cost, that means that Chicago could build 56 miles of rail. Our costs may be even less if we use rail rights-of-way to avoid expensive property takings.

Of course, I'm assuming that no money will go to pension plans, which it clearly will.

and THEN we could privatize the rail system!