CHICAGO | General Developments

[Abner]

Originally Posted by VivaLFuego

A few thousand dollar donation to her campaign fund would certainly help make your case. More precisely, you should outbid whoever is pressuring her for those 4 parking spots (one of which, I suspect, will be permitted to someone or some institution in particular, or support a specific business).

I wish I was joking.

I can't believe she could get away with removing that stop. There are ALWAYS like a dozen people waiting there. I would think that something funny must be going on with the university if it hasn't put its weight behind keeping the stop there.

[ardecila]

That's a real shame about Little Company of Mary. I lived in Beverly until I was 8, but I do remember the building (vaguely).

The renderings of the "new campus" are tremendously ugly compared to the formal plan of the original hospital.

[honte]

^ Yes, agreed. It never struck me as a great building, but it was pleasant and added some nice variety and height to that area.

______

Tomorrow the Landmarks Commission will discuss a very nice building in my old 'hood. It is the 6901 S. Oglesby Coop. I am not sure what is motivating this particular designation - it's a lovely building, but the whole neighborhood is of this vintage and quality (there really should be a district). Perhaps they are seeking Class L or something to assist them with repairs. It should be interesting to see what the designation report singles out as the particularly great features.

Often, landmark districts in Chicago are built up around already existing "anchors." So, this action - in conjunction with the Kenna flats - could be the prelude to eventual designation for that whole area. Man, how I miss living in South Shore!

It also might be a "tit for tat" trade in "exchange" for them allowing the nice house on South Shore Drive to come down.

[Tom Servo]

that's awesome

[Alliance]

I love the crosswalks, but the lights scare me.

They didn't work in the 50's, they're not wroking now. They're even more obstructionist than the current lamps (which plague my photographs, especially at nights. Unless these lamps are solar powered, low energy LED lamps or something, I don't think its necessary. Spend the money on the El.

[aaron38]

Originally Posted by Alliance

I love the crosswalks, but the lights scare me.

Yeah, those right angle lights could either create a really cool tunnel effect for the street, or a really claustrophobic tunnel effect for the street.
I'm leaning towards claustrophobic.

But if they were full cutoff lights it would at least be a step in the right direction. And getting rid of the glare so the buildings could be seen would be a plus.

[honte]

It's all just another example of dumping money into things that are perfectly fine already (cf Daley Bi plaza proposal). When I see a visionary proposal like this for Englewood or Garfield Park, I'll get excited. I agree with Alliance that the money should be spent on real problems (although I think the light "tunnel" looks awesome).

Everybody loves to hate Illinois Center, but I personally think it's great. A touch better access would be fine. Before they screw with it, they should look carefully at what Mies envisioned, and what corners were probably cut in the actual execution.

[schwerve]

the proposal isn't being funded by the city, if they decide to do something (again there's nothing other than a couple of ideas) it'll be funded by the businesses in the directly affected areas, its a private effort to improve the north-south and east-west pedestrian flow through the area, not a city concern.

[honte]

^ True, they want a special tax. But if the owners pay a special tax that would be implemented by the city, wouldn't you rather it go to something more beneficial? I suppose no good businessman would want that money invested in an area beyond would have personal benefit.

[schwerve]

certainly there are more pressing needs for the city of chicago but I don't see how this has any relation to those. if this was the city pushing this it'd be a different argument but why should anyone begrudge a group of businesses wanting to invest in their corner of chicago. the city is only a proxy in this collecting and distributing the funds. I applaud the initiative and the idea. I don't have an opinion on the design as there is no design to have an opinion on. that area of the city is horrible for pedestrian access as east-west flow dead ends at michigan and with the lakeshore east development, it shouldn't at all. walking north south is dark and uninviting and reduces pedestrian movement between north michigan and millenium park. its a problem, albeit not vitally important to the function of the city but if that area wants to pay for a solution itself, I say awesome, do it to it. I can't see what's to hate at this stage of the game.

[honte]

^ Yeah, I can agree with that. I don't hate the idea by any means, especially if what they do is sensitive to the complex context.

It's just sad to see so much money constantly invested in the same tiny little area, especially on things that in the overall scheme of things are perfectly fine - but that's the way our American cities work. There are parts of the South Side where you can literally fall into gaping holes in the vaulted sidewalks, know what I mean? Always, you have to balance doing wonderful things with the more routine stuff. I suppose this whole tangent isn't really even worth discussing much; sorry I helped inflame it.

[Nowhereman1280]

Originally Posted by honte

Everybody loves to hate Illinois Center, but I personally think it's great. A touch better access would be fine. Before they screw with it, they should look carefully at what Mies envisioned, and what corners were probably cut in the actual execution.

Speaking of screwing with Illinois Center, has anyone else noticed the raping they are giving it by building some curvy new atrium/overhang bullshit in the plaza they have fenced off along Michigan?

I'm really pissed about this because the new over hang is completely unnecessary and ruins the straight line rigidity of the original design!

[honte]

^ You bet I noticed it. Man. This is the second screwing-around with that plaza in, what, 5 years?

Just like in the 1960s all of the classical buildings got dropped ceilings - or worse, total Modernist gut redos (some of which were pretty well done for what they were, actually). Now everyone's scrambling to peek under the dropped ceiling and hope something nice is left.

By the way, you should see what they've been proposing for the hotel in IBM. It's landmarked now, so they can't rip the canopy off - thank god, since they probably would love to. What I saw was the next worst option - think tacky canopy below the existing canopy. I am hoping they will do some more thinking on that one.

[the urban politician]

I'm really bullish about IIT's UTP (as well as the future of that part of town) and found this article very interesting:

IIT welcomes dynamic firms
SCI-TECH SCENE | Technology Park draws U. of C. startups, targets companies from NU

March 9, 2008
BY SANDRA GUY Sun-Times Columnist
The Illinois Institute of Technology, once known for its drafty dorms and isolated South Side location, has quietly emerged as the bustling home to dozens of software and other high-tech start-up companies, as well as a new Starbucks coffee shop and a soon-to-open FedEx/Kinko's store.

The campus' enhanced stature helped prompt Metra to design a new stop on the Rock Island District line at Federal and 35th Street, slated to open in 2009. The Metra stop will be immediately west of the University Technology Park at IIT.
Sun Times

[JV_325i]

Barney's expansion

Some gutted row houses (I am pretty sure these are getting rehabbed)

Shots of Esquire theater (you know, for the record books)


Some project near intersection of Chicago and Milwaukee. Anyone know about this one?

[VivaLFuego]

^ Mondial

[honte]

^ Mondial.

EDIT: beat me to it, but I punctuate!

[JV_325i]

^Haha thanks guys.

[UChicagoDomer]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

I'm really bullish about IIT's UTP (as well as the future of that part of town) and found this article very interesting:

IIT welcomes dynamic firms
SCI-TECH SCENE | Technology Park draws U. of C. startups, targets companies from NU

March 9, 2008
BY SANDRA GUY Sun-Times Columnist
The Illinois Institute of Technology, once known for its drafty dorms and isolated South Side location, has quietly emerged as the bustling home to dozens of software and other high-tech start-up companies, as well as a new Starbucks coffee shop and a soon-to-open FedEx/Kinko's store.

The campus' enhanced stature helped prompt Metra to design a new stop on the Rock Island District line at Federal and 35th Street, slated to open in 2009. The Metra stop will be immediately west of the University Technology Park at IIT.
Sun Times

so, let me get this straight. Metra is opening a new station approximately directly in between (i.e. .1 miles from each) two CTA El stations? this simply tops the list for RTA waste - worse even than the slew of slow buses competing against Metra Electric from Hyde Park. i thought the entire point of the RTA reforms was to eliminate such waste!

anyway, sorry for ranting about transit in the real estate forum...

[VivaLFuego]

Originally Posted by UChicagoDomer

so, let me get this straight. Metra is opening a new station approximately directly in between (i.e. .1 miles from each) two CTA El stations? this simply tops the list for RTA waste - worse even than the slew of slow buses competing against Metra Electric from Hyde Park. i thought the entire point of the RTA reforms was to eliminate such waste!

anyway, sorry for ranting about transit in the real estate forum...

The stop is expected to draw most of its ridership from the southwest suburbs (and Beverly), headed to either IIT (work/school) or the Cell. Definitely not the highest priority or highest-ridership infill stop that Metra could build, but it definitely won't be worthless. Not sure what it's expected to cost.