CHICAGO | General Developments

[J_M_Tungsten]

Originally Posted by denizen467

Is that Optima Old Orchard on the horizon there?

Yep, that's it.

[k1052]

Finkl Steel, Surrounding Properties Could Be Turned Into Homes, More: Ald

We just took a huge step forward with the city's support," Hopkins said. "It was a major obstacle and we just cleared it."

Hopkins said the city's Department of Planning will formally announce its support Monday morning for scrapping the industrial zoning.

If the City Council approves the measure, it would be the first time the city has ever removed a Planned Manufacturing District designation.

https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/2016...rcial-more-ald

[ardecila]

Thank God. What a dumb idea for that location. Hopefully with the zoning change all the industrial businesses will begin the slow process of relocating to parts of the city with better infrastructure and lower density (South Branch, Calumet etc).

Also glad to see that the alderman is supportive of a renovated Clybourn Metra stop. That station is really embarrassing.

[Randomguy34]

Would be great to see a lot of density for this site. The only thing I am confused about is when the Alderman says "adding a CTA stop" may be one of the transportation changes. CTA stop where? Is the Alderman referring to the Ashland BRT plan or something else? Highly unlikely it would be a new 'L' branch, but it would be cool if it could happen.

[the urban politician]

I just don't want to see power centers and big box stores. I'm glad the Alderman seems to feel the same way.

[emathias]

Originally Posted by Randomguy34

Would be great to see a lot of density for this site. The only thing I am confused about is when the Alderman says "adding a CTA stop" may be one of the transportation changes. CTA stop where? Is the Alderman referring to the Ashland BRT plan or something else? Highly unlikely it would be a new 'L' branch, but it would be cool if it could happen.

Might be the Ashland BRT. One of the alternatives for the Circle Line showed BRT running east on North, but I suppose they could run it easy on Cortland instead.

But probably just improved bus service, like maybe a dedicated circulator bus running between either the Brown Line Armitage stop or even Clark/Armitage and the Western stop on the Blue Line.

One of the Circle Line alternatives came close, turning east at about North Ave - if that plan was ever revived, I suppose they could let it go north a few more blocks from North Ave to Cortland before cutting over the Clybourn, which would make a Finkl site subway station a possibility.

[Baronvonellis]

Pehaps he meant a brownline stop at Willow/Shefield/Clybourn? That would be the only location in that area for a CTA stop. But that's on a curve and the redline entrance portal is right under it. Would it be harder to put a stop on a curve?

[emathias]

Originally Posted by Baronvonellis

Pehaps he meant a brownline stop at Willow/Shefield/Clybourn? That would be the only location in that area for a CTA stop. But that's on a curve and the redline entrance portal is right under it. Would it be harder to put a stop on a curve?

Curve stations are possible but not really desirable. I don't think it would really be any closer to Finkl than the Armitage stop is already anyway.

[k1052]

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/artic...cts-in-chicago

Crain's story makes it clear that the city isn't just thinking about this one PMD.

A seismic shift in the city's zoning philosophy....one greatly for the better I think.

[ardecila]

Thank goodness. The South Branch/Pilsen PMD should allow retail at the very least. North Branch and Kinzie PMDs should mostly disappear east of Ashland, except for Goose Island...

[Busy Bee]

Originally Posted by emathias

Curve stations are possible but not really desirable. I don't think it would really be any closer to Finkl than the Armitage stop is already anyway.

Cta's extremely short cars make curved stations doable with acceptable platform gaps, just not preferable, and would be avoided unless there was absolutely no other siting alternative.

[LouisVanDerWright]

Originally Posted by ardecila

Thank goodness. The South Branch/Pilsen PMD should allow retail at the very least. North Branch and Kinzie PMDs should mostly disappear east of Ashland, except for Goose Island...

There is going to be a total development feeding frenzy as probably more than half of the city's total population of historic loft warehouses are marooned in PMD zoning. There are large blocks of PMD in the West Loop and South Loop that would also be excellent targets for de-PMDization.

[ithakas]

Originally Posted by LouisVanDerWright

There is going to be a total development feeding frenzy as probably more than half of the city's total population of historic loft warehouses are marooned in PMD zoning. There are large blocks of PMD in the West Loop and South Loop that would also be excellent targets for de-PMDization.

I would love to see the buildings along Pershing in the CMD redeveloped into live/work lofts, then marketed to creatives in expensive coastal cities.

[emathias]

Originally Posted by ithakas

I would love to see the buildings along Pershing in the CMD redeveloped into live/work lofts, then marketed to creatives in expensive coastal cities.

I wouldn't mind having a north-facing loft overlooking McKinley Park.

[UrbanLibertine]

Originally Posted by emathias

I wouldn't mind having a north-facing loft overlooking McKinley Park.

Vastly underrated park and neighborhood.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by UrbanLibertine

Vastly underrated park and neighborhood.

La Palapa is amazing, but I honestly don't know much about the neighborhood besides the makeup of it, the park, and La Palapa.

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by LouisVanDerWright

There is going to be a total development feeding frenzy as probably more than half of the city's total population of historic loft warehouses are marooned in PMD zoning. There are large blocks of PMD in the West Loop and South Loop that would also be excellent targets for de-PMDization.

Well... not every loft needs to go residential. Kinzie Corridor is full of great old warehouses that play host to creative businesses and light industrial. New ideas require old buildings, as Jane Jacobs pointed out.

On the other hand, most in-city Metra stops are in or near PMDs, so those areas should definitely have the option to go residential. Industrial corridors are one of the few options we have to develop continuous density without much neighborhood opposition.

I'm more offended by the scrap yards and actual health hazards next to dense neighborhoods, plus the fact that PMDs have been perverted into "big box retail" zoning, as in the awful WM Wrigley demolition at Ashland and 35th...

[ithakas]

I was going to ask if anyone had been by the Fifield project on Chicago Avenue, just as I came across this picture and realized it shows the building bordering it: https://twitter.com/chicagopatterns/...09196168192000

[msu2001la]

Originally Posted by Busy Bee

Cta's extremely short cars make curved stations doable with acceptable platform gaps, just not preferable, and would be avoided unless there was absolutely no other siting alternative.

The Loyola Red Line station is on a curved section of track, but it's a pretty big radii.

[Near North Resident]

Its still curved a little when you get off northbound in the first car