CHICAGO | General Developments

[MayorOfChicago]

Originally Posted by emathias

Or that block NW of the Wellington station.

Or that strip mall between the Sedgwick Brown Line stop and the North/Clybourn Red Line stop. That's always seemed like it should be an awesome place for midrises or even a highrise or two, with unobstructed southern views and good transit access and just general great proximity to things. That it's wasted on a strip mall and 2-story medical building is shameful.

Or some of those blocks between the Addison and Irving Park stations.

Does the hospital own that area northwest of Wellington? I could never figure out why it was never developed. I know they have signage there. What a sad parking lot too, barely even paved, just random gravel with some cars.

[tjp]

Originally Posted by spyguy

Crain's had an article about Mag Mile retail vacancies this week. Apparently Tourbillon is looking to leave - I guess their attempt to modernize their building by wrecking the first floor didn't go so well. More interestingly, Crate and Barrel might leave their landmark flagship store. I would hate to see that building go or be ruined like others along Michigan Avenue.

This actually concerns me - that's lot of vacancies between Apple, Crate & Barrel, the Saks Men Store, and Garmin, and I can't really think of any major retailers to take them. It'd seem that anyone who wants to be on Michigan Avenue is already on it.

[ardecila]

^ Concerning, maybe. I'd honestly rather see retailers "open neighborhood shops", as that Crain's article mentions, than continue to invest in Michigan Avenue.

Billy Reid opening up on Randolph Street is a good sign. There's a small handful of independent boutiques up in the West Loop as well. I wonder if that will become the next hotspot for fashion after Mag Mile, Lincoln Park, and Bucktown?

Southport, North/Clybourn and Roosevelt Road have clothing retailers but more mainstream than haute... I'd love to see more of this pop up, too. I'm not sure where the next logical location is, given the geography of upper-middle-class people in Chicago. Hyde Park seems like it is emerging as a retail center for the south side, and the black middle class scattered therein.

[Rizzo]

Every time I move to a certain street the fashionable retailers move in and start demolishing buildings. First it was Oak. Now it's southport. What's next?

I pretty much wear Cubs and Blackhawks shirts...not exactly high brow fashion. I suppose there's wrigleyville.....oh wait....back to that demolition thing....

[J_M_Tungsten]

Some kind of fencing going up on NE site of Randolph and Peoria.

[the urban politician]

Originally Posted by tjp

This actually concerns me - that's lot of vacancies between Apple, Crate & Barrel, the Saks Men Store, and Garmin, and I can't really think of any major retailers to take them. It'd seem that anyone who wants to be on Michigan Avenue is already on it.

To be honest, I think some turnover here is a good thing.

The Mag Mile needs to freshen things up a bit. Crate and Barrel? Can be seen in pretty much any mall in America.

Garmin? Who the hell goes to Garmin for anything? Besides, I don't really think electronics retailers belong on major shopping avenues unless they are iconic (ie Apple).

We need some fresh, new names, names that don't exist elsewhere in the US interior. Uniqlo was a good example. This is the Mag Mile, damnit!

[Rizzo]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

To be honest, I think some turnover here is a good thing.

The Mag Mile needs to freshen things up a bit. Crate and Barrel? Can be seen in pretty much any mall in America.

Garmin? Who the hell goes to Garmin for anything? Besides, I don't really think electronics retailers belong on major shopping avenues unless they are iconic (ie Apple).

We need some fresh, new names, names that don't exist elsewhere in the US interior. Uniqlo was a good example. This is the Mag Mile, damnit!

The crate and barrel building is a good building though and it's not like another retailer will just move into the place as-is.

[ChiHi]

Originally Posted by ardecila

The flyover won't start until the north end of the station platform, about 150' north of Belmont.

It has no impact on this site, although the vacant land across Belmont will probably be used for construction staging.

The flyover is actually a real thing that IS happening? I just thought that was a pie in the sky idea to piss away transit money.

[k1052]

Originally Posted by ChiHi

The flyover is actually a real thing that IS happening? I just thought that was a pie in the sky idea to piss away transit money.

Why spend billions rebuilding the North Main if you're going to cripple any expansion of service by keeping the flat junction? The CTA has wanted to do this project for a long time.

[emathias]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

...
The Mag Mile needs to freshen things up a bit. Crate and Barrel? Can be seen in pretty much any mall in America.
...

Seeing as Crate and Barrel was started in Chicago, is headquartered in Chicagoland, and that their Michigan Ave location is their flagship store, I'm perfectly fine with them having a Michigan Avenue presence. They are another company that really ought to move their headquarters into the City.

[LouisVanDerWright]

Originally Posted by J_M_Tungsten

Some kind of fencing going up on NE site of Randolph and Peoria.

That would be Nobu. Shocked Hunt got this off the ground, but good for the West Loop, good for Chicago.

[harryc]

5/26




Storage - Advertising - and ...


a quick structure to hold the old facade.




6/9

sunrise at the Ashland Green line stop.

[Via Chicago]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

To be honest, I think some turnover here is a good thing.

The Mag Mile needs to freshen things up a bit. Crate and Barrel? Can be seen in pretty much any mall in America.

Garmin? Who the hell goes to Garmin for anything? Besides, I don't really think electronics retailers belong on major shopping avenues unless they are iconic (ie Apple).

We need some fresh, new names, names that don't exist elsewhere in the US interior. Uniqlo was a good example. This is the Mag Mile, damnit!

the only thing that would make the mag mile interesting again would be a return of local retailers...something you cant find literally anywhere else and would give people a reason to go out of their way. unfortunately globalization and the national chains have put most out of business, and at these rent levels theyre the only ones who can afford to be there anyway. and even then i think this illustrates many are questioning just how much benefit is gained from having an expensive flagship in the first place.

that said, i dont see how electronic retailers do or dont belong any more or less than clothing retailers.

[SolarWind]

Originally Posted by harryc

Fulton Market - Anonymous Boutique

That's the Ace Hotel - 311 N Morgan. It's above grade level now. I have some pictures from yesterday that I'll post tonight.

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by emathias

Seeing as Crate and Barrel was started in Chicago, is headquartered in Chicagoland, and that their Michigan Ave location is their flagship store, I'm perfectly fine with them having a Michigan Avenue presence. They are another company that really ought to move their headquarters into the City.

Good points. Which makes it very interesting that they're choosing to close their hometown flagship store. Apparently they have already closed their Manhattan flagship, now they seem to be doing the same in Chicago. It remains to be seen whether they will continue to close more stores, or just the ones that occupy stratospherically expensive real estate.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/artic...hief-is-in-for

The furniture market is tough... everything seems to stratifying toward the very high-end, custom designer stuff (anything in the Merchandise Mart) or the low-end (IKEA obviously, but also regional chains like Art Van, Wickes, Bob's Discount, etc). Mid-market furniture is disappearing alongside the middle class that could afford to purchase it. Also people seem to be purchasing housewares online, which I will never understand... I need to see and feel something before buying it.

[LouisVanDerWright]

Originally Posted by harryc

Storage - Advertising - and ...


a quick structure to hold the old facade.

I was told this trick cost them "only" $250,000...

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by LouisVanDerWright

I was told this trick cost them "only" $250,000...

Union $teelworker$...

Those containers are about $8000 each, so that's $225,000 for some scrap steel tubing and a few days of welders.

Still though, I'm sure this was much cheaper than the alternative of building a huge steel frame over the sidewalk like Legacy and Heritage did.

[SolarWind]

June 13, 2016







Some additional pictures of the site. I'm always impressed by the detail harryc captures. I didn't even notice that the old façade was supported by the steel storage containers.

[SolarWind]

June 13, 2016

[SolarWind]

June 13, 2016





Looking west along Kinzie from Peoria St.