Quote:
Originally Posted by streetline
If you look at the long term scenario maps towards the end of the document ( http://www.cityofchicago.org/content...2ndMeeting.pdf), you'll see the Tribune property is shown as mixed use. I'd love to see that turn mixed use sooner rather than later, but at least it is in the plan.
I'd like to see the street-fronting parts of the vacant lots on the south side of Grand turn buffer/retail/commercial as well (they are not shown as such on any map). While I understand the chocolate factory wants to expand in that direction, I think making that part of Grand more pedestrian friendly would go a long way towards connecting River North, River West, and any new development on the Tribune property into a walkable and pleasant neighborhood. And a retail/commercial liner strip along Grand wouldn't preclude a Blommer expansion in the area behind it around the train tracks. |
I know, I would just prefer a stronger stance by the city in favor of commercial/residential. Tribune/TRONC is already selling half the Freedom Center property (north of Chicago) and with the decline of print circulation they'll probably sell the south half fairly soon as well and move to lower-cost digs. The time for a land use decision is now, not in the "long term". Really any industrial use south of Chicago should be gradually phased out, maybe with an exception for Blommer.
That being said, this is Chicago, so I expect this process to be developer-driven once the city opens the door. But it would be nice for once to have the city stake a firm claim toward establishing a bustling, mixed-use center around Chicago/Halsted. With the elevated streets you could build a mini Illinois Center or Roosevelt Collection, on the lines of Atlantic Station in Atlanta with parking, loading, and maybe transit tucked away on lower levels.
Without that, we could end up with car dealerships there or some other crappy low-intensity use under the guise of "short term planning". The dealerships are creeping in... Howard Orloff is already using some of the Finkl property to store more cars, and Fletcher Jones just built a huge storage and service facility off Elston, in addition to their big new showroom they're building at North and the Kennedy. (FWIW, I'd love Orloff to move to the Finkl site to unlock the TOD potential at their current location).
I agree on the need to make Grand walkable, although if the north side/Tribune parking lots get developed in a walkable fashion you could probably landscape the south side like Finkl did along Cortland, and you'd have a semblance of a walkable street. Really Grand isn't very walkable across the river, either... there's a nice fountain plaza at Kingsbury but then blank walls and parking lots for another 1000' until you get to Orleans.
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