CHICAGO | General Developments

[chicubs111]

Originally Posted by marothisu

That is certainly interesting....I think the HQ2 announcement was officially on September 7th.



No, they don't - but you have to ask yourself why anybody would put a 30 foot diameter dome up on a 2 story tall stage. It's easy to draw comparisons to the Amazon domes in Seattle. It's possible they're just going to put a scale model of the whole plan inside of this thing for some event - news conference or taking Amazon through. Was there ever a news conference announcing the whole site?

Who knows what this is though. But it does raise suspicions about what they're doing and the dome does look weirdly similar to what's in Seattle. However, the first building permit for the construction of this started in late August before the public HQ2 announcement.

This is very interesting...like i mentioned in previous posts Amazon suppsodly was due to visit Chicago sites anytime now..this could be kind of the pulling out the red carpet for them..who knows though

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by left of center

They do seem to be throwing a lot of money on what appears on the outside to be a project reveal. It might be Amazon related (money follows money after all) and I would be absolutely thrilled for that. I'm just trying to keep my expectations grounded. The 78 is a huge project as is, so a big splashy reveal might be called for, with or without a Fortune 500 company being involved.

My thought is that it might hold a scale model of their master plan and that a dome is a good way to shield you from the elements but also be able to be right there and say "picture this if you will..." It's possible that the domes were the best way to show this they thought and it just happens to be coincidence with the fact that they're now a potential site for Amazon.

I am not getting my hopes up either, but Amazon will be spending time in all the top 20 cities of course, so it makes sense that they'd be brought to the site with some sort of "tour." Having a scale model of this thing - and done in the feet, not inches, would hit the point home a little easier on what they can expect.

It's completely possible that they got the permits in general for "The 78" type of reveal, but it got delayed once the HQ2 announcement happened and they threw their hat into the pile for sites.

[Kngkyle]

Originally Posted by chicubs111

This is very interesting...like i mentioned in previous posts Amazon suppsodly was due to visit Chicago sites anytime now..this could be kind of the pulling out the red carpet for them..who knows though

I think this is probably what it is. If it was something else, like the unveiling of a plan or something, I think we would have heard something about it by now. This is likely a platform for Related to pitch their HQ2 proposal to Amazon when they come to do site visits. Related probably has the best resume in the country for being able to pull of large scale urban projects.

[bnk]

Originally Posted by marothisu

My thought is that it might hold a scale model of their master plan and that a dome is a good way to shield you from the elements but also be able to be right there and say "picture this if you will..." It's possible that the domes were the best way to show this they thought and it just happens to be coincidence with the fact that they're now a potential site for Amazon.

I am not getting my hopes up either, but Amazon will be spending time in all the top 20 cities of course, so it makes sense that they'd be brought to the site with some sort of "tour." Having a scale model of this thing - and done in the feet, not inches, would hit the point home a little easier on what they can expect.

It's completely possible that they got the permits in general for "The 78" type of reveal, but it got delayed once the HQ2 announcement happened and they threw their hat into the pile for sites.

The city to the north is a pretty good backdrop.


https://chicago.curbed.com/2017/10/1...ment-amazon-hq


Developer Related Midwest will donate an unspecified amount of land within its “The 78” mixed-use mega-project. When redeveloped, the massive vacant parcel is expected to increase Chicago’s 77 recognized neighborhood areas by one and gives the project its numerical name.

Master planned by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, the multi-phase project will contain a mixture of residential, commercial, academic, civic, cultural, and recreational spaces. While renderings of the 78 show a number of high-rise buildings, roughly 40 percent of the site will be green or public open space—including a public park in the shape of a crescent representative of the original course of the Chicago River. An unbroken half-mile riverwalk will follow the water’s edge with buildings setback at least 100 feet.

...

It’s currently unclear when the DPI and the greater 78 neighborhood look to break ground along the Chicago River. A timetable for the research facility’s opening is expected to be finalized next year. Amazon is also scheduled to announce the winning bid for HQ2 in 2018.



https://twitter.com/ChicagosMayor/st...523648/photo/1

At 62 acres, The 78 is one of the larges undeveloped parcels in the entire city.

[marothisu]

^ Great shot. Can't wait for it to fill in with the handful of projects going on in the South Loop right now. You can just imagine the 78 in that view. Going back over some of the renderings from it too - damn. It would be a hell of a spot in the summer along the river if they pulled it off well.

[KWillChicago]

That shot alone is one hell of pitch. A blank canvas for amazon to do what they want, with that backdrop and so close to the loop. Spending 10 grand on a stage presentation is pennies for a 6 billion dollar investment. But as others are I'm keeping my hopes grounded not to be heartbroken later. If amazon chooses another city this will still turn into an amazing development, hopefully.

[marothisu]

Just imagine this on your lunch break, or after work...or on a random weekend. If it had enough people, in a comfortable way, then ...yeah I would want to be there.

[KWillChicago]

Has there ever been any talk about capping the metra tracks for this 78 project for a noise barrier? At least a wall I would imagine. They should definetly cap those railroad tracks on the southend of the site. Could make a good transition into chinatown.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by KWillChicago

Has there ever been any talk about capping the metra tracks for this 78 project for a noise barrier? At least a wall I would imagine. They should definetly cap those railroad tracks on the southend of the site. Could make a good transition into chinatown.

No idea, but I hope so. I was thinking about how cool/easy it would be to hop on a water tax or just walk to Chinatown from this place depending on where you are. Ping Tom Park is pretty nice - just imagine if Riverline, this thing, and Chinatown all had public riverwalk. Pretty killer. I can only imagine getting from Chinatown all the way to the lake seamlessly along a riverwalk

[KWillChicago]

With the popularity of the new east branch riverwalk I see this happening at somepoint, hopefully soon. Riverline and the 78 would definetly make this more intriguing. The city just has to find the money. Let me think......

Art intitute modern wing? Check
New lakeshore bike/run path? Check
Big ass dinosaur for the Field? Check

C'mon K.G., can we get a riverwalk?

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by KWillChicago

With the popularity of the new east branch riverwalk I see this happening at somepoint, hopefully soon. Riverline and the 78 would definetly make this more intriguing. The city just has to find the money. Let me think......

Art intitute modern wing? Check
New lakeshore bike/run path? Check
Big ass dinosaur for the Field? Check

C'mon K.G., can we get a riverwalk?

The 78 and Riverline already have riverwalks in their plans so as long as they can basically somehow connect to what's in the loop already and then to the east expansion then we're good.

[Busy Bee]

Originally Posted by Kumdogmillionaire

That's not a hipster thing, that's a neckbeard thing

That's a I smell bad thing, and not a on purpose because I'm cool thing.

[10023]

Originally Posted by bnk

https://twitter.com/ChicagosMayor/st...523648/photo/1

Hopefully Amazon has deep enough pockets to buy out Dearborn Park and tear down that abortion of a neighborhood too.

[Mr Downtown]

^I understand the Metra Rock Island tracks will be moved a couple of hundred feet west, to go through the middle of the Riverside Park site.

We don't know what streets will be connected in from Clark, but Related and SOM understand the need. Both 14th and 15th could go all the way from State to Wells, but protests from the folks living nearby would have to be ignored. Let me put it more pointedly: the voters living nearby would have to be ignored.

[harryc]

Not sure of the name for this - at Sangimon and Monroe.

A sustainable - and portable - urban garden. Using water collected from the neighboring roof the plants will be grown in plastic wading pools on top of the skids. Can be moved with minimal effort.

[left of center]

Originally Posted by 10023

Hopefully Amazon has deep enough pockets to buy out Dearborn Park and tear down that abortion of a neighborhood too.

That would be an absolute dream. I have such unyielding rage for that development.

Honestly, you don't even need a full scale demolition of it (although I would be ecstatic to see that happen, however unlikely that may be). There's a few minor things that could be done that would immensely improve the immediate neighborhood. Reconnecting the street grid would be the biggest thing.

[10023]

Originally Posted by left of center

That would be an absolute dream. I have such unyielding rage for that development.

Honestly, you don't even need a full scale demolition of it (although I would be ecstatic to see that happen, however unlikely that may be). There's a few minor things that could be done that would immensely improve the immediate neighborhood. Reconnecting the street grid would be the biggest thing.

Then build some mid-rises with ground floor retail on the arterial roads. State, Clark and Roosevelt Road shouldn’t be fronted with suburban townhomes.

That’s actually more important. The grid isn’t everything, and in fact keeping it largely “off the grid” preserves what residents like about it.

London isn’t on a grid, and that allows residential neighborhoods to be pleasant and quiet without sacrificing density and urbanism.

You can keep the through-traffic confined to those roads above, but still have the neighborhood bounded by them be buzzing with activity (including local retail and restaurants, with nice patio seating that doesn’t have traffic rushing past).

[nomarandlee]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/busine...309-story.html

Column: Lettuce Entertain You bringing four-level restaurant space to riverfront

Ryan OriContact Reporter
Chicago Tribune
Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises is expanding its food empire into a huge, four-level space along the Chicago River that will be one of the largest projects in its 47 years.

The space will include two restaurants and a private events space.

The 35,000-square-foot space is part of a $50 million upgrade of the office tower at 321 N. Clark St., along the northern edge of the Chicago River, a project expected to contribute to the city’s ongoing efforts to bring more people and businesses to the riverfront........

..

[Mr Downtown]

I was recently speculating with a friend about whether and how Dearborn Park could be densified. It would be theoretically possible to buy out one of the townhouse groups and deconvert it (they were grouped into condo associations). Then the new owner could demolish those for a new highrise of the type we see all through the area. It's just a vastly sped-up version of the process the Near North Side went through over the last 50 years.

Probably the easiest group to start with would be the "Garden Homes" near Plymouth and Roosevelt. That's where the original plans called for a third highrise, but no one thought it was financially feasible in the early 1980s. It might not even require an amendment to the PD, though of course the neighbors will scream bloody murder.

But the biggest issue is that there's still too much low-hanging fruit; too many parking lots left to build on first. It will be many decades before it pencils out to pay a 20 or 30 percent premium for perfectly good townhouses.

[the urban politician]

^ I agree. With giant prairies next door, why would developers go through all that effort?