CHICAGO | The 78 Site - Page 34

Mr Downtown · #1 Posted **Jul 14, 2020, 11:11 PM**

At least the last time I asked the Related guys, they were not planning to use that existing underpass but to put in a new one on the proper alignment. I breathed a sigh of relief, because previous plans had relied on that old Santa Fe underpass, which points the wrong direction.

I keep hoping I'll catch the Paschen field engineer down on the Ping Tom end and ask him about the timing. The new diamonds for the RI-SCAL crossing have been sitting out there for months, and the SCAL bridge has been up since April.

Ardecila, I think the full proceeds of the TIF bonds are available as soon as they're sold. It's the bondholders, not Related, who get paid back from the future property tax increment. (Related may well have bought the bonds themselves; that's become common for developers to do.)

ardecila · #2 Posted **Jul 17, 2020, 6:13 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Downtown

At least the last time I asked the Related guys, they were not planning to use that existing underpass but to put in a new one on the proper alignment. I breathed a sigh of relief, because previous plans had relied on that old Santa Fe underpass, which points the wrong direction.

Hmm interesting, Related's site plan still shows an awkward kink there - although Wells-Wentworth is a CDOT project and not Related. I wonder if it's a total rebuild or if they're just knocking out the skewed center pier and putting in a clear span?

Quote:

Ardecila, I think the full proceeds of the TIF bonds are available as soon as they're sold. It's the bondholders, not Related, who get paid back from the future property tax increment. (Related may well have bought the bonds themselves; that's become common for developers to do.)

I read the RDA again and it does contain an estimated timetable - with the exception of Wells-Wentworth which is a direct CDOT project, the Related projects are not to start until the end of the year at the earliest:

There's a 10-year window on the city funding, too, so Related would have to complete everything by April 2029 or they're on the hook for the cost.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Downtown

I keep hoping I'll catch the Paschen field engineer down on the Ping Tom end and ask him about the timing. The new diamonds for the RI-SCAL crossing have been sitting out there for months, and the SCAL bridge has been up since April.

I'm not sure how many times the 18th St junction will get re-aligned... it will be re-aligned when CN rebuilds the SCAL, including shifting the Clark St bridge further north. It will be re-aligned when Related moves the Rock Island tracks further west. Then the whole junction will need to be shoo-flyed while they build the Red Line station underneath. Hoo boy.

Mr Downtown · #3 Posted **Jul 19, 2020, 4:39 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ardecila

I'm not sure how many times the 18th St junction will get re-aligned.

Just once, I think. Related conferred with CN and to Metra before having the crossing fabricated and delivered.

SIGSEGV · #4 Posted **Jul 17, 2020, 4:13 AM**

An update from sloopin on the wells-wentworth connector: http://www.sloopin.com/2020/07/some-...-well.html?m=1

CrazyCres · #5 Posted **Jul 17, 2020, 5:58 PM**

A larger look on progress on the road itself

https://www.instagram.com/p/CCv9a2YD...d=jc0ojji42y5u

ardecila · #6 Posted **Jul 18, 2020, 10:06 PM**

Nice to see they are putting in bus pads... so it would appear they are planning ahead for bus service on the corridor. I don't think we know which routes will go through here yet, but it's good to know they can! You can also see the grading for some seriously wide sidewalks on the left there - probably like Michigan Ave sidewalks or wider, with a cycle track on each side at sidewalk level.

I also think the new bridge structure for the SCAL is visible at the end of the video there, just waiting to be dropped in.

SIGSEGV · #7 Posted **Aug 9, 2020, 4:48 AM**

From yesterday evening:

I think I see a pedestrian crossing being put in?

ardecila · #8 Posted **Aug 9, 2020, 5:44 AM**

Looks like they're pouring the pavement at the intersection of Wells and 13th (Street? Place?) right there. From the site plan it looks like those first two intersections won't be real streets, but entrances to the underground parking garage below the Crescent Park.

Also I never realized but that little stuff in the foreground next to the trailers is clearly a mockup of the new street. The darker path is the separated bike lane with parkways on either side, between the sidewalk and street. Not sure what material that is on the bike path, could be a stain or color in the concrete, or maybe something permeable?

ChiTownWonder · #9 Posted **Aug 9, 2020, 3:14 PM**

^ Good catch, Love that the pedestrians will be separated from the bikes which will be separated from car traffic, IMO that is the way all new streets should be.

emathias · #10 Posted **Sep 1, 2020, 8:24 AM**

I still don't understand why the Red Line station won't be open until 2028 unless they don't expect people to be working there until then.

Ineffable · #11 Posted **Aug 9, 2020, 4:38 PM**

As long as the bikes actually use the bike lanes. Could that be enforced?

ardecila · #12 Posted **Aug 9, 2020, 10:15 PM**

^ Not really. I'm sure once offices open up here, we'll get bike messengers zooming down the traffic lanes. But for those who want a safer, more low-stress option the sidewalk lanes should be pretty nice. The ones on Roosevelt are pretty popular.

SIGSEGV · #13 Posted **Aug 9, 2020, 10:52 PM**

Yeah although clueless pedestrians wander into them on Roosevelt

the urban politician · #14 Posted **Sep 1, 2020, 1:58 PM**

^ Well, you sorta answered your own question. I mean, unless you want to get off the subway and hang out on a large field, there will need to be some more buildings there before spending $$ on the station will be worthwhile.

Plus, with the pandemic slowing things down for a while, it makes even more sense

ardecila · #15 Posted **Sep 1, 2020, 3:30 PM**

Wells Wentworth - 08/25/20

Vintage retaining wall being unearthed:

Temporary bridge waiting to be used:

Chi-Sky21 · #16 Posted **Sep 1, 2020, 5:14 PM**

Thanks for the update!

r18tdi · #17 Posted **Sep 1, 2020, 5:54 PM**

I heard a rumor that a big finacnial company might be kicking the tires around these parts...

ChiPlanner · #18 Posted **Sep 1, 2020, 6:38 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by r18tdi

I heard a rumor that a big finacnial company might be kicking the tires around these parts...

Out-of-state relocation or in-metro move?

r18tdi · #19 Posted **Jul 6, 2021, 8:37 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by r18tdi

I heard a rumor that a big finacnial company might be kicking the tires around these parts...

Well cat's out of the bag on Chase, but the Trib didn't mention The 78 in this story, strangely... https://www.chicagotribune.com/busin...m6y-story.html

marothisu · #20 Posted **Jul 6, 2021, 9:42 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by r18tdi

Well cat's out of the bag on Chase, but the Trib didn't mention The 78 in this story, strangely... https://www.chicagotribune.com/busin...m6y-story.html

My guess is that distance away from a Metra stop could play a big role in that. A ton of workers at companies such as this live in the suburbs. The fact that the nearest Metra stop is something like 3/4 a mile from just the most northern part of The 78, and basically 1+ mile to the heart of The 78. If you're talking about Ogilvie or Union Station then you're talking about 1.5-2 miles away. This wouldn't be as much of an issue by the way if Ogilvie and Union Station actually connected easily to something like the Red Line.

Needless to say, the 3 sites mentioned in the article are way more attractive, I think, because of this..