CHICAGO | The 78 Site

[Mr Downtown]

BNSF? I don't think they take an active interest in the Air Line any more, though they still have a—what?—25 percent interest. I think CN or UP would be making that decision. Since the bridge has been up since April, apparently no one feels it's vital infrastructure at the moment.

The aerial images of the new road are actually from Paschen Construction, not Steven Vance.
https://twitter.com/fhpaschen/status...43918026956808

[Busy Bee]

Beautiful rendering. I take it the nuclear blast wave is just milliseconds away??

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by Mr Downtown

BNSF? I don't think they take an active interest in the Air Line any more, though they still have a—what?—25 percent interest. I think CN or UP would be making that decision. Since the bridge has been up since April, apparently no one feels it's vital infrastructure at the moment.

The aerial images of the new road are actually from Paschen Construction, not Steven Vance.
https://twitter.com/fhpaschen/status...43918026956808

Ah thanks, the photo was retweeted without a credit so I took a guess on the source.

For BNSF, it looks like the city deferred to them for approval of the design:
https://webapps1.chicago.gov/vcsearc...ntracts/137119

I know the SCAL is a joint facility but BNSF seems to be in the managing role with respect to this project, despite running few or no trains here. There is not a similar agreement with any of the other roads that I can find. Perhaps BNSF is uniquely suited to manage the project (stronger engineering dept, etc).

[sentinel]

Nice photos in the link, glad to see infrastructure is moving along well. Photos appear to show separate, dedicated sidewalks and bikelanes...which one of the twitter respondents clearly didn't notice (God, I hate social media).

[SIGSEGV]

Yes we definitely need those trains zipping on the SCAL.

[jpIllInoIs]

Originally Posted by ardecila

Ah thanks, the photo was retweeted without a credit so I took a guess on the source.

For BNSF, it looks like the city deferred to them for approval of the design:
https://webapps1.chicago.gov/vcsearc...ntracts/137119

I know the SCAL is a joint facility but BNSF seems to be in the managing role with respect to this project, despite running few or no trains here. There is not a similar agreement with any of the other roads that I can find. Perhaps BNSF is uniquely suited to manage the project (stronger engineering dept, etc).

What route is Amtrak using to get CoNO, Illini and Saluki to CUS off the CN Lakefront line?

[Mr Downtown]

Originally Posted by jpIllInoIs

What route is Amtrak using to get CoNO, Illini and Saluki to CUS off the CN Lakefront line?

They're using the CN Iowa Division past the Ping Tom entrance, south through 21st Street onto NS. Then reversing and backing across the lift bridge, past Ping Tom Memorial Park, and north into CUS.

They could have been doing the very same thing for 45 years, which would have kept them out of BNSF's way. I'm not sure what changed this spring.

ardecila, that's very interesting about BNSF supervising the work. I'll have to ask a friend who works there about it.

[west-town-brad]

Originally Posted by ardecila

Wells Wentworth Update

The new section of Wells north of the tracks is great! It's so refreshing to see a street that is less than 50% devoted to cars.

Also the Bailey bridges have vanished. Maybe the railroad (BNSF in this case) agreed to a longer closure so they just build the permanent bridge.


src: Twitter/FH Paschen

nice place for motorcycle drag racing for the foreseeable future.

[ardecila]

Sacramento has a similar "boulevard through nowhere"... they opened it to traffic even though it doesn't currently provide any access. Closer to home, CDOT opened the new section of Lake Shore Drive through South Works.

It may be better for CDOT to open Wells-Wentworth once it's completed, so it's less of a target for vandalism and street racing, fly dumping, etc. It would also ease congestion on Clark. Eventually CTA will probably send a bus route down Wells, but it probably won't happen until there's development.

[Mr Downtown]

I think Related will probably prevent public access to Wells at least until DPI construction is well along. There's just no reason to allow public use of the road until the public has something to get to . . . or unless the PD requires it.

[SIGSEGV]

Originally Posted by Mr Downtown

I think Related will probably prevent public access to Wells at least until DPI construction is well along. There's just no reason to allow public use of the road until the public has something to get to . . . or unless the PD requires it.

It would be nice if they opened a pedestrian connection to Ping Tom Park at least, dozens of us would use it.

[JMKeynes]

What a great project!

[gandalf612]

Originally Posted by gebs

Here's a new breathless rendering of the 78 with the OMA project placed in context:

As much as I love Calder's Flamingo I feel like we only need one in the city, and it's much stronger surrounded by black Mies

[Steely Dan]

^ LOL! nice catch.

[gebs]

Seriously. Someone must have been a Where's Waldo? whiz back in the day.

[woodrow]

Originally Posted by gandalf612

As much as I love Calder's Flamingo I feel like we only need one in the city, and it's much stronger surrounded by black Mies

That! And it seems Chicago stole Sheep Piece 1971-1972

[ithakas]

Originally Posted by gandalf612

As much as I love Calder's Flamingo I feel like we only need one in the city, and it's much stronger surrounded by black Mies

I am encouraged to see them putting a placeholder public art piece in the rendering, though – it feels like a missing piece in some of these mega-developments that could really add a sense of place to the "neighborhood".

I think Lake Shore East Park could use something, though they're close enough to Millennium/Maggie Daley and probably prefer keeping it more insular...

[ardecila]

I feel like the era of large-scale public sculptures has passed. That Calatrava piece at River Point is great, but I can't remember the last permanent sculpture installed downtown previous to that.

It served a purpose to humanize the impersonal complexes of Modernism, but now large developments have a range of architectural styles which are softened by warmer colors/materials and curved or angled lines. The open spaces usually lean more towards grassy lawns than granite plazas. "Activation" is achieved with events and activities rather than objects of art.

[Zapatan]

My favorite part in the DPI building, the taller towers look nice too.

Is this just a concept or could this be a reality?

Beautiful rendering. I take it the nuclear blast wave is just milliseconds away??

lol, the sun is right behind the Sears Tower.

I feel like the era of large-scale public sculptures has passed. That Calatrava piece at River Point is great, but I can't remember the last permanent sculpture installed downtown previous to that.

I take it you're just referring to Chicago and not the US as a whole, as the Hudson Yards in NY has a massive sculpture. No reason Chicago couldn't do the same for one of these new mega developments.

[sentinel]

Originally Posted by ardecila

I feel like the era of large-scale public sculptures has passed. That Calatrava piece at River Point is great, but I can't remember the last permanent sculpture installed downtown previous to that.

It served a purpose to humanize the impersonal complexes of Modernism, but now large developments have a range of architectural styles which are softened by warmer colors/materials and curved or angled lines. The open spaces usually lean more towards grassy lawns than granite plazas. "Activation" is achieved with events and activities rather than objects of art.

Huh?? Large scale public art will always be around, just depends on who is willing to pay for it.