A few construction update photos from around the city, from this weekend. We'll start with the new highrise - a crane for The Exchange can be spotted in the distance. For more construction update photos of The Exchange, look
here:
This photo is more of a non-construction update. The recently cleared lot at the corner of John St and E Lovell St. sits quietly, as we all wait to see what Bronson Methodist Hospital proposes for the site (we know that the program will include medical labs, but I'm hoping for something mixed-use, that engages with pedestrians at street level):
There was some sidewalk repair going on though:
Farmer's Alley was getting its topcoat Saturday morning and it looks great. This and adjacent alleys were torn up for over a year as they did utility work. The rebuilt alley network in this area is an improvement for pedestrians and cyclists, offering full-width accessible sidewalks, built-out curbs, new bike racks, etc. All of the ground-floor spaces used to be retail and are being converted over to apartments:
The five-block spread of underutilized surface lots, which may finally get redeveloped as Arcadia Commons West in the coming years:
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Roofers doing some work on First Baptist Church:
I don't know what's going on here at Arcadia Creek at Festival Place - the water is mostly gone, and there are several tanks, pumps, and heavy machinery. My guess is this is a routine clean-up effort. Never seen it empty though in the two years I've lived here:
These next two are of The Foundry (open-concept office space). I am so underwhelmed with how Phase 1 (below) turned out on the exterior, although the interior looks much better:
Phase 2 is underway in the brick portion, it is intended to become a brew-pub, because there weren't enough of those already:
The Shoppes on Westnedge are humming along, bringing a little bit more of suburbia to the bottom of Westnedge Hill:
The RX Optical HQ, which I think looks better from the back...
...than the front (the side that faces Westnedge):
I was surprised to find that some equipment is on site and work is already starting at the former Illinois Envelope Company Building, on the edge of the former Bryant Paper Mill site. This 3-story, 100-year old brick building will become the new home for the County's consolidated Department of Health and Human Services, once completed Fall of next year.
Finally, a drive by of the new HomeGoods Inc. store, under construction right across the border in Portage. The furniture retailer will be adjacent to Earth Fare, which opened several years ago: