CHICAGO | General Developments

[Chicago_Forever]

The sad part is, as a student at Roosevelt, in my real estate class, I was invited to a real estate forum last Thursday titled " The Fogelson Forum". These are the guys who developed Central Station. The goal of the forum was to explore the impact of the 2004 zoning reform. I don't remember the names of the people on the panel but they were the people who actually wrote and implememted the zoning laws. Anyway, they were practically congradulating themselves on how great the zoning reform has worked. They even had the nerve to site what they believe to be a huge reduction of parking podiums and strip malls in the central city as a result of the reform. I was confused because all I could think about were all the ugly strip malls in the North/Clybourn corridor and the big ugly podiums that has going up in River North, Streeterville and countless other neighborhoods since 2004. I wanted to raise my hand and say something to that effect but I didn't for a couple reasons.

[denizen467]

^^ Like I said it was dark, and after seeing a gray concrete wall there all summer and expecting the worst, one glance at it had me excitedly thinking of the image ardecila posted. If it really is just painted precast, it's the first time I've seen that much effort put into precast where they easily could have gotten away with doing less. I don't know how much cheaper this all is to construct compared to the ideal large-scale retail for such a neighborhood, but frankly this is big progress considering all that has come before. Also, someone bothered to do something different on the facade flanking the entrance (not sure what that texture is called). It may ultimately be a pig with lipstick, but I hope it at least draws a line for minimum acceptable quality for the neighborhood, since blank monotone beige precast could pop up at any one of these non-marquee development sites at any time.

[JDMChicago]

They even had the nerve to site what they believe to be a huge reduction of parking podiums and strip malls in the central city as a result of the reform. I was confused because all I could think about were all the ugly strip malls in the North/Clybourn corridor and the big ugly podiums that has going up in River North, Streeterville and countless other neighborhoods since 2004. I wanted to raise my hand and say something to that effect but I didn't for a couple reasons.[/QUOTE]


Jesus, really? Because I can think of only a handful of post 2004 buildings with underground parking. You should have slapped them. That is crazy talk.

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by Joe Zekas

Buy Buy Baby on Kingsbury by YoChicago1, on Flickr

Shot taken last Tuesday, 9/25.

Just awful

[Joe Zekas]

Ravenswood Hospital site by YoChicago1, on Flickr

Shot from a helicopter 3 weeks ago by Mike Scotty. Some high-wire graffiti on the building.

CBS News reported yesterday that demolition has begun on the site of the new Lycee Francais.

[emathias]

Originally Posted by Chicago_Forever

...
I wanted to raise my hand and say something to that effect but I didn't for a couple reasons.

Should have asked, not in a confrontational way, just using the "I'm really dumb and I don't understand when you say A and I see B, can you explain?" method. (I'm not saying you're dumb, I'm suggesting that in some situations it's helpful to *play* dumb)

[ChiTownCity]

Originally Posted by vxt22

Even the Feds haven't even stopped this stuff, either. We've got GSA threatening at least one of the Consumers Building and the Century Building. Why, you ask? The reason is ludicrous -- the expansion decision is based on security concerns due to the proximity of the federal center. HELLO!? This is the loop, for christ's sake. If you want to demolish or occupy every building in a block radius of the federal center, then move to the exurbs!

Hell, I'm still peeved that the feds demolished the old federal building after they got finished demolishing an entire city block for the new one -- a block which included, among other things, Root's Great Northern Hotel.

But, and this is the most ludicrous, get a load of this:

At 63rd and Central near Midway there's a three story mixed use corner building constructed in the 20s by an immigrant family that still considers it a point of major pride and accomplishment. The city wants to demolish it because...

they claim that somebody could shoot an RPG at a nearby national guard station from its windows!!!

WHAT!? We shouldn't allow this -- this building was fully occupied and an anchor for the community. Now it has been bought under threat of eminent domain, and the tenants are being forcefully removed.

Story here!
http://achicagosojourn.blogspot.com/...y-winning.html
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2...vation-chicago

Here's a more recent update:
http://swnewsherald.com/want-clearin...ed-p1988-1.htm


Now this is something worth protesting about -- on principle!!! Wish I knew how to get Emanuel's attention.

Keep us updated. I seriously hope the idiots aren't actually stupid enough to tear that down for a reason like that... but then again

[ChiTownCity]

Originally Posted by Joe Zekas

Ravenswood Hospital site by YoChicago1, on Flickr

Shot from a helicopter 3 weeks ago by Mike Scotty. Some high-wire graffiti on the building.

CBS News reported yesterday that demolition has begun on the site of the new Lycee Francais.

What are they demo-ing this for? I've been meaning to go up there for the longest and now they're knocking it down...

[Buckman821]

Originally Posted by ChiTownCity

What are they demo-ing this for? I've been meaning to go up there for the longest and now they're knocking it down...

Because its an eyesore and it attracts the worst elements of society in an otherwise nice neighborhood.

Plus this...





more:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/57202057/LFC-Handout

[ChiTownCity]

Destroy a nice visually dense complex for some more sterile POS. Sure is an upgrade...

[Rizzo]

Originally Posted by ChiTownCity

Destroy a nice visually dense complex for some more sterile POS. Sure is an upgrade...

One and a half buildings are being torn down of your beautiful complex. You'll still have the density and the new school. Though I'd like to see the rest of the complex go for better buildings....possibly even taller ones The existing condition isn't exactly the kind of density I like. And I'm surprised you don't think the existing condition is sterile....I means it's a 70's style hospital...it's sterile to me.

[Rizzo]

Originally Posted by denizen467

^^ Like I said it was dark, and after seeing a gray concrete wall there all summer and expecting the worst, one glance at it had me excitedly thinking of the image ardecila posted. If it really is just painted precast, it's the first time I've seen that much effort put into precast where they easily could have gotten away with doing less. I don't know how much cheaper this all is to construct compared to the ideal large-scale retail for such a neighborhood, but frankly this is big progress considering all that has come before. Also, someone bothered to do something different on the facade flanking the entrance (not sure what that texture is called). It may ultimately be a pig with lipstick, but I hope it at least draws a line for minimum acceptable quality for the neighborhood, since blank monotone beige precast could pop up at any one of these non-marquee development sites at any time.

I think general consensus is that we have a strip mall in central area neighborhood and that's bad. I mean this is pretty much what I expected. But some things impress people more than others. I will say that the materials would make a pretty nice warehouse or industrial building.

[Ch.G, Ch.G]

Originally Posted by ChiTownCity

Destroy a nice visually dense complex for some more sterile POS. Sure is an upgrade...

Sterile POS? Are you blind?

[ardecila]

In defense of the Kingsbury development, they did include those lightboxes for pedestrian-scaled ads on the rear elevations. It is lipstick, but it's more than we're used to seeing...

[StormFire]

Originally Posted by Mr Downtown

A bridge at 14th seems unlikely so long as the railyards across the river remain undeveloped. When the Olympic stadium is built atop the railyards (for use by UIC and the Fire afterwards), maybe we can throw in a bridge.

It this your own personal fantasy and/or was this ever talked about? I LOVE the idea personally, but all I remember hearing about was the stadium/Washington Park proposal and nothing about what you alluded to above.

[Rizzo]

Originally Posted by ardecila

In defense of the Kingsbury development, they did include those lightboxes for pedestrian-scaled ads on the rear elevations. It is lipstick, but it's more than we're used to seeing...

Like a clown? Lol

[a chicago bearcat]

Originally Posted by StormFire

It this your own personal fantasy and/or was this ever talked about? I LOVE the idea personally, but all I remember hearing about was the stadium/Washington Park proposal and nothing about what you alluded to above.

pure fantasy, but what an Olympic Village/Stadium complex that would be, across the river from each other, excuse me while I continue daydreaming for the next hr about a Sloop Olympics and not having to commute 90 minutes out to the Fire game tonight...

[J_M_Tungsten]

Northwestern addition
Now

[Swicago Swi Sox]

^^It's a little skinny for my taste, but I do like the red color.... http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/imag...lies/smile.gif

[J_M_Tungsten]

Lol, it's a one man, dream home!