CHICAGO | Highrise Projects & Construction, v7

[chicubs111]

Originally Posted by emathias

Officially, when the Post Office does vacate it, the City would like that block to turn into a park. It's part of the Central Area Action Plan to create a Ft. Dearborn park there. See the last page on this.

Well that sound promising as long as they make it something special... similiar to Bryant park in NYC would be what chicago needs... no more "front lawn" type parks..we played them out enough

[sentinel]

Originally Posted by emathias

Officially, when the Post Office does vacate it, the City would like that block to turn into a park. It's part of the Central Area Action Plan to create a Ft. Dearborn park there. See the last page on this.

That's from 2009, has it been updated recently?

Either way, considering where this prime parcel of land is located, I doubt it won't be developed, in another cycle, if not sooner...

[emathias]

Originally Posted by sentinel

That's from 2009, has it been updated recently?

Either way, considering where this prime parcel of land is located, I doubt it won't be developed, in another cycle, if not sooner...

The City can't kick out the USPS, so they're basically waiting on their timeline. Considering it's been in City plans for 30+ years I think the City will turn it into a park when they have the chance, even though it may take longer than anyone would prefer.

[10023]

Originally Posted by chicubs111

Well that sound promising as long as they make it something special... similiar to Bryant park in NYC would be what chicago needs... no more "front lawn" type parks..we played them out enough

Madison Square Park is the model to follow. Bryant Park is dominated by the NY public library.

I think the McDonald's block is a better place for a park. It fronts LaSalle (a major boulevard), but there's more developable land around it, which means better buildings and uses fronting said park. In the case of the post office block, you're stuck with some crappy 90s condo towers and their massive parking structures. Hardly the way to create a great public space.

[marothisu]

I love Bryant Park - if that part of River North really built up, all high rises, it could be similar, though of course smaller. Madison Square Park is nice too

[spyguy]

I agree with 10023 on this whole River North park idea. At least 2/4 sides facing USPS are not exactly pretty, plus it's very close to the Blue line making it attractive for housing/office/hotel/retail. On the other hand, every side facing McDonald's is ripe for development - Best Western, Ohio House, BP, Portillo's, Hard Rock, Rainforest Cafe, Walgreens. River North could improve drastically with the right architects and developments in that area.

Originally Posted by Jibba

1001 W Chicago

[the urban politician]

^ You are in your 11th year of being awesome, Spyguy.

The way this presents such a bold presence to such a low rise streetscape really is exciting. It feels like 1925 again (minus the ornamentation!)

[emathias]

Washington Square Park in New York would also be a good model, too. Ot has a nice mix of hard surfaces and grassy areas. Especially if the City could spring for some sort of iconic memorial or artwork as memorable as the Washington Square Arch.

Jamison Square (one of my favorite places) or Pioneer Courthouse Square in Portland, although both of those are a lot more hard-surfaced than many might want for a park, would be good models.

[VKChaz]

Originally Posted by 10023

..

I think the McDonald's block is a better place for a park. It fronts LaSalle (a major boulevard), but there's more developable land around it, which means better buildings and uses fronting said park. In the case of the post office block, you're stuck with some crappy 90s condo towers and their massive parking structures. Hardly the way to create a great public space.

That is one of the reasons I like it as well. It doesn't take much vision to see how could become something really special if looked at holistically. And in that location, there is the option to go more toward an entertainment-like feel or a more greenery-heavy park feel - plenty of options.

[LouisVanDerWright]

They should just do a eminent domain land swap between the McDonalds block and Post Office. I don't think McDonalds could even complain since the Post Office block is a slightly more prime location than the McDonalds block a bit further West. I agree that a park would be perfect where McDonalds is. Nowhere else in River North makes anywhere near as much sense. Oh and please upzone the shit out of every block adjacent to it.

[James_Mac]

Fun with cranes at 215 W. Lake. Photo taken 11:20 this morning (11/21).

[r18tdi]

Originally Posted by James_Mac

Fun with cranes at 215 W. Lake.

Must be T/O

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by emathias

Washington Square Park in New York would also be a good model, too. Ot has a nice mix of hard surfaces and grassy areas. Especially if the City could spring for some sort of iconic memorial or artwork as memorable as the Washington Square Arch.

Jamison Square (one of my favorite places) or Pioneer Courthouse Square in Portland, although both of those are a lot more hard-surfaced than many might want for a park, would be good models.

A River North block is a fraction of the size of those New York squares.

The Portland ones are a little more similar, size-wise... I haven't been, but Jamison Square seems pretty similar to Mary Bartelme Park in West Loop (with a better design). Sort of a residential, neighborhood character.

A River North park would probably want to be similar to (NY) Union Square in character... a large hardscape area for performers, greenmarket, etc with the rest as passive recreational green space. I'm agnostic on whether it should go on the Post Office or McDonalds site, but the Post Office site could potentially be expanded a few feet into Grand, Clark, or Dearborn (by reducing lanes or eliminating parking) while the McDonalds site is pretty landlocked by auto sewers on Ohio, Ontario, and LaSalle. The podium of Grand Plaza is pretty ugly, but the park could include a pavilion on the east end to camouflage the ugly podium. The south and west sides of the Post Office site are actually pretty nice with several vintage buildings.

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by ardecila

A River North block is a fraction of the size of those New York squares.

yeah, i don't think people realize how small river north blocks are. you'll never get a byrant park or washington square or any of those famous NYC squares on the McD's block.

washington square: 10.0 acres
madison square park: 6.3 acres
bryant park: 5.7 acres
union square: 5.5 acres


McD's block: 1.6 acres



the portland examples mentioned are a much more apt comparison.

pioneer square: 1.0 acres
jamison square: 1.1 acres

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by ardecila

A River North block is a fraction of the size of those New York squares.

I don't think they meant the size - though remember Washington Square Park makes 3 streets terminate kind of unnaturally while the streets beside it don't terminate (MacDougal and Washington Square East - both turn into other streets but it's only a name). What they did would be like making LaSalle terminate around there and making a few of those buildings into the park.

But remember, there are a lot of smaller parks/plazas in Manhattan like Gramercy Park, which is 2 acres and not much bigger than the McDonald's site. Then there's places like Father Demo Square which is more like the Viagra Triangle at 1/4 acre.

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by marothisu

But remember, there are a lot of smaller parks/plazas in Manhattan like Gramercy Park, which is 2 acres and not much bigger than the McDonald's site. Then there's places like Father Demo Square which is more like the Viagra Triangle at 1/4 acre.

New York obviously has great public spaces, but none of them are really a great comparison for the River North situation, either because they're a different scale or because the surrounding neighborhood has a different character.

Gramercy Park is a residential square open only to adjacent landowners and kept under lock and key. Not exactly the great civic meeting space that I think most forumers are envisioning for River North...

I like (ironically) Post Office Square in Boston, which is almost an identical situation to River North... it was a lowrise garage in the 20th century until replaced with an underground parking garage and surface park in 2009. The design blends green space and hardscape elements well, and the surrounding neighborhood is a similar downtown location. https://www.asla.org/2014awards/381.html

[10023]

Washington Square Park is surrounded by residential and academic buildings. Not a great comparator (in fact it's more like Chicago's own Washington Square). And it's in a historically bohemian neighborhood, with a vibe in the park to match.

Obviously this is smaller than Madison Square Park, but the surroundings could be the same - i.e., a mixture of office, retail/restaurants and hotels. You could even have a greenmarket and stick a Shake Shack in it (or across the street, with outdoor seating in the park). Great place for temporary public art exhibits, too.

[Jim in Chicago]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

yeah, i don't think people realize how small river north blocks are. you'll never get a byrant park or washington square or any of those famous NYC squares on the McD's block.

washington square: 10.0 acres
madison square park: 6.3 acres
bryant park: 5.7 acres
union square: 5.5 acres


McD's block: 1.6 acres



the portland examples mentioned are a much more apt comparison.

pioneer square: 1.0 acres
jamison square: 1.1 acres

Bryant Park does double duty, as it sits atop a major amount of NY Public Library bookstack space, sort of like the garages under Grant Park.

[Randomguy34]

Demolition permits were issued for the 1-2 story buildings addressed 723 W. Randolph Ave. Not noteworthy to bring up except for the fact that a year ago, Equinox proposed building a 369 ft hotel at that site a year ago. The zoning of the site is DX-7, so given how skinny this parcel is, this tower could get built without having to file a zoning request. Here's a quote from the Crain's article about the parcel, written last year:

The New York-based company that runs the Equinox fitness club chain plans to open a 145-room hotel with the same name in a West Loop project proposed by Related Midwest, said Bob Aiken, vice president of Neighbors of the West Loop, a group that met with the developer about the proposal Dec. 14.

The 369-foot tower at 723-729 W. Randolph St. also would include about 20 condominiums on top, he said. The hotel-condo plan marks a shift for Chicago-based Related Midwest, which had been considering about 100 condos on the site.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/reale...est-loop-hotel

[chicubs111]

Originally Posted by Jim in Chicago

Bryant Park does double duty, as it sits atop a major amount of NY Public Library bookstack space, sort of like the garages under Grant Park.

I just want a damn park that is not a cheesy patch of turf laid out..I want fountains dammit..some decorative statues ..something that has a dramatic center piece!...I could care less really how much acreage it covers..we just need some creativity!