CHICAGO | General Developments

[Jibba]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

i mentioned that last week. my guess is that they are already drilling.

which is unfortunate because it's an outright turd.


source: http://chicago.curbed.com/archives/2...to-the-sun.php

I really don't know why, but this does not bother me at all. In fact, I'm looking forward to it. There is something frank and functional about it that's very appealing.

[sammyg]

At least it isn't beige!

[george]

Communist bloc housing has larger windows.^ Not that there's anything wrong w that...

[LouisVanDerWright]

In another good little tidbit of news for North/Clyborn (this area really needs to get a real name for itself if it is going to keep booming like this):

A 156 room hotel has landed financing and is slated to go up at the corner of Weed and Fremont. Any idea which corner that is? I assume it is probably the East side of the street in that big lot left over from the SONO construction.


Via Curbed

If I had my druthers I'd say that looks like an Aloft Hotel. Really really interesting news though. The construction of a hotel here completely changes the equation in the area. With the construction of New City and this hotel, the area is going to be so choked with auto's that it will be forced to become more pedestrian as it is already basically intolerable to drive through this area.

Also, let me just go back to that comment I made a while ago about this becoming a mini skyscraper district. Between New City, Sono's, the existing highrises to the East, and now this midrise, there is quite the little cluster of density forming here. Hell, if we can weed out even just one or two of the strip malls in this area it is going to really feel like an actual neighborhood and not just a little slice of Schaumburg.

[the urban politician]

^ Thanks for finding that rendering. Couldn't agree more. With this, other developments, and rising property values those parking lots will eventually have to bite the dust.

[ardecila]

Yeah, that's got to be an Aloft. That's actually a good choice for a hotel that will basically cap off Weed Street... the whole design scheme feels like a trendy club, and they do a lot of innovative things inside the rooms to save space. I like how the bent roof will create a little sculptural shape on the mini-skyline there - it will look good nestled next to the SoNo towers.

I agree that a hotel here is an interesting move - great access to transit into downtown, neighborhood entertainment/shopping, not far from the Kennedy. If I were Structured, I would have planned the foundations for a hotel in New City, which could be added atop a retail podium at a later date.

[Rizzo]

I remember seeing that rendering awhile back. From some of the other Aloft buildings I've seen, the materials are pretty good.

[denizen467]

Originally Posted by LouisVanDerWright

Any idea which corner that is?

Per yesterday's Crain's article, it's on the east side of Fremont. So that rules out the giant sw corner parcel that was just levelled. The address (1523 North) suggests it's on the sliver of land left over after SoNo I construction. That looks almost too narrow, although a limited-service hotel with single-loaded corridors might work there, especially since there are no views to the east anyway. Otherwise it might be using the empty lot north of there, surrounded by the Grossinger building.

[ardecila]

Even with a double-loaded corridor that Aloft shown in the elevation would need another three stories to reach 156 rooms. The first three floors are almost certainly a mix of parking, lobby/amenities, and tenant retail.

[marothisu]

Not a bad design - safe. I like how there are hotels and small inns now being built outside of the greater downtown area. I think if more of that happens, it will spur some new development in those areas, if not new construction then at least new business maybe.

[LouisVanDerWright]

Originally Posted by ardecila

Even with a double-loaded corridor that Aloft shown in the elevation would need another three stories to reach 156 rooms. The first three floors are almost certainly a mix of parking, lobby/amenities, and tenant retail.

Unless they have few amenities and are going to valet parking into the garages at Sono or other nearby buildings.

[brian_b]

Originally Posted by Jibba

I really don't know why, but this does not bother me at all. In fact, I'm looking forward to it. There is something frank and functional about it that's very appealing.

I've never seen a building rendering that included visible caissons. It would be really damn cool if the finished building had exposed caissons thanks to the highway embankment.

[Rizzo]

Originally Posted by ardecila

Even with a double-loaded corridor that Aloft shown in the elevation would need another three stories to reach 156 rooms. The first three floors are almost certainly a mix of parking, lobby/amenities, and tenant retail.

I'm assuming it's going to be an odd shape, like an L or U configuration. I counted maybe 70-75 rooms if what we see in the elevation is just 1 bar shaped layout in plan, double loaded corridor.

[marothisu]

Not as cool as a a hotel near North & Clybourn but in case anyone missed it. I think one of the structures is a parking structure. Nonetheless, it gets rid of two big vacant lots.

Originally Posted by marothisu

The new Malcolm X college campus buildings on the Near West Side received two building permits (totalling $14 million) for 1820 and 1900 w Jackson yesterday. This is just north of I-290 and the Illinois Medical District Blue Line stop and just south of United Center on some vacant lots.

Refresher: http://chicago.curbed.com/archives/2...renderings.php

Also, the Ukrainian Institute of Art is planning a $1 Million expansion into the parking lot in back of them (which is adjacent to an alleyway).

http://www.chicagogrid.com/features/...n-architecture

[the urban politician]

^ my concern is what happens to the old Malcolm X College

[sentinel]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

^ my concern is what happens to the old Malcolm X College

That's being converted into a new High School for the Arts, by CPS. At least, that was the plan a number of months ago as released by the City.

[the urban politician]

^. Nope, that plan has been cancelled, hence my concern

[sentinel]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

^. Nope, that plan has been cancelled, hence my concern

Source? Recently? I wasn't aware of that.

[ardecila]

The original plan was to relocate ChiArts into the Malcolm X building but they recently decided to use the now-shuttered Lafayette School instead, citing lower renovation costs.

Unfortunately my guess is that Malcolm X is gonna become a huge white elephant. Maybe CPS should host a competition for reuse proposals. Unfortunately I doubt that will ever happen in a city where schools are a commodity to be handed over to the latest charter flavor-of-the-month. I'm just glad CPS has been hiring good architects like John Ronan.

[Mr Downtown]

Stanley Tigerman to design addition to Ukrainian Museum of Modern Art.

http://www.chicagogrid.com/features/...-architecture/