CHICAGO | General Developments

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by Via Chicago

Im not on board with the relentless push towards Times Squaring everything. People need to take a deep breath and remember that vibrant neighborhoods exist all over the world (and have for generations) without gaudy television screens slapped on the sides of buildings, and IMO using them is compensating for the lack thereof. The notion that people here are so gung ho about being force fed more advertising really makes me scratch my head....who actually wants more of this in their day to day life? The exceptions would be if it was being done in the name of art, in which case I can see some possibilities (similar to what was originally proposed for Block 37)

Who said anything about "Times Squaring" anything? There's a difference between wanting some video boards and putting them everywhere. I don't want to "times square" it, but I am not opposed to video boards in some areas at all.

[BWChicago]

Do you want to encourage more faceless buildings to be built? Opening up signage laws would mean more buildings that have permanently featureless tilt-up facades with the added enticement of advertising money.

[ardecila]

It's not about vibrancy or a lack thereof. It's about fixing the architectural eyesore podiums that blight River North.

Realistically, you'd accomplish such a thing through a zoning overlay that allows this sort of signage. It would do nothing to change architectural patterns outside of the overlay district.

[SamInTheLoop]

Blurb in Crain's last week reported on GEMS closing on their land purchase. Construction on phase I now finally scheduled to begin in the next few weeks - and not a moment too soon as they'll have just 15 months from first caisson to opening day of school. Small footprint, so doable, but very clearly on the tight side.

As for phase II, its schedule is now delayed and reportedly uncertain at present. It's always been reported that opening of phase II (upper school) would be the year following phase I (implying a construction start within 6 months of construction start of phase I, as II is a much larger and taller structure) but now that's changed to no current construction timetable.

[wierdaaron]

I haven't heard about a phase 2. Is that going to be stacked on top of phase 1 or is that another structure somewhere?

[marothisu]

* The Soho Hotel was granted a renovation building permit yesterday for $15 million in the West Loop (near Green & Randolph)

http://chicago.curbed.com/tags/soho-hotel-site

https://data.cityofchicago.org/Build...r8-5enu/295639


Looks like it's finally going to come to fruition.

* Well this isn't really big news, but it looks like Lao You Ju in Chinatown is either adding Karaoke or the space is being converted into a Karaoke place.

[nomarandlee]

Originally Posted by BWChicago

Do you want to encourage more faceless buildings to be built? Opening up signage laws would mean more buildings that have permanently featureless tilt-up facades with the added enticement of advertising money.

Good point about unintended consequences. You could put a grandfather clauses in though that would exclude any yet to be built buildings. Or you could mandate that a building has to be at least X years old before they allowed signage.

I think its an OK idea to allow some signage. I myself prefer static signage to digital signage in many cases. Who would be allowed which could be hard to regulate but if there was mostly static signage and limited digital signage I think it could work in terms of light pollution.

Originally Posted by Via Chicago

exceptions would be if it was being done in the name of art, in which case I can see some possibilities (similar to what was originally proposed for Block 37)

Ughh. How embarrassing that is. Its bad enough that the original plans for the digital freeze were dropped but the fact that they half assed the CBS street video that clearly looks incomplete is rather embarrassing. Over the last five years I've found its incomplete state to be a bigger eyesore then the shell of Waterview.

Really if they can't afford a proper screen to fit the space meant to devote to it then they should put some sleek metal panels to fill in the gaps or just take the whole video down and put up some static signage.

[wierdaaron]

Click to embiggen.


Kinda wish I had access to a better view from above.

[marothisu]

Divvy, the new bike sharing system is accepting annual memberships starting today. A bunch of stations roll out starting Sunday or next week I believe:

http://divvybikes.com/founding
http://divvybikes.com/stations

[Chicago Shawn]

Chicago used to a have a lively bright lights district along Randolph Street, back when there were more theaters before labeling it the "theater district". I think we should return to it, albiet heavily regulated and confined to a specific area. I figured that junk area of River North near rock n' roll McDonalds would be a perfect fit, complete with as mentioned before, a plaza at the Ft Dearborn Post Office. Honestly, its something that has pondered my mind for about 10-15 years now.



Source, an awesome collection of scanned post cards and brochures from the 50's and 60's...

[J_M_Tungsten]

Today
Milwaukee/Grand/Halsted

[SamInTheLoop]

Originally Posted by wierdaaron

I haven't heard about a phase 2. Is that going to be stacked on top of phase 1 or is that another structure somewhere?

2 buildings - phase II is the high school, abutting the east side of coast......

[wierdaaron]

Originally Posted by marothisu

Divvy, the new bike sharing system is accepting annual memberships starting today. A bunch of stations roll out starting Sunday or next week I believe:

http://divvybikes.com/founding
http://divvybikes.com/stations

This is interesting. I was just in Boston and they have the exact same thing, and NYC is rolling out their own version too. It appears that all of the city-run bike sharing systems use the same supplier for the bikes, stations, and infrastructure (http://www.altabicycleshare.com/) but they each have their own rules and pricing structure. Divvy is a bit cheaper than NYC's CitiBikes, and Boston's system places a $125 (I think) hold on your credit card when you get a day-pass, which Divvy claims not to.

There are a ton of stations coming. I might give it a try going to/from work. I like it. I also like how Chicago didn't sell off the naming rights like NYC did to Citi.

[MultiModal]

Originally Posted by wierdaaron

This is interesting. I was just in Boston and they have the exact same thing, and NYC is rolling out their own version too. It appears that all of the city-run bike sharing systems use the same supplier for the bikes, stations, and infrastructure (http://www.altabicycleshare.com/) but they each have their own rules and pricing structure. Divvy is a bit cheaper than NYC's CitiBikes, and Boston's system places a $125 (I think) hold on your credit card when you get a day-pass, which Divvy claims not to.

There are a ton of stations coming. I might give it a try going to/from work. I like it. I also like how Chicago didn't sell off the naming rights like NYC did to Citi.

NYC Bike share program is completely privatized while Divvy is subsidized by the city, a similiar model to DC's Capital Bike share. Alta is not the supplier they do all the planning of station location, number of bikes ect. They also handle daily operations and maintenance for a monthly fee paid by the city. Revenue goes to the city with some sale incentives for Alta. The bike supplier for Divvy is BIXI Bicycle. Also the city will most likely sell advertising later, well after its debut.

[denizen467]

One small step for Mariano's - one big leap for the near South Side?


http://www.chicagorealestatedaily.co...to-bronzeville

Mariano's, Wal-Mart push into Bronzeville
Micah Maidenberg May 29, 2013

Two big retailers are honing in on properties for new stores in Bronzeville on the South Side.

Milwaukee-based Roundy's Supermarkets Inc. plans to open a Mariano's Fresh Market on land owned by the Chicago Housing Authority near 39th Street and Martin Luther King Drive, according to a person familiar with the project.

Less than a mile from that site, at 39th and State streets, Bentonville, Ark.-based Wal-Mart Stores Inc. wants to open a supercenter, another source said.
...
“It's kind of what most retailers have been doing over the last few years — finding sites in the urban fabric, with the density that the city provides,” Todd Cabanban, principal at Chicago-based brokerage Cabanban Rubin & Mayberry LLC, said of the potential deals.

Yet parts of Bronzeville, once home to scores of public housing units that have been demolished, have grappled in recent years with vacant lots and population loss, which could complicate both companies' plans.

...

[ardecila]

As I posted in the other thread, Wal-Mart is targeting the northwest corner of 39th/State, where hundreds of kids currently attend Crispus Attucks Elementary. The fact that Wal-Mart announces these plans mere days after CPS votes to approve the school closures is tragic and even insulting.

It would make far more sense to open up at the southwest corner, which has been zoned for major retail for years now (anybody remember that awesome SOM-designed Metropolis proposal?). I guess Wal-Mart couldn't get the land.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by marothisu

* The Soho Hotel was granted a renovation building permit yesterday for $15 million in the West Loop (near Green & Randolph)

http://chicago.curbed.com/tags/soho-hotel-site

https://data.cityofchicago.org/Build...r8-5enu/295639

P.S. I forgot add that I think this is semi good to see a nice hotel in another part of town, even if it is not too far from the Loop.

[LouisVanDerWright]

Originally Posted by marothisu

P.S. I forgot add that I think this is semi good to see a nice hotel in another part of town, even if it is not too far from the Loop.

FYI, Soho House really isn't a "hotel" though. I mean it is possible for the average Joe to get a room there, but it will be difficult if it is anything like the other Soho locations. The hotel is usually booked out by Soho House members and they have priority over non-members.

We can only hope the hotel is always fully booked as Soho House members are exactly the kind of people we want visiting Chicago. I see the opening of Soho House as just another step in Chicago's developing film and entertainment industry.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by LouisVanDerWright

FYI, Soho House really isn't a "hotel" though. I mean it is possible for the average Joe to get a room there, but it will be difficult if it is anything like the other Soho locations. The hotel is usually booked out by Soho House members and they have priority over non-members.

We can only hope the hotel is always fully booked as Soho House members are exactly the kind of people we want visiting Chicago. I see the opening of Soho House as just another step in Chicago's developing film and entertainment industry.

I guess I wasn't THAT familiar with the place, but that's fine by me the way you describe it. Nonetheless, it's lodging even if it's a member's type of club and seems like a cool boutique one at that.

[urbanpln]

Originally Posted by ardecila

It would make far more sense to open up at the southwest corner, which has been zoned for major retail for years now (anybody remember that awesome SOM-designed Metropolis proposal?). I guess Wal-Mart couldn't get the land.

Wal-Mart could not work out a deal with the owners of of the land on the southwest corner. The City owned the land closer to State Street and the western most land was owned by a private individual.