CHICAGO | General Developments

[ardecila]

What's wrong with the 90s in LA? Back when Frank Gehry was still doing interesting small projects...

Steppenwolf is kind of odd though. That loading dock is poorly handled for sure, especially since it faces the front of the building and not the back! The renderings show that they want to put a sculptural "gate" that swings across the space and turns it into a plaza on theater nights. Nice idea but seems like the kind of thing that will get abandoned quickly by the operations people... or value engineered out before they even put the gate in. Would be better to provide good architecture here.

[Via Chicago]

yeah at this point its still pretty hard to tell what the final execution will wind up looking like.

[LA21st]

Originally Posted by ardecila

What's wrong with the 90s in LA? Back when Frank Gehry was still doing interesting small projects...

Steppenwolf is kind of odd though. That loading dock is poorly handled for sure, especially since it faces the front of the building and not the back! The renderings show that they want to put a sculptural "gate" that swings across the space and turns it into a plaza on theater nights. Nice idea but seems like the kind of thing that will get abandoned quickly by the operations people... or value engineered out before they even put the gate in. Would be better to provide good architecture here.

It does look like something you'd see in West Hollywood lol

[BVictor1]

https://www.chicagobusiness.com/greg...moving-forward

GREG HINZ ON POLITICS
September 24, 2020 02:26 PM UPDATED 4 HOURS AGO

Big, green rebuild of North Lake Shore Drive moving forward

The $3 billion project includes beach space and an eye-catching new park, but it still needs funding and is years away from completion.

The cost is huge, upwards of $3 billion, and the funding source is uncertain. But local transportation planners are driving ahead with plans for a splashy, climate-friendly rebuild of North Lake Shore Drive intended to make it more a path through the park than a frenzied expressway.

The centerpiece of the plan, a refined version of a proposal first unveiled three years ago that soon will be the subject of a virtual public hearing, is a much expanded Oak Street Beach that would push farther into Lake Michigan via landfill. That would allow a rebuilt drive to curve at a less steep angle and pave the way for development of a major park behind it to the southwest.

Combined with other landfill south past Chicago Avenue that would replace the stoplight there with an overpass, the lakeshore would gain “a minimum” of 59 new acres of green space from Navy Pier north to the end of the drive at Hollywood Avenue.

“The North Lake Shore Drive project team has reached a critical milestone in the study process as we prepare to recommend a narrowed range of alternatives to be carried forward to the next stage of analysis,” planners from the Chicago and Illinois Departments of Transportation said in releasing new details of where things stand. Further information may come at a briefing scheduled for Sept. 25.

[Bonsai Tree]

^^Imma be honest, why the hell is this even still being considered?

[glowrock]

Originally Posted by Bonsai Tree

^^Imma be honest, why the hell is this even still being considered?

Well, if nothing's done in terms of shoreline protection, LSD itself is probably going to crumble into Lake Michigan in places, so I'd say something HAS to be done. I'd have to read far more details to give an informed opinion on this proposal, but on first glance it seems very promising.

It would take a hell of a lot of "angel billionaire investment" to get it off the ground, though.

Aaron (Glowrock)

[ardecila]

The bus lanes are also much needed to speed buses through the traffic jams between Fullerton and Oak. Honestly they should just paint the bus lanes on the existing highway.

This may be a good strategy so that the North Red Line can be rebuilt with long-term station closures.

[marothisu]

1) There was a permit issued yesterday to build a new 4 story, 89 unit building with 117 parking spaces at 133 S Ashland. That is the NE corner of Ashland & Adams near Skinner Park. Currently a vacant lot - the previous 2 story building was torn down in the last 2 years. Difference being that there was a surface parking lot in the previous too. Given the number of units and floors, I'd expect most of the lot to be taken up.

Looks like Michigan Avenue Real Estate Group with Jerry Reinsdorf might be behind this. If I had to guess, it's probably going to look the same as the mediocre looking 4 story residential buildings from MAREG that have gone up in the same area, such as the one at Adams & Laflin. Or perhaps one of their other buildings up the street at 21 S Ashland (https://www.google.com/maps/place/21...3!4d-87.666314). Nonetheless, it should at least make that area a little more seamless urbanity wise.

More recently:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/13...!4d-87.6663178

Before previous building demolition:
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.8793...7i13312!8i6656

2) New construction permit was finally issued for 61 W Erie in River North - between Dearborn and Clark. Current scope is 6 stories tall with 28 units and only 2 parking spaces.

A more recent (but probably somewhat outdated) rendering via https://www.buzzbuzzhome.com/us/sixtyone-west-erie:


More recently:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/61...!4d-87.6304742

Before demolition:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/61...!4d-87.6304742

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by marothisu

1) There was a permit issued yesterday to build a new 4 story, 89 unit building with 117 parking spaces at 133 S Ashland. That is the NE corner of Ashland & Adams near Skinner Park. Currently a vacant lot - the previous 2 story building was torn down in the last 2 years. Difference being that there was a surface parking lot in the previous too. Given the number of units and floors, I'd expect most of the lot to be taken up.

Looks like Michigan Avenue Real Estate Group with Jerry Reinsdorf might be behind this. If I had to guess, it's probably going to look the same as the mediocre looking 4 story residential buildings from MAREG that have gone up in the same area, such as the one at Adams & Laflin. Or perhaps one of their other buildings up the street at 21 S Ashland (https://www.google.com/maps/place/21...3!4d-87.666314). Nonetheless, it should at least make that area a little more seamless urbanity wise.

Yes, this was part of the arrangement that Cedar Street brokered when they bought the YMCA property (almost a full block). Cedar Street specializes in dense rentals aimed at highly mobile young people - I almost said Millennials but I guess it's starting to be Zoomers now as well. Anyway, the community did not want Cedar Street's density levels across the entire site and wanted some owner-occupied housing as well, so Cedar Street broke off a chunk and sold it to MAREG.

MAREG's buildings are boring but they work fine on a quiet residential block like Laflin. On Ashland they are utterly wrong - their existing building has residential terraces at grade, facing two of the busiest streets in the city. Miserable, awful design, just asking for no privacy and burglaries. They need to either do mixed-use with retail, or sink the 1st floor a few feet below grade like all-residential buildings used to do and put parking/storage there.

[Ricochet48]

Wow that River North filler on 61 W Erie really got downgraded, what a missed opportunity. I'll definitely get an upfront look at it going up as I frequent Kman for pints haha.

[Handro]

Originally Posted by ardecila

Yes, this was part of the arrangement that Cedar Street brokered when they bought the YMCA property (almost a full block). Cedar Street specializes in dense rentals aimed at highly mobile young people - I almost said Millennials but I guess it's starting to be Zoomers now as well. Anyway, the community did not want Cedar Street's density levels across the entire site and wanted some owner-occupied housing as well, so Cedar Street broke off a chunk and sold it to MAREG.

MAREG's buildings are boring but they work fine on a quiet residential block like Laflin. On Ashland they are utterly wrong - their existing building has residential terraces at grade, facing two of the busiest streets in the city. Miserable, awful design, just asking for no privacy and burglaries. They need to either do mixed-use with retail, or sink the 1st floor a few feet below grade like all-residential buildings used to do and put parking/storage there.

I just walked by on Monday actually, and was in awe at just how terrible this design flaw was. If someone had been eating on their "patio" I could have eaten right off their plate.

[Randomguy34]

Originally Posted by ardecila

Yes, this was part of the arrangement that Cedar Street brokered when they bought the YMCA property (almost a full block). Cedar Street specializes in dense rentals aimed at highly mobile young people - I almost said Millennials but I guess it's starting to be Zoomers now as well. Anyway, the community did not want Cedar Street's density levels across the entire site and wanted some owner-occupied housing as well, so Cedar Street broke off a chunk and sold it to MAREG.

MAREG's buildings are boring but they work fine on a quiet residential block like Laflin. On Ashland they are utterly wrong - their existing building has residential terraces at grade, facing two of the busiest streets in the city. Miserable, awful design, just asking for no privacy and burglaries. They need to either do mixed-use with retail, or sink the 1st floor a few feet below grade like all-residential buildings used to do and put parking/storage there.

MAREG has gotten somewhat better with their designs. Here's their recent proposal in Oak Park, hopefully 133 S. Ashland still looks better than this




https://www.oakpark.com/News/Article...spite-critics/

[nomarandlee]

Originally Posted by Bonsai Tree

^^Imma be honest, why the hell is this even still being considered?

As much as I hate to admit it I have to agree. Though who wouldn't love a rebuild there with increased parkland and accessibility that price tag, woof.
So much could be done with 3billion dollar elsewhere in so many other areas, including other Chicago parks. That price tag could probably cover both the IC tracks and Kenney Cap through downtown and still have 1.5billion left over. It could also help build the last 4more miles of N.LSD and enhance S.LSD lakefront parks.

Not to mention I worry about if this redesign will properly account in the scenario of potentially increasing water levels. Will gently sloping beaches be enough to keep water levels from eroding lakefront or even the Drive itself?

[Mr Downtown]

^Remember that both federal and state highway trust funds have dedicated revenue sources that can't be diverted to other needs.

[west-town-brad]

Originally Posted by Mr Downtown

^Remember that both federal and state highway trust funds have dedicated revenue sources that can't be diverted to other needs.

our $0.38 per gallon gas tax at work!

[r18tdi]

Originally Posted by marothisu

New construction permit was finally issued for 61 W Erie in River North - between Dearborn and Clark. Current scope is 6 stories tall with 28 units and only 2 parking spaces.

I thought this one needed zoning approval since they were considering a switch to a Sonder Hotel? Sounds like they're doing a TOD rental instead.

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by Mr Downtown

^Remember that both federal and state highway trust funds have dedicated revenue sources that can't be diverted to other needs.

Yeah but how much of that $3bn price tag is eligible for funding from those sources? Seems like a lot of the cost is related to lakefill, flood prevention/coastal work and park projects.

In a big-picture sense, LSD is a unique road with unique needs, I'm not sure we want to take a huge amount of Federal money with strings attached. Will IDOT need to raise the speed limit and embrace design standards for faster speeds? Will huge signage and glaring lighting be required? etc etc.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by r18tdi

I thought this one needed zoning approval since they were considering a switch to a Sonder Hotel? Sounds like they're doing a TOD rental instead.

Oh there's ground floor retail too. Who knows what the deal is, but this is the text for the permit:

"NEW 6-STY RETAIL AND 28 RESIDENTIAL UNITS W/ (7 AS EFFICIENCY UNITS AND 21 AS DWELLING UNITS) 2 PARKING SPACES AS PER PLANS.(conditional permit subject to field inspections)"

[emathias]

Originally Posted by BVictor1

https://www.chicagobusiness.com/greg...moving-forward

GREG HINZ ON POLITICS
September 24, 2020 02:26 PM UPDATED 4 HOURS AGO

Big, green rebuild of North Lake Shore Drive moving forward

The $3 billion project includes beach space and an eye-catching new park, but it still needs funding and is years away from completion.

I'd love to see this. If they do it, I think they should construct the expressway portion so that it could theoretically serve a "Lower Michigan" if the city ever decided to do that for BRT.

[the urban politician]

^ I’d love to see that project happen