CHICAGO | General Developments - Page 2415

the urban politician · #**48281** Posted **Mar 18, 2021, 2:28 PM**

Clark, Halsted and Belmont, finally seeing that parking lot I’ve hated bite the dust, but.......

https://chicagoyimby.com/2021/03/ren...lake-view.html

They are seriously going to demo that bank building? No! No!

pip · #**48282** Posted **Mar 18, 2021, 2:40 PM**

Good job Chicago

. Glad the surface lot is going though. Another beautiful old building being demoed for the 2021 version of a an urban strip mall

marothisu · #**48283** Posted **Mar 18, 2021, 2:42 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by the urban politician

Clark, Halsted and Belmont, finally seeing that parking lot I’ve hated bite the dust, but.......

https://chicagoyimby.com/2021/03/ren...lake-view.html

They are seriously going to demo that bank building? No! No!

Why the hell would they demo that building? That just pisses me off. Someone needs to fight that and get them to just take the surface lot instead.

Rizzo · #**48284** Posted **Mar 18, 2021, 3:11 PM**

Very disappointing. It’s a great bank building with all the original features. If we’re to be dealt a loss of a historic structure, at least build with substantial density. Not just more retail square footage.

OhioGuy · #**48285** Posted **Mar 18, 2021, 3:26 PM**

I have long hated that parking lot but damn I hate the loss of that beautiful old bank building. Once again Lakeview stands to replace a structure that provides some visual interest and diversity in exchange for bland monotony. Just a half mile up Clark you get this:

Meanwhile I saw this old structure incorporated into a newer taller modern building while in Melbourne, Australia. Wish we'd see more developers doing this!

west-town-brad · #**48286** Posted **Mar 18, 2021, 4:59 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by left of center

This.

What we know for certain is that the future looks to be a hybrid, mix of WFH and work in the office, something like 2-3 days on, 2-3 days off so that the entire staff isn't at the office at the same time.

My thoughts on this is that this will not necessarily reduce office space requirement as dramatically as people think. Considering how germophobic people will be for years after the pandemic is officially over, sharing desks will not be a very popular idea (also a massive hassle in terms of files, personal objects, storage, etc.) so there will still be as many offices as there were for each employee. Pushing desks together/combining offices might be a cause for worry as well, since we have been so ingrained on social distancing and keeping a 6 foot distance. Honestly, outside of workplaces that will allow a full WFH format (which isn't likely to be the majority of employers or employees), I think we may be overblowing the demand destruction for office space in the CBD. Will it be depressed for several years, if not more? Definitely. Is it the end of vibrant downtowns as we know it? Absolutely not.

Google to spend $7 Billion on US office space expansion this year:
https://www.wsj.com/articles/google-...d=hp_lead_pos7

Handro · #**48287** Posted **Mar 18, 2021, 5:10 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by west-town-brad

Google to spend $7 Billion on US office space expansion this year:
https://www.wsj.com/articles/google-...d=hp_lead_pos7

Google announced they would be testing flexible, 2-3 days in office and 2-3 days at home once it's safe to return to work (they plan on September). So... yea. Doesn't preclude them from expanding their office footprint. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/14/t...work-week.html

Jibba · #**48288** Posted **Mar 18, 2021, 6:18 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by the urban politician

Clark, Halsted and Belmont, finally seeing that parking lot I’ve hated bite the dust, but.......

https://chicagoyimby.com/2021/03/ren...lake-view.html

They are seriously going to demo that bank building? No! No!

Quote:

Originally Posted by pip

Good job Chicago

. Glad the surface lot is going though. Another beautiful old building being demoed for the 2021 version of a an urban strip mall

Quote:

Originally Posted by marothisu

Why the hell would they demo that building? That just pisses me off. Someone needs to fight that and get them to just take the surface lot instead.

Post on their Facebook page and let them know you want the building or facade saved. Might not do anything (and their FB page likely has very little page views), but no one wants bad sentiments on their public profiles.

VKChaz · #**48289** Posted **Mar 18, 2021, 6:21 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by pip

Good job Chicago

. Glad the surface lot is going though. Another beautiful old building being demoed for the 2021 version of a an urban strip mall

I had always hoped the building to the south would be demoed. Instead it gets its evil twin

VKChaz · #**48290** Posted **Mar 18, 2021, 6:23 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jibba

Post on their Facebook page and let them know you want the building or facade saved. Might not do anything (and their FB page likely has very little page views), but no one wants bad sentiments on their public profiles.

Who is the alderman there?

ChiPlanner · #**48291** Posted **Mar 18, 2021, 7:50 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by VKChaz

Who is the alderman there?

It's Tunney- basically since this is being built as of right they can do it. Fun fact, that building was going to be included in the nearby landmark district years ago, but the bank objected- so now it can be demolished.

Long and short there's not a lot that can be done beyond raising a stink about this. Not only is it demolishing a historic building, the development goes directly against the city's TOD planning. AND this is going to be a "yet unnamed" grocery anchor much like North Center (Damen/Irving Park) as well as Lincoln Square. Why did those Alders pay attention and Tunney is turning a blind eye?

Tunney NEEDS to go. Tired design, auto-centric, poorly planned developments are the norm in Lakeview.

the urban politician · #**48292** Posted **Mar 18, 2021, 8:26 PM**

^ That serves as parking for visitors to Blue Man Group. I wonder if the need for venue parking played a role

Jibba · #**48293** Posted **Mar 18, 2021, 8:59 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChiPlanner

It's Tunney- basically since this is being built as of right they can do it. Fun fact, that building was going to be included in the nearby landmark district years ago, but the bank objected- so now it can be demolished.

Long and short there's not a lot that can be done beyond raising a stink about this. Not only is it demolishing a historic building, the development goes directly against the city's TOD planning. AND this is going to be a "yet unnamed" grocery anchor much like North Center (Damen/Irving Park) as well as Lincoln Square. Why did those Alders pay attention and Tunney is turning a blind eye?

Tunney NEEDS to go. Tired design, auto-centric, poorly planned developments are the norm in Lakeview.

Interesting -- there are three such sites (the other being Lawrence & Western). These are all Fifth Third bank sites, all slated for grocery stores, two of which are being developed by Hubbard Street Group.

I can't imagine the need for a grocery store at Belmont/Clark/Halsted; there's the Mariano's at Broadway & Wellington, and the two Whole Foods, one at Belmont/Ashland/Lincoln and one at Halsted & Waveland. And there's a great small grocer (that I shop at almost exclusively) right at Belmont & Wilton (in the old Clarke's Diner space).

ardecila · #**48294** Posted **Mar 18, 2021, 9:42 PM**

Hopefully they take the Fifth Third at Harrison/Clark in Printer's Row. Such a waste, even a 2-3 story grocery store would be a huge improvement. And it would instantly become the preferred grocery store for Printer's Row and the students nearby, since the stuff on Roosevelt is either a long walk or just actively pedestrian-hostile.

marothisu · #**48295** Posted **Mar 18, 2021, 10:45 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by west-town-brad

Google to spend $7 Billion on US office space expansion this year:
https://www.wsj.com/articles/google-...d=hp_lead_pos7

According to an article, they're expanding by at least 58,000 square feet in Chicago at 210 N Carpenter (Carpenter & Lake) with 2 additional floors of workers than they have now. At an absolute minimum this is 155 new employees. However, I'm sure it'll be more like 300-400 more. Not sure about any other plans as they were in the works to build brand new buildings in this area. Maybe that's more like 2022, 2023, etc.

Mr Downtown · #**48296** Posted **Mar 18, 2021, 11:29 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ardecila

Hopefully they take the Fifth Third at Harrison/Clark in Printer's Row.

Wait, who would take that bank?

I actually thought an Aldi in the Palmer Printing building that became part of Imprint would have been genius, serving both us South Loopers and drivers on Clark headed back to the South/Southwest Side. Those stock-up shoppers, of course, are who really make an Aldi profitable. (Things are reversed, I think, for a store like Mariano's with lots of ready-to-eat offerings. Those are more profitable in neighborhoods of small wealthy households.)

ardecila · #**48297** Posted **Mar 18, 2021, 11:51 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Downtown

Wait, who would take that bank?

The unnamed grocer who has been working with developers to build on other Fifth Third sites across the North Side (the speculation is Amazon Fresh). Bank branches seldom get redeveloped unless the branch closes first, so there must be some kind of deal with Fifth Third, maybe they will open a smaller branch in the grocery store.

So far the site plans have been pretty typical, sales floor stacked above parking. In a neighborhood like Printer's Row I hope they would reverse it to put the grocery at street level.

Mr Downtown · #**48298** Posted **Mar 19, 2021, 1:03 AM**

I wonder if that grocer was also in mind for the 525 S. Wabash project that the applicant pulled from last month's Plan Commission agenda.

Besides Amazon Fresh, I presume Bob Mariano's new Dom's Market is seeking urban locations.

F1 Tommy · #**48299** Posted **Mar 19, 2021, 2:19 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by the urban politician

Clark, Halsted and Belmont, finally seeing that parking lot I’ve hated bite the dust, but.......

https://chicagoyimby.com/2021/03/ren...lake-view.html

They are seriously going to demo that bank building? No! No!

Only in Chicago. Got to love this stupid city. By the way, we could all change banks as pay back. Boycott Fifth Third Bank for blocking the original land marking.

ardecila · #**48300** Posted **Mar 19, 2021, 4:09 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Downtown

I wonder if that grocer was also in mind for the 525 S. Wabash project that the applicant pulled from last month's Plan Commission agenda.

Besides Amazon Fresh, I presume Bob Mariano's new Dom's Market is seeking urban locations.

Yeah it's possible re:525 S. Wabash. I would hope that any redevelopment of the Harrison/Clark site could be a multi-story building with the grocery at its base. It is a pretty narrow site though so it might not be suitable for grocery.

Dom's Market is interesting. I got the impression it was more like a cross between Foxtrot and Plum Market, so not really a full-service grocer and certainly out of reach for anyone trying to live on a budget. The renderings look a lot more like Revival Food Hall than any grocery store I'm aware of.