Quote:
Originally Posted by 10023
And lastly, what’s with the gap between that building and the next one to the south (195 Harbor Drive), which leaves a bunch of LSD exposed to the park, and the park in a sort of hole with another blank wall to the south? Why not just bring all of it up to “grade” at the same level as the older buildings in the southeast corner of the neighborhood?
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The access drive to 195 Harbor is apparently untouchable, Magellan is doing its best to build park space around and over it.
Basically this site is the eastern gateway to LSE and the only direct access to the Lakefront Trail, so the site needs to provide clear and efficient paths to both the upper and lower levels of LSE. On the lower level, they are planning a cycle track that will connect through an existing tunnel to LSE Park. But they need the sloped green space to lead people between the upper and lower levels also.
Right now that end of Harbor Drive is inundated with confused tourists trying to get from Millennium/Maggie Daley Park to the lakefront and Navy Pier. Seriously, just stand there for ten minutes and several people will ask you for directions. The current path to the lakefront, descending down into LSE Park on Field Blvd or a staircase and then going through what appears to be a dark loading dock access under The Lancaster, is far from obvious, and most tourists prefer to stick to the upper level since that's where Maggie Daley Park dumps them. The other route - winding east from Maggie Daley Park down to Lower Randolph - is also not obvious, requiring several switchbacks in the park and leading across busy onramps to LSD. (It's better than it used to be, though, now that the park has been reworked.)
I don't necessarily think the tower-in-a-park model is a bad thing for this site. Looks like there is a tall retaining wall on the driveway that will clearly separate the public terraced park from the more private outdoor space around the towers. The open site plan will ensure that plenty of light and air reaches Harbor Drive from the lakefront.