CHICAGO | The Elysian | 686 FT / 209 M | 60 FLOORS | COM

[Taft]

Originally Posted by Kippis

Although, why most of the forumers' ire is concentrated on this building in particular and not 10 East Delaware - which is an absolute turd by any stretch of the definition - is beyond me...it must be because it's taller and more noticable

I think it is entirely because it is taller and more prominent. From the West, especially, this tower *really* stands out. I ride the brown line to work every morning and Elysian just pops out and advertises itself to me every morning. Compare that to 10 E Delaware, which is hard to pick out from any distance.

Let's put it this way: 10 E delaware going up was like dropping a turd-bomb on two block radius of Chicago while Elysian going up was like dropping a turd-bomb on a large swath of the skyline. Put in turd-bomb terms, Elysian caused a lot more crappy collateral damage.

[tommaso]

I like the building, but course I have no way of verifying that thought because I live in New York. I'd like to visit to see the details for myself. I know it's a nice building and the concept was great. However, I sense that the materials weren't up to par and that makes this building a stinker. Well, the quality of the construction does make a difference and the design unfortunately is affected by the budget as well. Yeah, Haussmann could have designed the perfect skyscraper and it would have been beautiful had it been built 100 years ago. The issue is we're trying to build a beautiful building in 2009 and we have no idea how to build it to ensure that the aesthetics are really high quality and pleasing of course. Well, if it would cost $2 billion to build The Elysian properly then we're really short on the budget side of things. I know Chicago deserves better; a better product and a more beautiful building for it's city. But, at least this is a good start for the neighborhood. I'm not saying the Elysian's neighborhood should be the Upper West Side or the Upper East. What I'm saying is, there will be a market for buildings of this design and now that we have the Elysian, we'll have a much better idea of how we will want to build one of these Elysian-type high rise residential buildings in the future. Bottom line. This Elysian should be great and it may be good, but the budget is too small to provide the modern man and woman with the aesthetics and finishes of the old world.

[VivaLFuego]

Originally Posted by Kippis

Although, why most of the forumers' ire is concentrated on this building in particular and not 10 East Delaware - which is an absolute turd by any stretch of the definition - is beyond me...it must be because it's taller and more noticable

Yes. Elysian is annoying/frustrating, but 10ED is the sort of thing architects should go to jail for.

[vandelay]

What's so bad about 10 E. Delaware? Are there any pictures of it around?

[killaviews]

I think the hotel and restaurants finally opens today.

http://chicago.grubstreet.com/2009/1...n_and_ria.html

[a chicago bearcat]

Originally Posted by photolitherland

The architect of this building obviously missed a very important lecture during college on aesthetics.

now, that would be a controversial class

and down right impossible as a lecture

I feel that the sloping portion of the roof was changed to start above the penthouse, and not halfway up it's windows for cost reasons. Although it would have made it feel more like a cap for the entire building rather than a fez for the mechanical floors

[Rizzo]

Originally Posted by vandelay

What's so bad about 10 E. Delaware? Are there any pictures of it around?

I have pretty direct view of it. I'll try and get a shot if it's not snowing like crazy out.. Basically it's painted a pretty nasty color. While the Elysian is more of a muted beige, 10 E D has warm tones that look unnatural.

[tommaso]

Uploaded on December 1, 2009
by YoChicago1

Elysian, 11 E. Walton

[tommaso]

Uploaded on October 30, 2009
by ifmuth

[uaarkson]

The second they put up those spikes at the top is the second this building goes from a 5/10 to a 6/10.

[wrab]

12/10 Elysian & !0 E Delaware:

[carfreak01]

Originally Posted by tommaso

Uploaded on December 1, 2009
by YoChicago1

Elysian, 11 E. Walton

The prefab material on the right side of the entrance is misaligned. How could they not notice that when they were installing it? Really?

[Brian.]

Originally Posted by carfreak01

The prefab material on the right side of the entrance is misaligned. How could they not notice that when they were installing it? Really?

Thats just some shadows messing with your eyes. Look closer

[carfreak01]

^You're right. I feel like an idiot.

But still, this building's ugly as sin.

[SkokieSwift]

Jobs Are on the Way!
The pessimists are wrong.
By Daniel Gross
Posted Monday, Dec. 14, 2009, at 9:42 AM ET

For most of 2009, pundits on both the left and right have insisted that the programs enacted to bring the financial system back from the brink wouldn't—and couldn't—work...

...The final step—adding full-time positions—is happening now. Services account for about 86 percent of jobs. And it's here, not in the shrunken housing and finance sectors, where the employment recovery is taking hold. The Bureau of Labor Statistics said that the service sector added 58,000 jobs in November, the second straight month of growth. Among the new services workers are the 240 employees of the Elysian, a 188-room luxury hotel that opened Dec. 9 on Chicago's Gold Coast.

So why hasn't this preponderance of evidence led to more optimism about jobs? Well, jobs are still very hard to come by. The Elysian fielded some 3,000 applications for those 240 positions...

http://www.slate.com/id/2238099/

[Northwest]

Originally Posted by uaarkson

The second they put up those spikes at the top is the second this building goes from a 5/10 to a 6/10.

Yes those spikes are really are needed to help balance it out. Since the "hat" was enlongated, perhaps the corner spikes should be as well?
Meh, Id give it a 7/10. Thats a low C grade. I cant really compain about a slender tower like this with no parking podium, despite the somewhat confused architecture.

[wrab]

^ Slender she is. The verticals are the best thing about this tower, faint praise though it may be.

12/15

[Kippis]

Originally Posted by wrabbit

These shots have to be the most flattering images of Elysian that I've seen so far...excellent photos, wrabbit! I agree that the verticality (and lack of an ugly podium) make this project infinitesimally better. Those final architectural details should go a long way in finishing off the tower. But we'll see...I'm reserving judgment for now.

[Pandemonious]

Originally Posted by wrabbit

Although it doesnt say much, the E-W slender faces make for the best angle of Elysian. This building hits the ground Clumsily, but as was said earlier I will give a little credit for not having a huge ugly parking podium. Really though, all this picture illustrates to me is just how fucking awesome the John Hancock Center really is... Elysian is a turd in comparison.

[wrab]

^ Yeah - Hancock is in all ways head & shoulders above that pack. Except that it doesn't have shoulders.