CHICAGO | Highrise Projects & Construction, v7 - Page 877

Steely Dan · #**17521** Posted **Jul 16, 2020, 8:05 PM**

* Moderator Note *

- 300 N Michigan discussion has been moved to its dedicated thread:

https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/sho...d.php?t=240138

- Calatrava sculpture at river point discussion has been moved to the general development thread:

https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/sho...d.php?t=105764

spyguy · #**17522** Posted **Jul 18, 2020, 2:55 PM**

State Street property pitched for redevelopment

Replacing the Woolworth's buildings on State Street.

Placeholder rendering looks like a mini-300 North Michigan

BuildThemTaller · #**17523** Posted **Jul 18, 2020, 3:56 PM**

^ You know what the kids these days love, cross bracing! You have to include it!

Seriously, this site demands a facade-ectomy. Build a 500-footer glass box on top for all I care, but please save that facade at the street level.

Kumdogmillionaire · #**17524** Posted **Jul 18, 2020, 4:12 PM**

That would be a tragedy to lose the art deco facade... Please no

harryc · #**17525** Posted **Jul 18, 2020, 4:43 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kumdogmillionaire

That would be a tragedy to lose the art deco facade... Please no

Seems like it would be such an easy fit - almost like the old building was designed to have a taller tower stepped back just a bit.

harryc · #**17526** Posted **Jul 18, 2020, 9:33 PM**

July 6

Think this is the top - hadn't grown any a week later.

Chicago | 320 N Sangamon by Harry Carmichael, on Flickr

ardecila · #**17527** Posted **Jul 18, 2020, 10:21 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kumdogmillionaire

That would be a tragedy to lose the art deco facade... Please no

It's a placeholder rendering, and I'm not sure what demand there is at that location for a shiny glass highrise. I doubt the Woolworth's Building will be coming down - that area isn't the best to launch new Class A office space. Hotels haven't really caught on that far south. The Federal properties across the street remain empty and blighted.

The area is mainly educational institutions, Class C office space, and middle-class retail.

harryc · #**17528** Posted **Jul 18, 2020, 10:56 PM**

July 9

Chicago | 800 W Fulton by Harry Carmichael, on Flickr

Chicago | 800 W Fulton by Harry Carmichael, on Flickr

July 16

Chicago | 800 W Fulton by Harry Carmichael, on Flickr

harryc · #**17529** Posted **Jul 19, 2020, 12:50 AM**

July 9

from Kinzie/Wells

Chicago | Omni Grand by Harry Carmichael, on Flickr

July 13

Chicago | Omni Grand by Harry Carmichael, on Flickr

Chicago | Omni Grand by Harry Carmichael, on Flickr

July 15

TO ?

Chicago | Omni Grand by Harry Carmichael, on Flickr

harryc · #**17530** Posted **Jul 19, 2020, 2:09 PM**

July 13

Chicago | 808 N Wells by Harry Carmichael, on Flickr

harryc · #**17531** Posted **Jul 19, 2020, 3:40 PM**

July 9

Chicago | 450 N LaSalle by Harry Carmichael, on Flickr

July 13

this angle - at this time in the morning - just perfect for my CP.

Chicago | 450 N LaSalle by Harry Carmichael, on Flickr

Chicago | 450 N LaSalle by Harry Carmichael, on Flickr

July 16

Chicago | 450 N LaSalle by Harry Carmichael, on Flickr

jc5680 · #**17532** Posted **Jul 19, 2020, 4:28 PM**

448 Lasalle - Curtain wall going in

chicubs111 · #**17533** Posted **Jul 19, 2020, 4:53 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ardecila

It's a placeholder rendering, and I'm not sure what demand there is at that location for a shiny glass highrise. I doubt the Woolworth's Building will be coming down - that area isn't the best to launch new Class A office space. Hotels haven't really caught on that far south. The Federal properties across the street remain empty and blighted.

The area is mainly educational institutions, Class C office space, and middle-class retail.

That area of the loop has so much potential...I really would love to see it transform into area similar to what you see in downtown manhatten... stone street vibe. The loop in general has so much going for it just need a vision for it and some quality exciting developments that activate the street level and continue bringing residents and tourists to area.

ardecila · #**17534** Posted **Jul 19, 2020, 5:23 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by chicubs111

That area of the loop has so much potential...I really would love to see it transform into area similar to what you see in downtown manhatten... stone street vibe. The loop in general has so much going for it just need a vision for it and some quality exciting developments that activate the street level and continue bringing residents and tourists to area.

There’s nothing wrong with that area. It’s not blighted, it doesn’t need redevelopment. The lack of a market for top-priced new construction office is not a failure.

The area has plenty of vitality and “activation”, offering space to retailers, medical, and professional service firms at a (relatively) modest cost, in an extremely transit-accessible location. When you have this type of service downtown, it allows more people to use transit for their needs or even live car free. I love that I can go to this area and see a lawyer, an accountant, or a dentist, or buy some jeans or a pair of shoes at a reasonable price, without having to drive.

If the entire loop gentrifies, then these services will be pushed out to more remote and transit-hostile locations, forcing more people to drive. And since our city is not expanding the transit system, we’d better think carefully about squandering downtown land.

harryc · #**17535** Posted **Jul 19, 2020, 6:21 PM**

July 13

Chicago | Old Town Park by Harry Carmichael, on Flickr

Chicago | Old Town Park by Harry Carmichael, on Flickr

July 16

Chicago | Old Town Park by Harry Carmichael, on Flickr

Rooted Arborial · #**17536** Posted **Jul 19, 2020, 7:39 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ardecila

It's a placeholder rendering, and I'm not sure what demand there is at that location for a shiny glass highrise. I doubt the Woolworth's Building will be coming down - that area isn't the best to launch new Class A office space. Hotels haven't really caught on that far south. The Federal properties across the street remain empty and blighted.

The area is mainly educational institutions, Class C office space, and middle-class retail.

_______________________________________________________________

Could it be that the current lack of appeal is making building in that area seem appealing? I wonder how the area compares in

property value to other areas in the loop. The current building's lines could be the base for something very distinctive and clever.

chicubs111 · #**17537** Posted **Jul 19, 2020, 9:22 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ardecila

There’s nothing wrong with that area. It’s not blighted, it doesn’t need redevelopment. The lack of a market for top-priced new construction office is not a failure.

The area has plenty of vitality and “activation”, offering space to retailers, medical, and professional service firms at a (relatively) modest cost, in an extremely transit-accessible location. When you have this type of service downtown, it allows more people to use transit for their needs or even live car free. I love that I can go to this area and see a lawyer, an accountant, or a dentist, or buy some jeans or a pair of shoes at a reasonable price, without having to drive.

If the entire loop gentrifies, then these services will be pushed out to more remote and transit-hostile locations, forcing more people to drive. And since our city is not expanding the transit system, we’d better think carefully about squandering downtown land.

I never said there was anything wrong with the area...i said it has potential to be alot more than it already is which can be said about many parts of the loop...stop being so satisfied with mediocrity...think outside the box...The loop has alot of great architecture but doesn't seem to have a identity outside of primary office..things are changing with residential being added which is step in right direction but much more can be done. The Block 37 was a major missed opportunity for something special but again it was developed by someone who was satisfied with mediocrity and the city was tired of looking at big empty plot in center of loop and got desperate to develop anything... There plenty of possibilities to create distinct sections such as to make a restaurant row in certain areas of the loop...entertainment like a major Casino/theater development opportunities would be a major draw... maybe some exciting pocket parks that aren't just a patch of grass with some cheap lawn furniture thrown about.

ardecila · #**17538** Posted **Jul 19, 2020, 10:25 PM**

^ There are thousands of students in that area in dorm buildings and several residential conversions in surrounding blocks with hundreds of units, so it's not really a ghost town. There are already plenty of restaurants and theaters scattered throughout. I have personally suggested a casino go in the Leiter II building (ex Robert Morris College) with an expansion on the vacant land behind along Wabash, so I'm not against change.

I just don't think every Class C office building in the Loop should be converted to expensive apartments in some weird pursuit of "urban vitality". You don't want a monoculture of office exclusively, but it's NOT a monoculture... we already brought in diversity of uses in the 90s and 00s. Now the challenge is to keep a mixed-use environment with cheap office space as part of the mix, instead of turning it into a bedroom community like Streeterville with a few Class A trophy office buildings thrown in.

There's a benefit to the city of having an inventory of cheap office space downtown - it helps new firms get started (hey, innovation!) and it helps established firms offer reasonable prices to their clients without an insane overhead. Keeping this space downtown keeps it at the center of the region's transit hub, which makes it more accessible to everyone. Working in architecture, I can point out 8-10 firms that located specifically in this area because it was cheap and accessible, and these firms are on the vanguard of design in the city - they are innovating and bringing talented young people to work everyday.

harryc · #**17539** Posted **Jul 20, 2020, 12:15 AM**

July 14

Chicago | 167 N. Green and 170 N. Halsted by Harry Carmichael, on Flickr

July 16

Chicago | 167 N. Green and 170 N. Halsted by Harry Carmichael, on Flickr

harryc · #**17540** Posted **Jul 20, 2020, 12:27 AM**

July 14