CHICAGO | General Developments

[joeg1985]

^ But don't we want to make Navy Pier both inviting to families and to everyone else. As it is now, when I visit, it's a horrible place that I would rather not be. It feels like walking into some awkward and outdated discovery zone/chucky cheese type place.

[the urban politician]

^ I think a middle ground can be found. But if you were to (and I'm not saying the designer has this in mind, I hope, but just for the sake of arguing) turn Navy Pier into a Mies van der Rohe, Stanley Kubrick-esque steel and glass ironic modernist paradise, I imagine it will make a LOT LESS MONEY despite being really cool for architectural enthusiasts.

You can still preserve the carnival atmosphere while making it a bit less tacky, and that's the balance I hope to see achieved.

[Justin_Chicago]

As someone that grew up near Coney Island, I want my dive atmosphere with boardwalk ruffians and great pizzerias like Totonno's nearby. Let us resurrect Riverview!

I hope this year's Uptown Carnival brings a diverse atmosphere and does not turn into a typical street fest.

http://www.uptownupdate.com/2013/05/...val-is-go.html

[marothisu]

Apparently the Connors Park (Gold Coast) Argo Tea greenhouse park deal is opening either Wednesday (22nd) or Friday (24th). I don't see any landscaping in there but I guess they could do this over a few days right?

I did notice equipment in the "building" so the opening date is believable.

[Mr Downtown]

Harrison & Federal platform has a permit on it for "DVG Productions" and talks about filming hours. So yeah, Divergent.

A helicopter lift this morning at 600 S. Federal was apparently unrelated, staging on Clark.

[spyguy]

Originally Posted by gallo

Target at Belmont/Lincoln/Ashland

Another big-box development is planned a block north, across from Whole Foods. At least there is no surface parking.

Originally Posted by george

City panel approves TIF subsidy for West Loop affordable housing/ nine-story apartment building at 727 W. Lake St.

Blah and highly visible too

[Notyrview]

It's wonderful and inspiring that new affordable housing will be located near downtown. The people in the West Loop cannot wall themselves off from the rest of the city, and poor people shouldn't be forced to live on the outskirts of town. This is a fabulous win for people who want to live in a city that is economically and racially diverse.

[Rizzo]

It's a crappy and narrow site so people shouldn't complain. Views of the freeway and the roar of the El. This building will buffer that edge. As for the architecture, not so great. There's some examples of affordable housing in other places that look much better

[the urban politician]

Tall, narrow buildings are awesome. They remind me of the kinds of buildings that were built in the 19th century. Love the use of real estate, but lets not kid ourselves. This is basically a homeless shelter. I'm not sure I'd want to live next door to this either.

But that's the beauty of city living. With enough density of people living in an area, developments like this get drowned out pretty easily.

[Mr Downtown]

^But what are we seeing in the rendering? Shallow caissons, pilotis, or piers raising the building above a parking level? Does the site slope downward moving south from Lake?

[Mikemak27]

Originally Posted by Notyrview

It's wonderful and inspiring that new affordable housing will be located near downtown. The people in the West Loop cannot wall themselves off from the rest of the city, and poor people shouldn't be forced to live on the outskirts of town. This is a fabulous win for people who want to live in a city that is economically and racially diverse.

Illinois, Cook County, the City of Chicago, CPS, CPL, CPD, CFD, city pensions for government workers, And the RTA are all running deficits or are facing insolvency. And yet the city wants to buy a prime piece of land that has unobstructed views of downtown because of the highway that would easily support a TOD 20+ story apartment or condo building that would pay millions in property taxes. This wasn't even brought in front of West Loop or Fulton River residents. We could build 261 units for the homeless at lake and western because of much cheaper property values. The west loop has come so far with all of the restaurants on Randolph, 1000k Fulton office building, and a booming apartment and condo market. Why would they put this here to set it all back a step? Who wants to walk to a restaurant on Randolph when you have to go by this building.

[Notyrview]

#whitepeopleproblems

[the urban politician]

Originally Posted by Mikemak27

Illinois, Cook County, the City of Chicago, CPS, CPL, CPD, CFD, city pensions for government workers, And the RTA are all running deficits or are facing insolvency. And yet the city wants to buy a prime piece of land that has unobstructed views of downtown because of the highway that would easily support a TOD 20+ story apartment or condo building that would pay millions in property taxes.

^ What?

The city isn't 'buying a prime piece of land' and building this.

A coalition that includes a private developer and a (likely nonprofit) housing coalition own the property and are developing it, and are receiving TIF assitance from the city. The land was purchased by the developer for $1.4 million dollars. The city doesn't own it.

[untitledreality]

Originally Posted by spyguy

Another big-box development is planned a block north, across from Whole Foods. At least there is no surface parking.

I take it that this will be occupying the old bank on the NE corner of Ashland and School?

[the urban politician]

^ That's about the best site plan you're going to get out of a big box center.

Spyguy, any idea what retailer it will be?

[Mikemak27]

"and are receiving TIF assitance from the city."

So the city is helping with the finances of building this. This prime property will generate no tax revenue with this plan now. I'm all for public housing for those in need, but not on land that can generate huge revenue that would allow for even more public housing in a cheaper area of the city.

#bankruptcityproblems

[Rizzo]

Originally Posted by Mr Downtown

^But what are we seeing in the rendering? Shallow caissons, pilotis, or piers raising the building above a parking level? Does the site slope downward moving south from Lake?

It's just a modeling mistake. Ignore it. I don't believe they intended to show all that substructure but did regardless.

[jarta]

Originally Posted by Mr Downtown

^But what are we seeing in the rendering? Shallow caissons, pilotis, or piers raising the building above a parking level? Does the site slope downward moving south from Lake?

Look again. The "alley" disappears.

I believe what you are seeing in the rendering is that the "alley" will be vacated, if necessary, and the developer will be allowed to build in air rights over what is now alley and the sloped embankment on the west side of the Kennedy - along the existing east line of the condo building just to the south of the subject property (NW corner of the Kennedy and Randolph).

Pylons would be necessary to build on the sloped Kennedy embankment. That's what the TIF grant is for, IMO. (Google the building and look at where the parking area behind the building is built out to - far to the east of the "alley.")

Just a little nibble from what most people would consider the air rights above the Kennedy expressway as a gift to the developer. It's just a precedent for later plans to pave over the expressways - but in that case - it's advertised as for parks.

Whether you like or dislike the architecture or supposed use of the property, it's a pretty slick, not very publicized move, if that's the case, which serves the short term interests of a developer - who owns a virtually unbuildable lot without doing an assemblage - and what the City considers its long term interests.

This one needs a little more transparency about what's really going to be built there in the end and what the real deal is. $3.1 in TIF money for a property that sold for $1.4M? ROFL!

[ChiHi]

Looking solely at the building aspect and skipping the socioeconomic debate. Put this thing 8 blocks south and it would blend in perfectly with the bland buildings that UIC has put up. Pretty sure there wasn't a whole lot of developers looking to put up much at this lot in the next 15 years anyway so I don't see an issue with it. There's at least 10 other much more buildable and better located lots in the West Loop to develop than this spot.

[Chicago Shawn]

Originally Posted by Mikemak27

Illinois, Cook County, the City of Chicago, CPS, CPL, CPD, CFD, city pensions for government workers, And the RTA are all running deficits or are facing insolvency. And yet the city wants to buy a prime piece of land that has unobstructed views of downtown because of the highway that would easily support a TOD 20+ story apartment or condo building that would pay millions in property taxes. This wasn't even brought in front of West Loop or Fulton River residents. We could build 261 units for the homeless at lake and western because of much cheaper property values. The west loop has come so far with all of the restaurants on Randolph, 1000k Fulton office building, and a booming apartment and condo market. Why would they put this here to set it all back a step? Who wants to walk to a restaurant on Randolph when you have to go by this building.

We are on the same page with revenue generation; but let's not kid ourselves here. No developer is going to be building market rate housing on low floors right there. Unobstructed views or not, the Kennedy and the El are loud, and generally speaking, most people want a little more buffer room when plunking down $300 per sq/ft for a condo. The first few floors of any market rate building will be parking. This mid-rise at 725 W lake will be very narrow and can serve as a screen for a parking podium on a future tower to the west. The corner of Halsted and Lake is a 1 story windowless building covered in wood slats and is a prime redevelopment opportunity. Plenty of room for both.

As far as conflicts with the restaurant row, this building also doesn't front onto Randolph and I don't see the similar SRO on Wabash causing any problems with pedestrians in the South Loop.

I kinda of like the design, looks like the typical mid-rise stuff one would see in Asia and adds a small dose of variety. The multiple colors will be necessary in visually breaking up the rather monolithic facade with those little windows.