CHICAGO | General Developments

[denizen467]

From a distance it looks like Michael Reese - the original old building - may be partially demolished now, with various machinery still on site. This one ended up getting a stealthily-imposed death sentence, right? Or is any part of it supposed to be saved (in addition to the one Gropius)? I wonder if a new mayor stepping in now could change its fate...

[Beta_Magellan]

Yeah, I was surprised to see the original Reese buildings destroyed when passing by on Metra—I was under the impression that they were of some architectural significance (and because they aren’t—weren’t—modern they’d be spared).

Looks like they’re going for near-total blank slate to me. I remember Daley talking about the possibility of a research park on the site, but I’m pretty sure he was just thinking of something off the top of his head and it wasn’t something that was under active development.

[BWChicago]

No, main Reese is a goner. The city said that it got trashed because they didn't secure it well and that roof leaks finished the job. Just another travesty. To add insult, Urban Remains tried repeatedly to get permission to salvage the terra cotta and Brandenburg Wrecking shut them out. So it's all going to the landfill. The one gropius will be the only survivor for now, and there's no guarantee the same won't happen to it.

[BWChicago]

On the fence subject, does anyone have an idea on how people get away with fencing in their PARKWAYS? Now THAT really looks trashy.

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=rockwe...vb51emtLpCOi5w

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by BWChicago

To add insult, Urban Remains tried repeatedly to get permission to salvage the terra cotta and Brandenburg Wrecking shut them out. So it's all going to the landfill.

This makes no sense. Presumably Urban Remains would pay for the salvage rights? Brandenburg must be acting on principle (or out of spite) in order to turn down what is essentially free money for them.

***

I've never seen the parkway fencing before. I'm guessing the resident/s must grow vegetables or something, and they don't want people to steal them?

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by Hayward

I've never been big on semi-public spaces or plazas on large residential development. In my industry, architects always seem to love it. But the spaces rarely get occupied, or when they do, it's by a bunch of skateboarders (heh, I've been guilty actually), homeless, or some other awkward gathering. I miss when it was the city that built parks. Private land is maxed out, and when there was a piece of open space, it's was extremely special.

It's self-reinforcing. Architects want to create high-quality public space but often fail at it, partly because of cost reasons, partly because of defensible space requirements, etc.

When one public space fails, the next designer comes along and thinks he can make a better one. Pretty soon you have a surfeit of public space, forming an environment where even a well-designed public space will struggle to attract users.

Parkside has way too many courtyards easily accessible by the public. Though I don't see a lot of loitering, the windswept barren paved areas just don't look all that great. It's far too course grain, and literally the wealthier cousin of the same Cabrini Green architectural family legacy. Still a large complex of buildings, with a single source of management. Management changes through history though

Yeah, that's the other problem. The fences are used to very ham-fistedly separate public from private space, when the massing of the buildings themselves should be accomplishing that goal.

[Beta_Magellan]

Originally Posted by ardecila

The fences are used to very ham-fistedly separate public from private space, when the massing of the buildings themselves should be accomplishing that goal.

This is crucial. Looking at the Albany Park-vs.-ex-Cabrini streetviews above, the Albany Park streetscape is more varied due to the shapes of the homes—sunrooms and stoops define small spaces between the sidewalk and building, and the massing of these figures gives them a sense of enclosure and giving the streetscape a sense of variety. The fronts ex-Cabrini homes, on the other hand, are essentially all flush with one another, creating a much less interesting—and much more wall-like (with the lawns serving as little green moats)—streetscape.

Even granting the need for fences, even slightly more modulated massing could give the area a more inviting character. Fences are pretty common in Hyde Park, but since they alternate with walls the street doesn’t have as bleak a feel (Google Maps).

[ardecila]

Well, technically the CHA streetview is Roosevelt Square, since Google Maps' streetview of ParkSide shows it during construction.

But yeah... defining that transition zone between public and private space is extremely important.

[aic4ever]

Originally Posted by BWChicago

No, main Reese is a goner. The city said that it got trashed because they didn't secure it well and that roof leaks finished the job. Just another travesty. To add insult, Urban Remains tried repeatedly to get permission to salvage the terra cotta and Brandenburg Wrecking shut them out. So it's all going to the landfill. The one gropius will be the only survivor for now, and there's no guarantee the same won't happen to it.

I thought Heneghan was doing that demo...

[WillPostPix]

I'd been under the impression the future of this one was put on hold until further review or reports from the city that gave a better idea whether or not the integrity of these buildings was sufficient enough to keep in the neighborhood. Last time I'd looked into it, they'd taken documentation of these works off-site until they got a better idea of how the city would support their continued existence in that specific location and aid any renewal. Perhaps word did not go through. I expect not, if passersby have noticed they're gone.

[Rizzo]

Originally Posted by BWChicago

On the fence subject, does anyone have an idea on how people get away with fencing in their PARKWAYS? Now THAT really looks trashy.

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=rockwe...vb51emtLpCOi5w

I think the city permits fencing as long as there's a 1' setback from the curb. So that's how they get away with it. The fence is ugly, but it is compliant.

[i_am_hydrogen]

More images of Burberry Beijing


http://www.flickr.com/photos/4717666...57626309413465


http://www.flickr.com/photos/4717666...7626309413465/

[lawfin]

Originally Posted by Beta_Magellan

This is crucial. Looking at the Albany Park-vs.-ex-Cabrini streetviews above, the Albany Park streetscape is more varied due to the shapes of the homes—sunrooms and stoops define small spaces between the sidewalk and building, and the massing of these figures gives them a sense of enclosure and giving the streetscape a sense of variety. The fronts ex-Cabrini homes, on the other hand, are essentially all flush with one another, creating a much less interesting—and much more wall-like (with the lawns serving as little green moats)—streetscape.

Even granting the need for fences, even slightly more modulated massing could give the area a more inviting character. Fences are pretty common in Hyde Park, but since they alternate with walls the street doesn’t have as bleak a feel (Google Maps).

I think this gets to a point that really gets under my skin re: development in modern Chicago. To be quite blunt I find most development in modern Chicago to be quite utterly banal.....this goes even for our most glorious current triumphs.\



With few exceptions Chicago development suffers from for lack of a better word......monoculture development.

The fecundity of expression in earlier Chicago development is a distant memory; versus the morass we almost without exception see nowadays.

[Mr Downtown]

^Did you get a thesaurus for graduation or something?

Fecundity, indeed. No monoculture here:


Pinnacle Property Inspection

[the urban politician]

^ Agree with Mr. D. Many of the prewar 2,3 flats and bungalows throughout the city look like they could have come out of a Sears Catalogue

[ChiTownCity]

just reading some of these comments on the past couple of pages a lot of you are sounding a little anti-chicago right now.... even a little suburban for some...

[emathias]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

^ Agree with Mr. D. Many of the prewar 2,3 flats and bungalows throughout the city look like they could have come out of a Sears Catalogue

Seems like probably some of them did ...

[harryc]

Thank you Emathis - almost an exact match to my place (brick).

As far as fencing - in the bungalow belts it seems to follow perceived crime rates.

Lawndale


Humboldt Park


Back of the Yards


Washington Park


Oak Park (Suburb)

[EarlyBuyer]

Photos by EarlyBuyer 5/8/11

[EarlyBuyer]

Photos by EarlyBuyer 5/8/11