CHICAGO | General Developments

[Joe Zekas]

1601 W Division by YoChicago1, on Flickr

Shot mid-afternoon today.


Greg, Laborers Local 4, Revcon by YoChicago1, on Flickr

I'd agree with Chicago Shawn that this is a friendly crew - but then I find most construction workers to be that way.

[Mr Downtown]

^I'm not sure that traffic calming/driver enraging is the right strategy for every street. LaSalle was designed as a fairly high-traffic boulevard, and so long as 80th percentile speeds stay under 30 mph I think that's acceptable. You have to have some main traffic routes.

I haven't looked lately, but it used to be that LaSalle's signals were timed for about 22 mph. If you held steady, you'd catch every one of them green. But the idiot taxi drivers—whom you'd think would be the first to get a clue about such things—would nonetheless accelerate to 40 and then have to stop; accelerate to 40 and stop again; over and over.

[denizen467]

^ Seems like it would be a rather good idea to make available special training to cabbies about things like this (not to mention learnin' them to obey basic rules and courtesies, and demanding they help enforce the same -- like instructing whining passengers that No I Ain't Dropping You Off On North Michigan Avenue Midblock During Rush Hour). One could hardly expect unscrupulous cab company owners to offer this training, but there could be a simple website offered by the City. Shouldn't the right to drive a cab be hard to get (maybe not as expensive as a medallion though)?

[harryc]

Originally Posted by denizen467

^ Seems like it would be a rather good idea to make available special training to cabbies about things like this (not to mention learnin' them to obey basic rules and courtesies, and demanding they help enforce the same -- like instructing whining passengers that No I Ain't Dropping You Off On North Michigan Avenue Midblock During Rush Hour). One could hardly expect unscrupulous cab company owners to offer this training, but there could be a simple website offered by the City. Shouldn't the right to drive a cab be hard to get (maybe not as expensive as a medallion though)?

Cabbies, Pizza drivers, BIKE MESSENGERS ! - using the public streets and spaces for transportation piece work is just a bad bad idea. With delivery of goods and services an integral part of urban life a different business model needs to be adapted, similar to what's been done in long haul trucking (under the pressure of the insurance companies).

[Mr Downtown]

Taxi drivers do have to take a city course on things like credit cards, alternate routes, courtesy to cyclists, etc., before getting a license.

[Swicago Swi Sox]

Originally Posted by Joe Zekas

Greg, Laborers Local 4, Revcon by YoChicago1, on Flickr

While I am glad for this project start, as this is and will continue to be become a really cool area, I am glad to see that the Wendy's is unaffected. That is one of my more frequented Wendy's. Block my view or clog up my streets all you want, but if a Wendy's is in trouble I go all NIMBY crazy!!!

Maybe I'm a NAMFW (Not at my frequented Wendys)...

[Rizzo]

Originally Posted by Swicago Swi Sox

While I am glad for this project start, as this is and will continue to be become a really cool area, I am glad to see that the Wendy's is unaffected. That is one of my more frequented Wendy's. Block my view or clog up my streets all you want, but if a Wendy's is in trouble I go all NIMBY crazy!!!

Maybe I'm a NAMFW (Not at my frequented Wendys)...

At some point I imagine that Wendy's might be affected only because many franchise locations are overhauling the design of their restaurants.


http://www.restaurantmagazine.com/tag/wendys-new-store/

[Mr Downtown]

I've lost track of where we talk about Bloomingdale Trail, but CP has officially filed for abandonment of the railroad line.

[the urban politician]

Wendy's could always lease retail space in the new building...?

[J_M_Tungsten]

Reference article: http://m.chicago.curbed.com/archives...renderings.php

[sentinel]

So there is something under construction it seems, on the southwest corner of Roosevelt and Wood. I was driving and couldn't make out the description on the rendering posted on the barrier/construction fence. It appeared to be 5-6 floors and pretty contemporary, possibly new office or labs? Spyguy or anyone else have any clue what this is? Perhaps a new UIC building?

[J_M_Tungsten]

One of the greatest time lapse videos of Chicago I have seen.
http://vimeo.com/erichinesphotography/cityscapechicago

[Kippis]

Originally Posted by sentinel

So there is something under construction it seems, on the southwest corner of Roosevelt and Wood. I was driving and couldn't make out the description on the rendering posted on the barrier/construction fence. It appeared to be 5-6 floors and pretty contemporary, possibly new office or labs? Spyguy or anyone else have any clue what this is? Perhaps a new UIC building?

Not sure about that project, but there is a new UIC building in the works at the corner of Halsted & Roosevelt just south of Science and Engineering South (SES). It's being called the Advanced Chemical Technology Building (ACTB), scheduled to break ground in mid-2013:



http://www.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin...l.cgi?id=16608

[spyguy]

Originally Posted by sentinel

So there is something under construction it seems, on the southwest corner of Roosevelt and Wood. I was driving and couldn't make out the description on the rendering posted on the barrier/construction fence. It appeared to be 5-6 floors and pretty contemporary, possibly new office or labs? Spyguy or anyone else have any clue what this is? Perhaps a new UIC building?

Yes, a new building for Mile Square Health Center.

Can't believe that ATCB is finally going to start construction. That project must have been announced sometime in the middle of the last decade.

[Swicago Swi Sox]

Interesting story about iO moving to 1501 N. Kingsbury. Obviously big news for that neighborhood, getting a tenant that brings new people to the area, but also interesting for what it means about redevelopment around Wrigley...

http://www.chicagotribune.com/entert...0,287403.story

[the urban politician]

Originally Posted by Kippis

Not sure about that project, but there is a new UIC building in the works at the corner of Halsted & Roosevelt just south of Science and Engineering South (SES). It's being called the Advanced Chemical Technology Building (ACTB), scheduled to break ground in mid-2013:



http://www.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin...l.cgi?id=16608

^ I see UIC is continuing its tradition of coughing up ugly and bland designs along Halsted. Keep up the good work!

[Rizzo]

Originally Posted by Kippis

Not sure about that project, but there is a new UIC building in the works at the corner of Halsted & Roosevelt just south of Science and Engineering South (SES). It's being called the Advanced Chemical Technology Building (ACTB), scheduled to break ground in mid-2013:



http://www.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin...l.cgi?id=16608

Ewwwwwwwww

[J_M_Tungsten]

Is this part of UIC's plan to build on all of their surface lots? If so, how many more lots are still open? I see a lot...

[Rizzo]

Starbucks inches further along with the installation of a green roof. Progress seems really slow. Looking forward to it opening. The building to the right with the red chimney is toast. Jilly's has since moved to a new location. A tall floor, 2-story, watered down neo-classical structure will replace it.

And I have never heard a positive comment from anyone regarding the Oak Bank building.

[superskyline]

Does anyone know what they're putting up on Wabash, just south of Lake on the eastern side?