CHICAGO | Highrise Projects & Construction

[the urban politician]

^ Here's my guess:

The developer cuts the density a bit, lowers the tower heights a bit, makes a few "contributions" into the right coffers, some phone calls/dinners and a paid trip to a private beach in Bali and VOILA! you have an approved development. God bless corruption: the NIMBY's worst enemy.

After all, we can always rely on the fact that people don't become Alderman to improve the city. They become Alderman to improve their own lot.

[Hayward]

The irony of the whole traffic situation is they were worse off with the hospital. There were always those shuttles parked out front of the hospital on the street that encroached into travel lanes. I also imagine the large number of employees + hospital visitors created far greater traffic loads than this new development suggests.

The garage will serve a primary purpose as long term parking. People within the development as well as area residents will probably keep their car parked in the space for weeks on end since they'll opt for transit to get around town. I don't foresee the retail component attracting out of area residents that would drive unless they decide to do a grocery store. The garage would probably be the busiest evenings where you get groups of people carpooling to nightlife establishments.

[J_M_Tungsten]

The ONLY reason it won't be built as proposed is because someone didn't get paid off enough. Come on people, this Chicago, you would think they should know how to get things done by now.

[observer]

I had not actually heard the problem of a higher density contributing to further over crowding schools. If that is actually true, that the schools in LP are over crowded, then that is at least some kind of point. The hospital did not need to send any of it's work population to school. But the answer is not to build less on the site....but to figure out the school issue. I just do not understand how so many well educate and presumably well traveled (on averaga) people can hold such a provincial view of how that site should be redeveloped. I swear, the developing team should have proposed a 6 FAR, and then came back all 'defeated' to the community with thier 4.3 FAR scheme, secretly smiling to themselves. The developer should also just drop his proforma on the Alderman's desk and say: 'it cost this much for the land, this much to borrow money, and this much to carry it for 3 years...This is the revenue I need to pay for that. PERIOD!

[killaviews]

Something is back from the dead:
http://www.edgevillebuzz.com/news/bl...details-emerge

[Mr Downtown]

School overcrowding is a pretty strange excuse to oppose highrises. For better or worse, Chicago-area parents very seldom try to raise school-age kids in highrises. Townhouses—particularly any priced under the $1m mark—would probably result in many more students.

[Chicago Shawn]

Originally Posted by killaviews

Something is back from the dead:
http://www.edgevillebuzz.com/news/bl...details-emerge

That looks pretty good, better than the original design back when it was a condo project. Except for the parking podium which is now visually more pronounced, thanks to the 2.29 parking ratio.

[Chicago Shawn]

Originally Posted by Mr Downtown

School overcrowding is a pretty strange excuse to oppose highrises. For better or worse, Chicago-area parents very seldom try to raise school-age kids in highrises. Townhouses—particularly any priced under the $1m mark—would probably result in many more students.

Agreed 100%, but it is so typical for NIMBYs towards development to target anything in order to make their opposition 'valid'. I'm not saying the overcrowding of Lincoln Park schools is not an issue, but that is something which is not exclusive to this project and much work can be done to find a solution by the time this project begins occupancy some 3 years from now. I can see an opportunity for a density bonus in exchange for a cash payment to CPS here, but those aren't allowed outside of the Central Area.

Your right though, traditionally high-rises in Chicago do not generate many kids; especially considering these will be rental residences upon opening.

[a chicago bearcat]

Originally Posted by ChiPhi

I'm trying to think of a hip name for this area (let's say all the way out to the river) that will attract some money and set it apart from River North. What do you guys think, should we try to make Ea-Ca (East Cabrini) or Ri-Ca (River-Cabrini)? Super Hip! I guess River North is all ready pretty hip...

Well, since it is technically the border betweeen Old Town and Gold Coast, and everyone seems to be obsessed with attracting rich people. How about Gold Town...

[J_M_Tungsten]

Or old coast!

[Kippis]

Originally Posted by J_M_Tungsten

Or old coast!

Grand Gold Old Coast Town?

Originally Posted by the urban politician

God bless corruption: the NIMBY's worst enemy.

I had a good laugh reading through that. Why? Because it's abso-effin-lutely 150% true.

[Mr Downtown]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

After all, we can always rely on the fact that people don't become Alderman to improve the city. They become Alderman to improve their own lot.

That's very sad and very cynical. A lot of people might say the same about physicians.

Setting aside a few political appointees, if you have the people skills and salesmanship talent to become alderman in a city as large as Chicago, you can make a lot more money doing something else. You do it because you sincerely think you can use your talents to help others.

[entreprelawyer]

Originally Posted by Mr Downtown

That's very sad and very cynical. A lot of people might say the same about physicians.

Setting aside a few political appointees, if you have the people skills and salesmanship talent to become alderman in a city as large as Chicago, you can make a lot more money doing something else. You do it because you sincerely think you can use your talents to help others.

Assuming money and helping others are the only possible motivations for one's choice of career.

[the urban politician]

Originally Posted by Mr Downtown

That's very sad and very cynical. A lot of people might say the same about physicians.

^ You've got not argument here--count me in as somebody who says this about most physicians. In fact, many physicians are very self-important asses when you really talk to them behind closed doors.

But then, I believe most humans are self-centered; there are truly very few selfless people out there, and rarely do they become politicians.

Setting aside a few political appointees, if you have the people skills and salesmanship talent to become alderman in a city as large as Chicago, you can make a lot more money doing something else. You do it because you sincerely think you can use your talents to help others.

^ Not sure I agree here. Sure Aldermen don't make a lot of money, but becoming an Alderman in Chicago is a great way to establish rich connections to the city's power base and business community. I can imagine it being a wonderful way to advance your career if you plan to remain local.

[Ch.G, Ch.G]

Originally Posted by Mr Downtown

You do it because you sincerely think you can use your talents to help others.

[SamInTheLoop]

Originally Posted by Mr Downtown

That's very sad and very cynical. A lot of people might say the same about physicians.

Setting aside a few political appointees, if you have the people skills and salesmanship talent to become alderman in a city as large as Chicago, you can make a lot more money doing something else. You do it because you sincerely think you can use your talents to help others.

You've got to be kidding, right? How long have you lived in Chicago? Politicians here (more than almost anywhere else I'm remotely familiar with) are generally more concerned with 1) establishing a base of power and influence, 2) maintaining their power and influence, 3) aggressively growing their power and influence, and 4) all of the wealth enhancement for themselves and family, friends - and those that can in return help to enhance their power, influence and weath - than anything associated with genuinely improving the city or helping others. I think it took me no longer than a year or 18 months or so living in Chicago to come to this definitive sad conclusion.

[SamInTheLoop]

Originally Posted by Chicago Shawn

Agreed 100%, but it is so typical for NIMBYs towards development to target anything in order to make their opposition 'valid'. I'm not saying the overcrowding of Lincoln Park schools is not an issue, but that is something which is not exclusive to this project and much work can be done to find a solution by the time this project begins occupancy some 3 years from now. I can see an opportunity for a density bonus in exchange for a cash payment to CPS here, but those aren't allowed outside of the Central Area.

Your right though, traditionally high-rises in Chicago do not generate many kids; especially considering these will be rental residences upon opening.

Yes, this is right. Ald. Smith was merely reflecting what the neighborhood NIMBYs represented in their baseless complaints about the project, ie sinple and classic pandering to the worst and lowest of her constituents, all made possible by the senseless and damaging informal but enduring Chicago tradition of aldermanic prerogative. Of course it's a ridiculous and nonsensical reason to oppose the project as proposed.

I was chuckling through Smith's email. Data-driven decision making? Wtf?

[SamInTheLoop]

Wondering if anybody know if this was actually heard at the Plan Commission meeting yesterday? Or was it deferred?

I was actually surprised to see it show up on the agenda, as I figured there would be at least some media coverage of neighborhood meetings/aldermanic comments etc (ie NIMBY crying/aldermanic pandering)...

[ardecila]

Crain's says it was approved, along with Ravenswood Station and the GEMS School.

[J_M_Tungsten]

One south halsted would be a huge step forward for taller buildings starting to move west of the highway.