CHICAGO | General Developments

[the urban politician]

^ Luckily Arena has had a history of promoting density, even against NIMBY complaints. He apparently approved a 98 unit senior center nearby that the NIMBYs opposed as well.

[Justin_Chicago]

The City created a website to seek site selection input for the proposed Lucas Cultural Arts Museum. I personally recommended the corner of Roosevelt/Columbus Drive/Michigan as an opportunity to cover the metra tracks on the southwest end of the park.

http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en...ask-force.html

[Link N. Parker]

Originally Posted by Justin_Chicago

The City created a website to seek site selection input for the proposed Lucas Cultural Arts Museum. I personally recommended the corner of Roosevelt/Columbus Drive/Michigan as an opportunity to cover the metra tracks on the southwest end of the park.

http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en...ask-force.html

Good idea! I have gone to the site and submitted the same idea based on your idea. Hopefully the city sees our proposals and acts on them.

[marothisu]

I wish the city owned the parking lot at State & Chicago. That would be a good site for it....maybe. Hmmm where to put it.

[Skyguy_7]

Originally Posted by Justin_Chicago

The City created a website to seek site selection input for the proposed Lucas Cultural Arts Museum. I personally recommended the corner of Roosevelt/Columbus Drive/Michigan as an opportunity to cover the metra tracks on the southwest end of the park.

http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en...ask-force.html

Great idea! I've unleashed my inner Burnham and made the same recommendation.

[marothisu]

I like the idea of covering up the tracks on Roosevelt/Columbus but wouldn't that require more money to build over it?

[marothisu]

How about the north end of Washington Park? I know it's not downtown, but it's near the 51st Street Green Line stop, really close to the Expressway, and close to the U of Chicago, for which he's given money to. The area could need the help, but it's not necessarily in an area that is overly dangerous. They were going to put some Olympic stuff there anyway..

[joeg1985]

Looking at the plans for the CTA Brown line flyover I noticed this random rendering for a new building on the southeast corner of Ainslie and Broadway in Uptown. Any one have any idea why they would have this rendering or what it's for? Is it an actual project or are they just showing what TOD could look like?

The Red/Purple tracks are right next to this lot.



http://www.transitchicago.com/news_i...pm/bypass.aspx

[wierdaaron]

I'm pretty sure those renders are to demonstrate that the buildings they'd have to demolish to build the flyover could be replaced with Transit Oriented Development. I'm not sure if they're actual real-world designs or just illustrative concepts.

[rigby]

Originally Posted by marothisu

Also to everyone - I have included the link to my two maps (2014 new construction building permits and Chicago construction projects) in my signature now at the suggestion of another user. Both are up to date

I appreciate your construction maps, you can easily see what's going on across the city.
I do have question since looking at your map, I actually forgot all about the work being done at Navy Pier and Northern Island. Do you have any updates on what's going at the Pier and Northern Island ?

[r18tdi]

Originally Posted by rigby

Do you have any updates on what's going at the Pier and Northern Island ?

Northerly Island is in the process of being transformed from a crow sanctuary to a crow sanctuary with some hills and a retention pond. Really exciting stuff.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by rigby

I appreciate your construction maps, you can easily see what's going on across the city.
I do have question since looking at your map, I actually forgot all about the work being done at Navy Pier and Northern Island. Do you have any updates on what's going at the Pier and Northern Island ?

No problem. I'm not really sure what's going on there. I know that the Pier was issued a bunch of building permits in September (I think) mainly for landscaping changes. I'm guessing they'll continue the work soon if they haven't already. Actually not sure if they started - I only assume they did and stopped due to the crappy winter. I believe the entire transformation might have a completion date of Summer 2015.

[Ned.B]

Originally Posted by marothisu

No problem. I'm not really sure what's going on there. I know that the Pier was issued a bunch of building permits in September (I think) mainly for landscaping changes. I'm guessing they'll continue the work soon if they haven't already. Actually not sure if they started - I only assume they did and stopped due to the crappy winter. I believe the entire transformation might have a completion date of Summer 2015.

Construction on the Pier has definitely started. Phase one appears to be around the east entrance and running down the south edge to the Shakespeare Theater (including an expanded upper terrace with a new grand stair and elevators connecting the lower and upper levels. Two weeks ago, all of the steel work was completed for these elements.

From what the employees at the theater said, the construction schedule is the opposite. All work will take place in the fall, winter, and spring and halt between Memorial Day and Labor Day during peak tourism season. I was also told work would be completed in spring 2016.

[woodrow]

Originally Posted by rigby

I appreciate your construction maps, you can easily see what's going on across the city.
I do have question since looking at your map, I actually forgot all about the work being done at Navy Pier and Northern Island. Do you have any updates on what's going at the Pier and Northern Island ?

Very cool stuff at both. Really excited by what is going on at Northerly Island. The CPD has been really bad with updates.

Here is a link to the master plan - http://www.cpdit01.com/resources/pla...ork%20Plan.pdf

The bigger projects - creating the reef, sinking the ship, etc. will be done later. Right now they are creating the wetlands and lagoon and the hills.

[jcchii]

re: Lucas

level rainforest cafe and put it there

[sentinel]

Originally Posted by Justin_Chicago

The City created a website to seek site selection input for the proposed Lucas Cultural Arts Museum. I personally recommended the corner of Roosevelt/Columbus Drive/Michigan as an opportunity to cover the metra tracks on the southwest end of the park.

http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en...ask-force.html

Glad they did that - I put my two cents in: the Old Post office is ideal.
Split it into three developments; the Lucas museum in the largest, middle portion, with room to spare for expansion, theater(s), meeting space, etc.

The north potion facing Van Buren with the lovely, Art-Deco lobby should be converted to a high-end business/tourist hotel because of adjacency to Union Station (similar to the JW Marriott).

The south portion facing the new(er) post office should be federal offices or a branch of the NEA/specialized Visual Arts academy or college, etc.

Tie it all together with a new expansive glass winter-garden on the roof for four-season events to be shared by all facilities. Boom.

Keep and entomb all of the existing asbestos (what worked for a post office can work for a museum) and upgrade all of the HVAC and you have a lovely world-class facility that can be the envy of the rest of the world.

Considering the current owner Davies isn't doing sh*t with that building, buy him out and move forward.

[Rizzo]

Originally Posted by marothisu

No problem. I'm not really sure what's going on there. I know that the Pier was issued a bunch of building permits in September (I think) mainly for landscaping changes. I'm guessing they'll continue the work soon if they haven't already. Actually not sure if they started - I only assume they did and stopped due to the crappy winter. I believe the entire transformation might have a completion date of Summer 2015.

Major work. I went by there a couple week ago. The midway from the street back past the food court had been totally demolished and was being entirely rebuilt.

Quite the impressive steel structure being built with curving forms. I'm certain they'd be enclosing it by now.

Portions of the Ferris wheel had been dismantled for refurbishment.

As you point out, entire transformation will probably be ready summer 2015 with the western part of the pier opening this summer.

[Justin_Chicago]

Originally Posted by marothisu

I like the idea of covering up the tracks on Roosevelt/Columbus but wouldn't that require more money to build over it?

If George Lucas is willing to contribute ~$1B (construction and endowment) towards the art museum, then maybe he is willing to spend another ~$50M - $100M to cap the metra tracks. Also, this location is right next to the Field Museum and the Adler Planetarium. Lastly, you cannot beat the skyline views from this location, which such a scenic view is a priority given his demands for the Presidio Park location in San Francisco.

Feel free to submit a better idea though! I figured there are few opportunities to find private investment to beautify the park.
http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en...ask-force.html

Maybe some inspired enterprising individuals will start visual arts companies in Chicago if we win this museum! We have a new industry for World Business Chicago to recruit.

[marothisu]

I gave them two ideas. One for Michigan/Roosevelt/Columbus capping the Metra tracks and the other for Washington Park around 51st and Martin Luther King Jr Drive near the 51st St Green Line stop.

[the urban politician]

Putting the Lucas Museum at Grant Park is the worst idea because the last thing Lucas needs is more political resistance. I can guarantee you that there will be a lot of that if the city tries to build a new structure on the park.

The best bet is city owned land downtown, if there is any, or to convince a land owner to lease it to them. Navy Pier, something around McCormick Place, or the Post Office are the best options that don't require some sort of eminent domain, won't create a lot of political resistance, and can quickly land on Lucas' lap to mull moving forward on.