CHICAGO l Eco-Bridge and observation tower.

[ethereal_reality]

Eco-Bridge proposal by Adrian Smith and Gordon Gill


Chicago Tribune.


A two mile-long land bridge arcing into Lake Michigan and outfitted with
wind turbines and a soaring central observation tower.

[Chicagoguy]

I saw this on their website a couple weeks ago. I would love to see this get built. It would add a lot of character to the city and it would be nice to expand that harbor!

[Alliance]

First, this project is a vision, not a real proposal.

Secondly, that tower is a POS and I'm sick of the continual and illegal rapage of our parks and lakefront.

[ethereal_reality]

I like the tower....but I don't like the wind turbines.
As someone said on the Tribune blog. it reminded them
of a picket fence. And they (the wind turbines) would block
the views of Lake Michigan.

Of course, I also realize the wind turbines
are the 'ECO' part of the 'BRIDGE'.

I think the tower mirrors the tall spray of buckingham Fountain nicely.

[ethereal_reality]

It's reminesent of Daniel burnham's 1909 Plan of Chicago.

[Haworthia]

My favorite line from the Tribune articles is:
Quoting Smith, "The biggest hang-up is probably the money."
From: http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune....and-gills.html

HILARIOUS. This sucker will cost more than a billion. I can't prove it, but I have a good intuition for the costs of projects. I bet this fellow is in the $4+ billion dollar range at the least. I guess I'm saying I think money might be a problem too. No clue who would pay for this.

There's no way this fellow would be done in time for the Olympics, either.

But it's a big plan and would bring in some serious tourism. That would be good for the city. There are probably more cost effective ways to bring in tourism, but walking the entire length of the eco-bridge could be one of those 100 things to do before you die type activities.

[Ch.G, Ch.G]

Originally Posted by Alliance

First, this project is a vision, not a real proposal.

Secondly, that tower is a POS and I'm sick of the continual and illegal rapage of our parks and lakefront.

srsly

Smith has spent too much time in the Persian Gulf. It's like someone took the Burnham plan and Dubai-ified it.

[Seppuko_Panda]

How tall would that tower be anyway?

[Eventually...Chicago]

Originally Posted by Alliance

First, this project is a vision, not a real proposal.

Secondly, that tower is a POS and I'm sick of the continual and illegal rapage of our parks and lakefront.

dude the only reason why we have a lakefront park is because we pushed a bunch of charred garbage into the lake.


I think if there is enough of an effort to make the edges softer and really plant them heavily i think it would be great. Imagine 360 degrees of people for the 4th of july fireworks. As far as the observation tower, i do agree that it is pretty useless. It seems like navy pier would be a better place for something like that as it would give you a vantage point of both the south and north skyline.

I'm just glad someone is willing to think big. Most plans like this never happen but if we don't achieve something, let it be for frivilous stuff like money or politics, not because we were afraid to dream a bit.

[alex1]

my favorite part of this project is that proposed airfield on Northerly Island!

you can see it in the lower middle of the rendering.

[trvlr70]

This is one expensive jogging path.

[Haworthia]

Originally Posted by alex1

my favorite part of this project is that proposed airfield on Northerly Island!

you can see it in the lower middle of the rendering.

The render is a bit inaccurate. This is the former Meigs Field that Daley had bulldozed in the middle of the night. I think it's safe to say no airport will inhabit Northerly Island again.

[a chicago bearcat]

Originally Posted by Haworthia

My favorite line from the Tribune articles is:
Quoting Smith, "The biggest hang-up is probably the money."
From:
But it's a big plan and would bring in some serious tourism. That would be good for the city. There are probably more cost effective ways to bring in tourism, but walking the entire length of the eco-bridge could be one of those 100 things to do before you die type activities.

The revenue generator would probably be viewed in 3 ways and justified in another 2

Revenue:
1. More Boat slips accessible near downtown, these are slips that can charge a higher rate than other marinas if I remember correctly. This gets park and rec involved in initial fund raising.

2. Wind turbines are essentially a powerplant. Which means you get ComEd involved in part of funding.

3. Other Navy Pier like boat companies and unforeseen income generators that become apparent after the fact with projects of this magnitude. Including forms and amounts of tourism that we can't really quantify or rely on.

Justification
1. Green City needs Green Icon
2. Spending here to make new marina saves neighborhood parkland that would be eaten up by the demand for new lake marinas.

i still think it's visionary and not realistic at the moment.
But it is a big plan and stirs my blood. So I think if we were inventive and pushed the idea we could accomplish something magnificent and iconic with the same message to the world.

p.s. 360 fireworks would be amazing

[cbotnyse]

There are so many positives to this, it makes it worth it. This would have the same effect Millennium Park did, and I'm sure you'll see the same people who protested MP crying against it. It would be a selling point for every unit in the south loop and lakeshore east with all of the added recreational land.

It will be expensive as hell, but it would pay for itself in time. The marina, wind power, observation deck and a serious boost to tourism would all bring in revenue.

My only concern would be if I owned a boat. It looks like it would be tough to get in and out.

[VivaLFuego]

^bearcat raises good points. It's not that the money to build this is impossible to conceive (since in many ways it is actually functional), but it's incredibly complex with many stakeholders, so working out the legal aspects of a funding deal would be a multi-year project in its own right.

Of course it would still need some public subsidy, but the revenue-generation and potential for private funding a la Millenium Park could probably go a long way towards making it a reality if it had a champion in government who could ensure all regulatory approvals are granted.

[emathias]

Originally Posted by cbotnyse

There are so many positives to this, it makes it worth it. This would have the same effect Millennium Park did, and I'm sure you'll see the same people who protested MP crying against it. It would be a selling point for every unit in the south loop and lakeshore east with all of the added recreational land.

It will be expensive as hell, but it would pay for itself in time. The marina, wind power, observation deck and a serious boost to tourism would all bring in revenue.

My only concern would be if I owned a boat. It looks like it would be tough to get in and out.

I don't really think it would boost tourism that much. I mean, how many people really want to visit a 2+ mile long jetty? I think more people like that you can look out onto the water, like it was an ocean, than would like seeing a wind farm blocking the horizon. I also think people like Millennium Park because it's so accessible - right in the middle of the city, with "L" stations 1, 2 and 3 blocks away and a dozen bus lines. People would have to walk half a mile just to see this thing, and to really see the "coolness" factor of it, they'd have to be up high, and at least three months out of the year it would be totally unusable and another three almost unusable. Take the money and spend it on fixing Lake Shore Drive or starting the Clinton Street Subway or making BRT work or luring companies from other cities (and countries) to locate offices here in Chicago.

[Rizzo]

This thing might only look decent from above. But I agree with the above statement, and that's it is important to see 'endless water' from your hotel room along Michigan Ave. With the exception of some joggers and cyclists, no one will want to walk or relax all the way out on this thing.

To top it off the tower is a very unattractive form. Design something inspiring. (like the arch is to St. Louis)

I think the whole concept is also trying to steal the show, especially when they become this massive. I mean look at all the parks and the poor relationship to this project. Smith is just trying to make a statement on this one whether its ugly or beautiful.

[the urban politician]

If built, this thing would simply be astounding.

Chicago could complement its already complex, layered urban world with a variety of open spaces such as this one, Northerly Island, and the rest of the lakefront.

But the real excitement is that this project would actually be productive--ie a power plant.

[cbotnyse]

Originally Posted by emathias

I don't really think it would boost tourism that much. I mean, how many people really want to visit a 2+ mile long jetty? I think more people like that you can look out onto the water, like it was an ocean, than would like seeing a wind farm blocking the horizon. I also think people like Millennium Park because it's so accessible - right in the middle of the city, with "L" stations 1, 2 and 3 blocks away and a dozen bus lines. People would have to walk half a mile just to see this thing, and to really see the "coolness" factor of it, they'd have to be up high, and at least three months out of the year it would be totally unusable and another three almost unusable. Take the money and spend it on fixing Lake Shore Drive or starting the Clinton Street Subway or making BRT work or luring companies from other cities (and countries) to locate offices here in Chicago.

I think people would come just to see it, even it is is from the lake front. I know if something like this was built in another city, I'd probably go see it.

and this would only obstruct the view about a mile of Chicago's 26 miles of lake front.

Another concern would be water pollution from all of the boats. If they're talking 10,000 boats in such a small area, that could cause a problem.

[the urban politician]

^ I highly, highly doubt this thing would obstruct anyone's views, esp being that far out from any buildings