CHICAGO | General Developments

[harryc]

March 6

[emathias]

Originally Posted by chicagodeckerdude

Who's gonna start a thread for the "One Central" mega development proposal in the south loop next to soldier field?

You can't do this because why? Just look at other subject titles and start the thread. You can't move discussions there, but if you announce it's presence, mods will do that work for you eventually.

Originally Posted by the urban politician

^ It's almost better if we allow some auto oriented development in a few defined areas and corridors as a "release valve" so that we can focus on making the rest of the city as urban as possible

I've always thought that the worst part about expressway transit was that it put two radically different, and often incompatible, forms of development in direct competition. In an ideal world, car-oriented development would go along expressways, dense, pedestrian-oriented development would go along rapid transit lines that were purposely not near expressways or arterial streets, and SFH and 2-flat development with light commercial districts would go between the two. That "in-between" area would allow residents access to car-oriented stuff without contributing negatively to pedestrian experiences, while still allowing them imperfect but usable access to the pedestrian areas. That'd be win-win in my world. People like me who don't want a car could have a pedestrian Utopia, car-lovers could still gain advantages of cities, families could benefit from both, and cities would continue to have something for everyone.

[PittsburghPA]

Thanks for all the awesome updates today Harry. What is this project?

Originally Posted by harryc

March 6

[Busy Bee]

^That's somebody's single family home that squandered the perfect opportunity to endcap the really cool narrow Dearborn Station facing property with a striking urbane multi-level structure. Instead they built that.

[PittsburghPA]

I was wondering if that was the same project. Looks rather commercial. To each their own though, their property and they can do as they choose. Any curbed stories on this property or something along those lines?

[harryc]

2013



March 10

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by Busy Bee

^That's somebody's single family home that squandered the perfect opportunity to endcap the really cool narrow Dearborn Station facing property with a striking urbane multi-level structure. Instead they built that.

I was prepared to hate it, but it kinda works in person. It steps down nicely from the Donohue Building, which (thankfully) has windows and face brick on the south side already. Plus that snazzy screening element offers a similar fine grained texture to the historic ornament.



The other lot, though, is slated for a 2-story Roots Pizza. Which sucks, and not just because the pizza will be terrible.


photocred: SouthLoopUpdate (thanks Mr D)

[The Lurker]

Originally Posted by PittsburghPA

I was wondering if that was the same project. Looks rather commercial. To each their own though, their property and they can do as they choose. Any curbed stories on this property or something along those lines?

Retail will occupy the ground floor. Above will be the private residence of the architect. Heres something:

https://chicago-curbed-com.cdn.amppr...-dearborn-polk

[J_M_Tungsten]

That Dearborn Station project is ridiculous. A SFH? What a waste.

[the urban politician]

The low density is atrocious, but it still beats a vacant lot.

We just have too many lots in the South Loop. By letting some of them develop with lower density structures that still have something to offer to the pedestrian and community (retail), I think we are making solid progress

[LouisVanDerWright]

I see no problem with the South Loop low density crap. There is sooooo much vacant land in this city that anything is better than a vacant lot as long as it's not noxious anti urban drive thru crap or atrocious midrise/highrise design that will never be demolished.

So what if there's an ugly little two story building there for a couple of decades? Sure beats nothing and a big ass blank wall. At least no one will think twice to knock that shit down when demand arises for a super skinny 20 or 30 floor tower. We have sooooo many developable parcels around town that the priority needs to be the mass elimination of vacant lots in favor of ANY reasonably urban design.

Originally Posted by harryc

2013



March 10

Chicago's excellent planning department at work yet again! I wonder if we can get Lori Lightfoot to instate some semblance of a historic preservation regime?

[BuildThemTaller]

Originally Posted by J_M_Tungsten

That Dearborn Station project is ridiculous. A SFH? What a waste.

Are we really that upset that a well-thought-out, well-designed building on a small lot with ground floor retail is replacing a small empty lot? It blends well with the neighbors.

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by ardecila

The other lot, though, is slated for a 2-story Roots Pizza. Which sucks, and not just because the pizza will be terrible.

Roots Pizza seems to divide opinions quite sharply. i've heard some rave about it, and others say that it's inedible garbage.

i myself quite like it, but it is certainly a different kind of pizza animal with that malt-infused crust.

it's not a go-to pizzeria for us, but it's good every now and then for something different.

i fucking love the pizza diversity of this town! all glory to you, Pizza God!

[LouisVanDerWright]

I remember having a stupid argument several years ago on here over whether Wicker Park and Logan Square will ever match Lincoln Park and Lakeview in terms of market prices:

Blue Line Boom: Condo Prices In Wicker Park, Logan Square Outpacing Lincoln Park, Lakeview

MAR 15, 2019 8:46AM CDT

AJ LaTrace
@ajlatrace

LOGAN SQUARE — If the booming neighborhoods along the Blue Line seem to be more expensive than lakefront areas like Lincoln Park and Lakeview, there’s some truth to it.

New numbers from real estate research company Integra Realty Resources show that the combined median listing price of condos for sale in Wicker Park and Logan Square is $535,000, a substantially higher figure than Lakeview and Lincoln Park’s combined median list price of $490,000.

Additionally, the combined median price of condos for sale in Logan Square and Wicker Park is higher than the current median list price of $520,000 for Downtown condos.

But there’s some important context to keep in mind, said Ron DeVries, senior managing director of Integra Realty Resources’ Chicago operations: Condo stock varies dramatically between these areas. While sellers are asking more in Logan Square and Wicker Park for condos, buyers are generally getting more space per square foot.

“If you look at the data in Lincoln Park and Lakeview, it’s older, smaller condos,” says DeVries. “Price per pound, you’ll get more for your money over in Logan Square.”

When it comes to detached single-family homes, the pendulum shifts in the opposite direction. The combined median list price in Lakeview and Lincoln Park is nearly $2 million while Logan Square and Wicker Park’s is $975,000, IRR figures show.

The numbers also suggest that there may be a shift in preference among first-time homebuyers and new Chicago residents, agent and Luxury Living Chicago Realty CEO Aaron Galvin suggests.

With solid transit connectivity, a vibrant food and beverage scene, and newer retail and even hotel offerings, the Milwaukee Avenue corridor is equally as attractive — if not more — than lakefront neighborhoods for many condo buyers.

“The new development in the last several years has created a tremendous amount of jobs from retail to grocery stores to convenience,” Galvin said. “Not too long ago these places were thought of as food deserts.”...

More Here: https://blockclubchicago.org/2019/03...04Ygi5PRMwGx0g

Obviously the overall market prices in Logan and Wicker haven't yet surpassed what you will pay for a McMansion on Burling, but the trajectory of the market in the NW side makes parity or near parity with their Eastern analogues an inevitability IMO. There is no functional difference between living at Fullerton and Ashland and Living at Fullerton and Western. In fact, the only difference is Logan is more convenient to the freeway.

It's only a matter of time before the NW side is indistinguishable from the North side in terms of market prices, school districts, and rents. I was actually just talking to friends last night about how it's strange, the North side seems to have evaporated from all of our lives. We all lived there when we first moved here, but there's basically nothing of interest for my social circle over there anymore aside from the occasional Cubs game or trip to the beach (even then we much prefer the South Side beaches). All of the dining, nightlife, and social functions we are interested in are along the Milwaukee Corridor or in the West Loop or even Pilsen. I can't remember the last time I went out in Lincoln Park or Lakeview. Maybe a friend's rehearsal dinner at Cafe Babareba two years ago?

[Vlajos]

^ OOPS, poor Alderman Ramirez Rosa can't do anything about it either. Well, he could but he would have to change his policies.

[emathias]

Re: gentrification and anti-gentrification forces

People fighting about who gets to live where, especially when all the areas we're talking about are well over 100 years old so exactly zero "original" residents still live there always amuses me.

Ethically, what is the rationale for giving extra powers to individuals who just happen to live in one spot at this moment of time over people who want to move into that spot? I mean, isn't that the same sort of racist BS that led to redlining and anti-black covenants blocking new non-white residents moving into certain areas before the Civil Rights Era?

Either we have the freedom to move where we want, or society is creating beneficial predujices against certain groups. Racism may only apply from the powerful against the disenfranchised, but discrimination is discrimination regardless of which groups are on which side. Are modern "progressives" really advocating a return to regressive controls against certain groups just because some people don't like them?

[emathias]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

...
i myself quite like it, but it is certainly a different kind of pizza animal with that malt-infused crust.
...
i fucking love the pizza diversity of this town! all glory to you, Pizza God!

I've never had Roots pizza but I like different crusts. In particular, in Boise there's a local favorite (Flying Pie) that uses sourdough crust. I think similar crusts are used across the Mountain states, too.

Are there any places in Chicago that have sourdough crusts?

[aaron38]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

Roots Pizza seems to divide opinions quite sharply. i've heard some rave about it, and others say that it's inedible garbage.

i myself quite like it, but it is certainly a different kind of pizza animal with that malt-infused crust.

it's not a go-to pizzeria for us, but it's good every now and then for something different.

i fucking love the pizza diversity of this town! all glory to you, Pizza God!

I love Roots pizza. I'm from the Quad Cities and that's our QC style pizza. (Harris, Clint's, etc) Now, even in the QC there are plenty of people (like my father) who hate it and refuse to eat it. But those of us who love it get hooked for life.
Note: Growing up, none of us called it QC style. Never heard that till it came here.
https://www.rootspizza.com/our-roots

[moorhosj]

Originally Posted by emathias

Are modern "progressives" really advocating a return to regressive controls against certain groups just because some people don't like them?

Our political system is filled with examples of the government helping out those who are negatively impacted by market forces. If we should do that (and to what extent) is a worthy discussion and should be the focus here.

[OrdoSeclorum]

Originally Posted by emathias

Either we have the freedom to move where we want, or society is creating beneficial predujices against certain groups. Racism may only apply from the powerful against the disenfranchised, but discrimination is discrimination regardless of which groups are on which side. Are modern "progressives" really advocating a return to regressive controls against certain groups just because some people don't like them?

We don't really have freedom to move where we want, since there are handouts given to the wealthy that give them an advantage. Most areas in most cities, it is only legal to build single family homes, which are only available if you're wealthy. Single family zoning in Chicago was created explicitly with the goal of keeping poor people away. Likewise, there are direct government payments--uneeded and unasked for--to me for about $3,200 of my property taxes and about $5,000 of my mortgage interest each year. These are not available to renters, who thus end up paying more for housing. If we removed regulations that prevent developers from building affordable housing and if we stopped giving handouts to people like me, I think we'd have a situation that I would be happy with.