CHICAGO | General Developments

[Kenmore]

Originally Posted by LouisVanDerWright

Congress is taking literally every public incentive available and is a $70 million project. Just imagine what the Uptown would take...

I've heard 150, no bs

it needs to be razed

[glowrock]

Originally Posted by LouisVanDerWright

Congress is taking literally every public incentive available and is a $70 million project. Just imagine what the Uptown would take...

To be fair, the Congress renovation also includes a good number of apartments plus a new apartment midrise adjacent to it, so it's not exactly $70 million for the theatre itself, at least based upon the article. I definitely get your point, though.

Aaron (Glowrock)

[k1052]

Originally Posted by Kenmore

I've heard 150, no bs

it needs to be razed

Yeah, 100M plus are the figures I hear bandied about. Hard to see that penciling out without 10s of millions in assistance from the city.

If it doesn't make it I at least want the lobby saved for reuse.

[LouisVanDerWright]

Originally Posted by glowrock

To be fair, the Congress renovation also includes a good number of apartments plus a new apartment midrise adjacent to it, so it's not exactly $70 million for the theatre itself, at least based upon the article. I definitely get your point, though.

Aaron (Glowrock)

The $70 million number is only for the building. I can assure you that a small fraction of that is going towards the hotel inside the building. Almost all of it will be shell restoration and mechanicals. The old mechanicals for the entire complex are in a cavernous room under the lobby and consist of three huge bellows that pump hot air from the boiler under the floor of the theater into this huge space called a plenum. The old theater had hundreds of holes in the floor (one under each seat) that we're covered by mushroom caps. Those holes were all filled in when the seats were torn out royally fing the original heating/AC system. And yes this building had AC, there's a rediculous old compressor from the 1920s down there that they used with an old school heat exchanger. There's a giant shaft under the old water tower stack that is basically a huge vent to dump heat from the AC out the roof.

These systems are radically obsolete and it will likely take cutting a huge hole in the lobby floor and building a winch system to swap it out.

[left of center]

Originally Posted by VKChaz

Article tonight about the Congress Theater moving forward. Thought this was already baked but looks like now it is official

https://chicago.suntimes.com/busines...ddie-carranza/

Now let's figure out Uptown

Glad to hear this is moving forward. Seen several shows at The Congress, glad this beautiful venue will continue to be enjoyed by future Chicagoans.

Man, the Uptown... I'll be dead and gone and it will still be rotting along N. Broadway...

[Via Chicago]

Originally Posted by LouisVanDerWright

The $70 million number is only for the building. I can assure you that a small fraction of that is going towards the hotel inside the building. Almost all of it will be shell restoration and mechanicals. The old mechanicals for the entire complex are in a cavernous room under the lobby and consist of three huge bellows that pump hot air from the boiler under the floor of the theater into this huge space called a plenum. The old theater had hundreds of holes in the floor (one under each seat) that we're covered by mushroom caps. Those holes were all filled in when the seats were torn out royally fing the original heating/AC system. And yes this building had AC, there's a rediculous old compressor from the 1920s down there that they used with an old school heat exchanger. There's a giant shaft under the old water tower stack that is basically a huge vent to dump heat from the AC out the roof.

These systems are radically obsolete and it will likely take cutting a huge hole in the lobby floor and building a winch system to swap it out.

they may be obsolete, but they still worked! seriously doubt what goes in there today will have a 100 year mechanical life span.

some pictures of it here

too bad it was such an awful place to see a show sound-wise. i doubt the renovation will really change that. that dome just sucks up the sound.

[OhioGuy]

Originally Posted by Kenmore

I've heard 150, no bs

it needs to be razed

F*ck that. No razing.

[BuildThemTaller]

The Megamall development in Logan Square is finally going to get underway this June. The Megamall was torn down more than a year ago and has been sitting idle along the Blue Line ever since. The new development, Logan Crossing, will feature 240 apartments and possibly a Target. Excavation should be underway soon with more information on the development coming out shortly.

Also, today marks the launch of Block Club Chicago, a new hyper-local news site developed by some former DNAInfo Chicago alum. Check it out.

https://blockclubchicago.org/2018/06...on-this-month/

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by BuildThemTaller

Also, today marks the launch of Block Club Chicago, a new hyper-local news site developed by some former DNAInfo Chicago alum. Check it out.

https://blockclubchicago.org/2018/06...on-this-month/

Cool, I hope they can make it work.

[KWillChicago]

A new look inside.

https://chicago.curbed.com/2018/6/13...ngs-smith-gill

[gebs]

Originally Posted by KWillChicago

A new look inside.

https://chicago.curbed.com/2018/6/13...ngs-smith-gill

I will be one of the man fanboys who shows up on opening day.

I really hope they're not over-selling the updated Chicago city model because it looks absolutely amazing in those renderings. I used to walk around the lobby of 224 S Michigan for hours in awe of it, so I hope it lives up to the hype.

[LouisVanDerWright]

Originally Posted by gebs

I will be one of the man fanboys who shows up on opening day.

I really hope they're not over-selling the updated Chicago city model because it looks absolutely amazing in those renderings. I used to walk around the lobby of 224 S Michigan for hours in awe of it, so I hope it lives up to the hype.

50 years from now they will be doing model exhibits highlighting how much of the core was destroyed by urban renewal before being rebuilt instead of the extent of the Great Chicago fire.

[Suburban Shadow]

June Agenda came out

https://www.cityofchicago.org/conten...018_Agenda.pdf

No skyscrapers, but a few projects looking for zoning changes

[Rizzo]

Originally Posted by Kenmore

I've heard 150, no bs

it needs to be razed

It doesn’t “need” to be razed. It needs a savvy development team, motivated community leaders and a competent operator. It will all come together someday. For now, the building is still standing and doesn’t pose any imminent safety threat

20 years ago I remember how the public temperament was to demolish Michigan central station in Detroit which was in extreme disrepair even a decade ago. The city had made multiple attempts to tear it down.

The building had no viable use for anything other than a train station. Due to the overwhelming renovation costs and impossible program , there wasn’t anything seriously planned that would be viable. Now Ford is buying it and renovating it to who know what. But when making apples to apples comparisons....two very large historic buildings intended for unique uses located away from the city core, the Uptown theater should be stupid easy to finance and renovate. Again, it needs competent leadership

[Via Chicago]

people want to demolish everything, until they see it restored and then theyre so thrilled it was saved. if people had their way half this city would have been demolished at the first sign of obsolescence (and in some ways it was). but reality is, it can take a long time for the stars to align on a project of this scale. we saw this with the post office, Cook Co Hospital, and many many others. lets be patient. if it takes another 20 years for it to be viable to stay standing for another 300 years, id say thats a fair tradeoff.

[harryc]

June 11

For those who can't figure it out - no burgers today.

[BorisMolotov]

Looking at the plan commission, it's exciting to see a couple plans for midrises along Ashland in the West Loop. Looks like development may soon be finding its way around the United Center. Only a matter of time before there's pressure to build on all those parking lots!

[wrab]

Renderings of the Chicago Architecture Foundation's soon-to-open new digs at 111 East Wacker (Edit: KWillChicago gives link to associated article in earlier post above)

[wrab]

^ Check out the awesome Municipal Device lighting fixtures in the lecture hall & design studio renderings!

[Busy Bee]

I Will be the first to admit I hadn't noticed