CHICAGO | General Developments - Page 117

aaron38 · #**2321** Posted **Dec 27, 2007, 3:08 PM**

This was taken from the Jefferson Park Metra stop. I use 'TOD' loosely. You can't really make it out in this picture, but the sign at that lot says "Single family homes". I think this may have been mentioned before, but this seems like a very poor land use. Even Palatine rejected a developer's request to build new single family homes near the Metra station, insisting on 4-5 story condo buildings. Arlington Heights won't allow anything less than 8 stories at this point.
I understand wanting to not overwhelm the neighborhood, but it's right next to the Kennedy, and there's higher density just down the street to the left.

Mr Downtown · #**2322** Posted **Dec 27, 2007, 3:18 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rocket1

Have there been advances in sound insulation so that locations like this are attractive to renters?

Chicago has thousands of buildings next to the L, including expensive new townhouses. Only one of these buildings is adjacent to the tracks, and they'll be tenanted by commercial showrooms, not offices or bedrooms.

Backing up to this row, Kimball Office Furnishings renovated a big new showroom two years ago. As it happens, every four minutes a train goes by that says "Kimball" on every car.

the urban politician · #**2323** Posted **Dec 27, 2007, 3:23 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by aaron38

[This was taken from the Jefferson Park Metra stop. I use 'TOD' loosely. You can't really make it out in this picture, but the sign at that lot says "Single family homes". I think this may have been mentioned before, but this seems like a very poor land use. Even Palatine rejected a developer's request to build new single family homes near the Metra station, insisting on 4-5 story condo buildings. Arlington Heights won't allow anything less than 8 stories at this point.
I understand wanting to not overwhelm the neighborhood, but it's right next to the Kennedy, and there's higher density just down the street to the left.

^ I'm venturing to guess we can blame Jefferson Park's Alderman for this brilliant lapse of reason. He really needs to get his fat butt out of office.

Perhaps Shawn knows the story better?

Alliance · #**2324** Posted **Dec 27, 2007, 3:28 PM**

Driving down 294 yesterday, There was a new parking garage going up along with a new building (in Rosemont heading north just before that other giant parking garage and the new Muvico18). I almost swore at it because it was like 10 stories tall. But, driving past it, the thing was THIN! The top 6 floors or so only looked like they could fit 6 cars across and the bottom 4 were about twice as wide.

I thought it was a refreshing take on the "taller/thinner." I'm sure it will have horrible cladding, but...any opinions?

aaron38 · #**2325** Posted **Dec 27, 2007, 5:46 PM**

The Lake Shore East parkhomes

aaron38 · #**2326** Posted **Dec 27, 2007, 6:49 PM**

Oh, just a quick side question, did something happen to the mailboxes in the city? I've never really needed one before, but I paid bills on the train, and then wandered through half the city without finding a corner mailbox. I could have gotten 435 copies of the Red Eye though.
I finally dived into Leo Burnett and asked for the mail room...

museumparktom · #**2327** Posted **Dec 27, 2007, 7:06 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by aaron38

Oh, just a quick side question, did something happen to the mailboxes in the city? I've never really needed one before, but I paid bills on the train, and then wandered through half the city without finding a corner mailbox. I could have gotten 435 copies of the Red Eye though.
I finally dived into Leo Burnett and asked for the mail room...

Downtown mailboxes cut back
Chicago Sun-Times, Jan 18, 2002 by Gary Wisby

Partly for security and partly because there just isn't much mail, nearly one-third of the mailboxes downtown are being removed.

Embedded in concrete, the last of 61 boxes--out of a total of 185 that were downtown--will be taken out today, U.S. Postal Service spokeswoman Judy Winiarz said. The first of them were removed Jan. 7.

The Postal Service and the city agreed to remove them.

"They have their security issues, and we have our volume issues," Winiarz said.

Larry Langford, a spokesman for the city's 911 system, said that other cities, too, have removed outdoor mailboxes because of concerns over terrorism since Sept. 11.

ardecila · #**2328** Posted **Dec 28, 2007, 8:21 AM**

Well, Chicago probably has the worst postal system in the nation, so don't be too surprised if you can't find a mailbox. Apparently they've been having problems for years - only now, they can't blame it on an outdated facility.

aaron38 - the development you photographed is Argyle Corners. I think it's a waste of space too, but it's relatively in sync with the rest of the neighborhood. South of the Kennedy is a different matter. Really, though, the site is connected to the Milwaukee business district by only a crumbling concrete pedestrian bridge that doesn't even get shoveled in the winter. It's no wonder the developers aren't pushing the envelope.

Jeff Park has some other major vacant lots along Lawrence, so it's not like there's tremendous demand for new units in the area. I'm just happy that they're finally demolishing (and maybe redeveloping?) that cement mill on the south side of the tracks. It had a little siding track from the railroad line that looked like something out of Thunder Mountain Railroad at Disneyland, with rotten ties, weeds, bent rails, and all.

VivaLFuego · #**2329** Posted **Dec 28, 2007, 3:29 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ardecila

Really, though, the site is connected to the Milwaukee business district by only a crumbling concrete pedestrian bridge that doesn't even get shoveled in the winter. It's no wonder the developers aren't pushing the envelope.

City is about to spend a boatload to totally rebuild that pedestrian bridge.

spyguy · #**2330** Posted **Dec 28, 2007, 5:11 PM**

http://www.pioneerlocal.com/skylinen...107-s1.article

Planned Three Arts zoning creates divide

December 28, 2007
By FELICIA DECHTER

Alderman Brendan Reilly, 42nd, and the North Dearborn Association are clashing over a proposed zoning change for the historic Three Arts Club, 1300 N. Dearborn St.

Reilly said despite the fact that the community organization is supporting a zoning change, he will not support the classification sought by the building's owner, M Development, for the club.

honte · #**2331** Posted **Dec 28, 2007, 9:48 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by VivaLFuego

City is about to spend a boatload to totally rebuild that pedestrian bridge.

Interesting. Do you know the design firm? Thanks in advance.

Busy Bee · #**2332** Posted **Dec 28, 2007, 11:38 PM**

http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/we...lName=HomePage

Eventually...Chicago · #**2333** Posted **Dec 30, 2007, 3:19 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by spyguy

http://www.pioneerlocal.com/skylinen...107-s1.article

Planned Three Arts zoning creates divide

December 28, 2007
By FELICIA DECHTER

Reilly is a flat out idiot.

the urban politician · #**2334** Posted **Dec 30, 2007, 4:00 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eventually...Chicago

Reilly is a flat out idiot.

^ Read the whole article.

I don't really think he's being that unreasonable. Lets not bash Alderman just for the sake of bashing them here...

VivaLFuego · #**2335** Posted **Dec 30, 2007, 5:30 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Busy Bee

http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/we...lName=HomePage

^I'll try to track down the firm that did the designs.....but these aren't anything too spectacular. $500K definitely sounds on the low end from the numbers I previously heard, but hey if that's all it cost, I can think of about a dozen other bridges around the city that need similar treatment.

honte · #**2336** Posted **Dec 30, 2007, 6:28 PM**

^ Thanks.

Quote:

Originally Posted by the urban politician

^ Read the whole article.

I don't really think he's being that unreasonable. Lets not bash Alderman just for the sake of bashing them here...

Agreed. Even though he's putting his foot down, what he's doing is the opposite of the "community group pandering" he is always accused of.

Ch.G, Ch.G · #**2337** Posted **Dec 30, 2007, 9:06 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by VivaLFuego

^I'll try to track down the firm that did the designs.....but these aren't anything too spectacular. $500K definitely sounds on the low end from the numbers I previously heard, but hey if that's all it cost, I can think of about a dozen other bridges around the city that need similar treatment.

I know this isn't really the state of architecture these days, but the mark of a good architect is one who can still be innovative with very little. It's a kind of pragmatism that's traditionally characterized Chicago architects.

They should have hired Jeanne Gang!

BVictor1 · #**2338** Posted **Dec 31, 2007, 5:11 PM**

http://www.suntimes.com/business/719...Hosp31.article

Condo assn. blocks St. Joseph Hospital

LAWSUIT | Court agrees expansion violated zoning

December 31, 2007
BY FELICIA DECHTER

A Lake View condominium association has won a "huge victory" in a legal battle that has stymied expansion of St. Joseph Hospital.

alex1 · #**2339** Posted **Dec 31, 2007, 9:52 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by spyguy

http://www.pioneerlocal.com/skylinen...107-s1.article

[B]Planned Three Arts zoning creates divide...

good for Reilly.

the urban politician · #**2340** Posted **Jan 1, 2008, 6:20 PM**

Far North Side schools struggle to cope as Chicago gets more refugees
Elementaries on Chicago's Far North Side are struggling to cope with an unexpected increase in children from war-torn areas
By Stephanie Banchero | Tribune staff reporter
January 1, 2008
In a cramped grade school classroom on the city's Far North Side, refugees from 17 countries stutter and stumble their way through a lesson on a weather pattern that is totally foreign to most of them: "It's cold outside. It's snowing."

Downstairs, a group of 6th graders from war-torn counties such as Burundi and Myanmar gather around a kidney-shaped table as the teacher slowly guides them through a 2nd-grade-level book. "Clippity-clop. Clippity-clop," they read together.

And in a hallway on the first floor, a 5-year-old refugee from Somalia clutches his teacher's hand with such ferocity that the teacher's knuckles turn white. Since he arrived in September, the slender and withdrawn child has been afraid to leave his teacher's side, even when she goes to the bathroom.

Swift Elementary and a handful of other nearby schools unexpectedly received dozens of refugees at the beginning of the school year, after federal officials issued a waiver to a section of the Patriot Act, allowing more refugees into the U.S.

These schools are accustomed to taking in refugees, but rarely have they seen so many arrive at once.

Between July and September, about 1,200 immigrants fleeing war-ravaged nations arrived in Illinois, as many as came during all of the previous fiscal year, according to the Illinois Department of Human Services. Many of them fled the strife in Burundi and Myanmar, formerly known as Burma.

The vast majority of the refugee families settled on Chicago's Far North Side, long a gateway area for immigrants. For the most part, school-age children enroll in a half-dozen Chicago public schools in the Edgewater and Uptown neighborhoods.

More at link below:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/l...,5443037.story