CHICAGO | General Developments

[harryc]

Originally Posted by bnk

Piling fire
(Tribune photo by Michael Tercha / October 10, 2008)

Workers try unsuccessfully to remove the metal cap from fire-engulfed pilings near a construction site on the Chicago River at State Street Friday morning.

All pilings have been pulled ( walked by Saturday night ).

[honte]

[jjk1103]

.....why (all of a sudden) does everyone think Blair Kamin is posting here ? (I believe he looks (lurks) because that's his job).....but why are we suddenly assuming he posts here ?

[spyguy]

Originally Posted by spyguy

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-b...rticleId=30394

Plan B for Chicago Tech Park: shops
By: Eddie Baeb August 11, 2008

[the urban politician]

^ Wow. Great find, Spyguy.

My fears about big suburban-style strip centers are allayed. This is a good site layout that accommodates the car without insulting the pedestrian or the urban context. Go Rush!

[Segun]

Finally, we see something taking advantage of the major center of employment near the Polk station (other than hospital expansions).

[honte]

Whoever designed that wants to be in Europe oh so badly... but I can dig it. Who's the architect? Hirsch?

I didn't know what I was looking at until TUP made his parking lot comment.

[VivaLFuego]

^ Yes, that looks outstanding and as good as I could have hoped for. By replacing those massive fields of parking and gravel, it will go a very long way towards bringing full continuity between the Tri-Taylor residential district and the Medical Center employment district. Not to mention add many more trip origins/destinations to the area, many of which will surely use the nearby Blue, Pink, #7, #38, and #50 transit services.

[wrab]

From Kamin/The Trib:

'Lost' Louis Sullivan storefront found on Wabash Avenue

Detective work leads to architectural gold on South Wabash. 'There was some unbelievable stuff back there.'

Blair Kamin | Chicago Tribune critic
October 14, 2008
.....(T)he discovery of a "lost" Sullivan-designed, cast-iron storefront at 22 S. Wabash Ave., complete with the architect's renowned nature-inspired ornament.

The public will be able to see Sullivan's artistry, possibly within the next week, when construction workers remove a cloak of scaffolding from the four-story, post-Chicago Fire building. And there will be more to take in.....

http://www.chicagotribune.com/featur...0,631555.story

[honte]

^ This is very exciting news!

[Busy Bee]

Awesome! Although I wouldn't go as far as to say they'll make a 'mockery' of the historic facades at the base of Legacy.

[i_am_hydrogen]

Lincoln Park Hospital being shuttered today

By Becky Yerak | Tribune staff reporter
3:22 PM CDT, October 15, 2008

Lincoln Park Hospital is being shut down Wednesday.

Its owner had put the property up for sale but couldn't find a buyer quickly enough and is closing it immediately, a person familiar with the matter said.

"The rumor it might shut has caused problems with employees and staffing issues," a source said.

The hospital doesn't want to deliver poor quality health care, so it is going to cease operations.

Last week the hospital acknowledged that it was on the sales block and in danger of closing if a deal wasn't struck, partly because the difficulty of getting financing is making it tougher to run the 125-year-old facility.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/busine...,5912429.story

[Marcu]

Originally Posted by honte

Whoever designed that wants to be in Europe oh so badly... but I can dig it. Who's the architect? Hirsch?

I didn't know what I was looking at until TUP made his parking lot comment.

I don't know. Any attempt to "look like europe" usually ends with a streets of woodfield.

[spyguy]

http://www.chicagojournal.com/main.a...47&TM=84624.23

Sachs' redevelopment still divides Logan Square
How much does an affordable unit cost in Logan Square?

By MATT FIELD

Logan Square residents remain divided about the definition of affordable housing in their rapidly changing neighborhood.

The divide crystallized in a fight over the fate of the Morris B. Sachs Building, a 1930s landmark structure wedged between Milwaukee and Kimball avenues. Two bids were submitted to city's Department of Planning and Development for rehabbing the building: one by a social services group that helps low income and homeless people, the other by a commercial developer. The city chose the commercial developer.

[honte]

Originally Posted by Marcu

I don't know. Any attempt to "look like europe" usually ends with a streets of woodfield.

Sorry, those were disconnected statements. I can dig the proposal for other reasons. Copying Europe doesn't jibe with me although there is no doubt they are ahead of us by a wide margin in architecture at the moment, so taking a page from that book isn't necessarily a bad thing.

[i_am_hydrogen]

I was at the University of Chicago earlier today and noticed that construction of The Joe and Rika Mansueto Library is about to get underway. The site has been cleared and fenced off. A construction worker was managing traffic on Ellis Ave.

Here is a render for those who may have forgotten what it looks like (more at SSC's Chicago Cultural Development News thread):

[honte]

^ That's excellent. His other new building at U of C turned out great. Even Adrian would like it. Did you happen to snap any photos of that one?

[Jibba]

Originally Posted by spyguy

http://www.chicagojournal.com/main.a...47&TM=84624.23

Sachs' redevelopment still divides Logan Square
How much does an affordable unit cost in Logan Square?

By MATT FIELD

Logan Square residents remain divided about the definition of affordable housing in their rapidly changing neighborhood.

The divide crystallized in a fight over the fate of the Morris B. Sachs Building, a 1930s landmark structure wedged between Milwaukee and Kimball avenues. Two bids were submitted to city's Department of Planning and Development for rehabbing the building: one by a social services group that helps low income and homeless people, the other by a commercial developer. The city chose the commercial developer.

Hmm...previous reports indicated that the developer undertaking the renovation was going to restore the first and second story facades. Now it seems as though they are going for a cheaper cover-over approach. Slightly disappointing.

[honte]

^ Landmarks has to ok these changes. If you see something that you find objectionable, I would encourage you to voice your opinion to them.

They typically are very good regulators, but sometimes they OK things that truly disappoint.

I don't remember what this building's current state is... if they are leaving it as-is or just maintaining the status quo, they may not be required to restore it.

[wrab]

Three quick shots of the newly rediscovered Louis Sullivan facade at 22 S Wabash: