CHICAGO | General Developments

[ardecila]

^ Why would they sell out after they just expanded the restaurant last year? They must be getting a really killer deal.

If that gets developed it will transform the neighborhood, no joke. That site and the similar site at Milwaukee/Western are linchpin sites.

[UrbanLibertine]

Originally Posted by ardecila

^ Why would they sell out after they just expanded the restaurant last year? They must be getting a really killer deal.

If that gets developed it will transform the neighborhood, no joke. That site and the similar site at Milwaukee/Western are linchpin sites.

Please take away that horrific Family Dollar too. I have no problem with those stores, but that big of a parking lot (which is always empty) needs to go.

[LouisVanDerWright]

Originally Posted by ardecila

SFH is just the easiest thing to do. In a hot area, it might be the most profitable thing too.

You don't have all the legal BS of setting up a condo association and you don't have to manage apartments or find tenants.

I don't know the particulars of LVDW's building, but it might be an SFH already and too small to have multi-unit.

It's purely based on the existing condition of the building. What I choose to do with any given property entirely depends on what I get when I buy it. This property is already a SFH so I'm keeping it that way. I am doing this one without permits, but that's because I'm not really changing anything major about the building. I'm basically just upgrading finishes and rebuilding the shitty staircase that's in it now. The only major changes I'm making are taking out one tiny bedroom by removing a wall and ripping out the shitty framing of what was an illegal apartment in the basement. Sure you need a permit for demo for that stuff, but if I got caught for it what would they do? Demand I get plans for demolishing it? No, I'd just be forced to pay the permit fee and perhaps a small fine.

Anyhow, I'm basically returning this home to it's original condition as a SFH by tearing out other shitty illegal work that was done over the previous 50 years or so.

The only reason I'm even getting permits on that other building is that I bought it with a stop work order on it and the only way to get rid of that order is permits. But I would never have been able to afford that building if it weren't totally fucked with the city to begin with. So as much as I bitch about it, I knew what I was getting myself into, my complaints here are purely ones of awe that it can be this totally backwards and stupid. My building is one of tens of thousands of buildings like it across the South and West side, it's no wonder the city is being razed wholesale when the government is so fucked that it's nearly impossible to even get permits on a building like this to keep it standing.

[marothisu]

This got its permit yesterday to build:
http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20140...x-hardware-lot

[wierdaaron]

Here's the inside of that new British School. http://chicago.curbed.com/archives/2...photo-tour.php

[LouisVanDerWright]

Originally Posted by marothisu

This got its permit yesterday to build:
http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20140...x-hardware-lot

Awful, I'm all for new development and density, but the existing structure was significantly nicer than the happy brick bullshit that will be replacing it. This city doesn't care in the slightest about preservation.

[Jibba]

[ChickeNES]

Originally Posted by Jibba

What the hell is that?

[wierdaaron]

It's an ambigram. It says the same thing upside down.



edit: If you meant the building, I think it's the Maxwell around Taylor and Clinton. People keep trying to call that the South Loop and I ain't having it. If it needs a name, call it Retail Throwupland.

[Ned.B]

^wierdaaron, that's the west side of New City along Halsted, just south of North Ave.

I found it ironic that a quote about Chicago architecture was placed on a really mediocre design.

[wierdaaron]

Oh, yikes. Same color scheme and same Dick's Sporting Goods as Maxwell. New City is such a mistake. It'll probably earn billions.

[Chi-Sky21]

Does this mean that Dave Grohl is not only a great musician but an architect on the level of Frank Gehry? What CAN'T he do!

[marothisu]

Here's some more statistics - this time about down conversions between 11/1/2014 and 9/3/2015:

- 152 multi unit buildings got permits to convert to SFH
* 4 of those were 4 unit buildings
* 24 of those were 3 unit buildings
* 113 of those were 2 unit buildings
* 11 of those buildings didn't list how many units
* Total number of units before = 311


* 87 multi unit buildings got permits to down convert, but not convert to SFH.
* Before, they accounted for a total of 816 units. After, they will account for 668 units. This is a loss of 148 units.


Still, even with all of these, the amount of units being up-converted from already existing buildings and additions to already existing buildings is greater than what's being lost, so far.

[Jibba]

Originally Posted by Ned.B

I found it ironic that a quote about Chicago architecture was placed on a really mediocre design.

Exactly.

[spyguy]

Community Meeting Notice
Monday, September 21st, 7:00pm
Catherine Cook School
240 W. Schiller St.
Co-sponsored by Alderman Walter Burnett Jr. and the Old Town Merchants & Residents Association (OTMRA)

This is the second meeting for the proposed residential development for the property located at 1415 N. Sedgwick (formally 1400 N. Orleans). The site currently consists of the Noble Horse stables property and adjacent vacant lot.

The Applicant proposes to construct a new 9 story plus penthouse building. The proposed building will contain 250 residences, 125 automobile parking spaces and 125 bicycle parking spaces. The property is currently zoned C1-3 and b#-3, and the Applicant, LG Development Group, LLC, has requested a zoning change to B2-5 to authorize the proposed development.

All members of the public are welcome.

For information prior to the meeting, please contact the Applicant's attorney, Michael Ezgur, at 312.327.3350 or by michael@ acostaezgur.com.

- - - - -

Immediately following the 1415 N. Sedgwick presentation, OTMRA will host a brief review of two other as-of-right development projects -- 301 W. North Avenue and 1325 N. Wells Street.

The Noble Horse project sounds like it hasn't changed much from this DNA article other than an increase in parking:


The other two Old Town projects I believe are owned by Sedgwick Properties, so I'm not expecting much....

[munchymunch]

looks like somebody designed a hospital with wings, and then slapped a bunch of balconies on it.

[HowardL]

Originally Posted by munchymunch

looks like somebody designed a hospital with wings, and then slapped a bunch of balconies on it.

I can see what you mean but it does not offend me too terribly. That part of Old Town, that particular block especially, is such an utter hodge-podge that this is an improvement.
It's good density for being right at the end of the block from the L station.

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by munchymunch

looks like somebody designed a hospital with wings, and then slapped a bunch of balconies on it.

I don't see why an X shape is bad. This could actually be really cool depending on materials.

[ardecila]

Not sure if this got posted on here but Fletcher Jones is building a pretty large service center at the former Chicago Paperboard site at Elston/Augusta. The new service center will probably replace the one on Division on Goose Island, which can be very difficult to access given the congestion on Division. As big as this is, it's only a fraction of the site... Original plans called for more dealerships here as well, but retail auto sales are not currently permitted inside the PMD so those are on hold.

Architect is Gensler, same as the other Fletcher Jones properties and the new Fox Motors further up Elston. Meanwhile, McGrath Acura plans to build a large multi-story garage on what is currently a surface lot.

We're seeing a huge boom in car dealerships, and they're all pretty urban too.

[marothisu]

Good to see - 24 unit building was issued a building permit on a vacant lot at 5 N Oakley (Oakley & Madison) which is west of the United Center and near Western. Offices on first floor too so mixed use.