CHICAGO | General Developments

[spyguy]

^First, thanks for all the photo updates.

It's still too soon to know for sure, but Vision looks overwhelmed by the MB building while the architecture is underwhelming.

As for the Urban Sandbox, I especially like that 4 story midrise on Wolcott. I hope the developer continues to work with Miller Hull on new projects around the city.

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by honte

^ Can you detail that bit about reworking Milwaukee? I hadn't heard about that.

Also, what's wrong with Urban Sandbox? I think it's pretty fresh and certainly bold. The same architects have produced some very nice work around that area lately - only drawback I can see is the repetitiveness and loss of some historic buildings. But I cannot argue with the design, which I think is solid, while not masterful.

Cruising around WP / Bucktown today, I was thinking someone should do a photo tour of that area. There is a lot of decent new construction going on there - much more than just a few projects.

Also noted that HP Bank is putting up a very handsome building (so at least it looked in passing) on Elston just south of Courtland. Anyone have details on that?

There is a plan to close the small stretch of Milwaukee between Ashland and Division, thus enlarging the "Polish Triangle" and allowing for some sort of more elaborate plaza there. I'm hoping the design will be something vaguely Parisian, with planters, trees, and cafe tables, as well as a more grand entrance to the subway. This will probably worsen the traffic in the area, though, since through traffic on Milwaukee now will have to make 3 turns to get through the intersection.

Conceptual picture:


If you want more photos of the smaller projects going on in Wicker Park, then I would suggest checking out YoChicago. Despite the often-icy relationship between us and them, they have comprehensive coverage of all the new condo buildings lining Chicago's arterials.

[Jibba]

Yes, Ch.G, Ch.G, I was referring to the name, not the project. I definitely realized the ambiguity of the statement when posting it, but for whatever reason I decided to leave it as-is. So, to be clear, I, too, like the project from an aesthetic and functional standpoint (with minor caveats attached to that opinion).

And also, Ch.G, Ch.G, I believe I know the project on Division that you referred to above. I was biking back from that area today, and on my way home I noticed something that would match your description, but I failed to grab a picture of it. Next time I am in the area (which is often) I will make sure to photograph it. Also, concerning your sentiments about Vision, I think your wariness will be assuaged once I get some better shots of the vehicle entry area--the space more resembles an alley than the minor parking lot conveyed by the renderings, and this is likely due to the fact that the rendering does not show neighboring structures to the west of the development that border the entryway off nicely.

-------------------------------------

honte, the plan that I referred to above regarding Milwaukee Avenue was an idea proposed by a consulting firm, and the information was published in this article of the Chicago Journal. I guess it is more of a random idea than a firm proposal, but it would dovetail quite nicely with Alderman Flores's plans for a landmark district for the same area.

Edit: in the time it took me to edit this once, ardecila already posted what you need. I'll just leave it here anyway.

[honte]

^ OK, thanks guys. I appreciate the info / clear ups.

At risk of being labeled a car-loving, solar system-destroying NIMBY, I want to say that this closure of a major thoroughfare looks like an absolutely idiotic idea to me. It's going to create an insane nuisance for very little benefit, in my opinion.

Many of the shoppers going to the Milwaukee Corridor take Kennedy there and get off at either Division or Augusta, and then head toward Milwaukee. I can already see the misery now. It's a serious case of biting the hand that feeds.

Noble Square (the actual square) has tons of other problems to deal with... traffic seems to be hardly the most pressing.

____

Also, ardecila, I was suggesting the photos for the benefit of the other forumers who don't get to see these projects. I am in that area every day, so I have a pretty good knowledge of what's going on.

[honte]

Originally Posted by spyguy

As for the Urban Sandbox, I especially like that 4 story midrise on Wolcott. I hope the developer continues to work with Miller Hull on new projects around the city.

I thought those were Studio Dwell projects. Am I mistaken?

[Jibba]

^^I am going to respectfully disagree, and this opinion is spoken from the viewpoint of a biker/walker in the area. Taking cross-walks from Milwaukee/Division to get to Dusty Groove on Ashland was a harrowing experience for me, and I have always felt that the intersections around the Polish Triangle are some of the most treacherous that I have biked and walked through (and I have biked the North and Clybourn shitstorm many times). Additionally, Ashland at that point is practically treated as an expressway by the drivers of it, and the wideness of it resulting from the boulevard-like design surely contributes to the speed that drivers feel like they can get away with there. There is really a chance for that area to thrive as a pedestrian anchor, but currently the traffic is just too wild, and the re-routing of Milwaukee would tame the vehicle traffic quite nicely even if that means slowing down the same amount of cars to do so.

At first glance, it would appear that re-routing Ashland at the Triangle would make the most sense especially considering that to get from the Division Blue Line stop to the public square (er, triangle) requires crossing Ashland. However, the turning angles created by using Milwaukee as a detour for Ashland are much sharper, and this is likely to be a much more accident-prone scheme (and therefore a much less desirable one). Also, speaking from the viewpoint of someone who has driven the chopped-up lanes of the Damen and Fullerton intersection, the truncated lanes in the Polish Triangle area are likely to be dangerous and chaotic no matter what.

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by honte

Noble Square (the actual square) has tons of other problems to deal with... traffic seems to be hardly the most pressing.

____

Also, ardecila, I was suggesting the photos for the benefit of the other forumers who don't get to see these projects. I am in that area every day, so I have a pretty good knowledge of what's going on.

Well, my recommendation applies to any other forumers. I highly recommend to anybody interested in Chicago development that they check out the Yo. It's invaluable. Since I don't really live in Chicago anymore, I can't exactly do a photo tour myself.

Also, I thought Noble Square was the park a few blocks northwest?

[BWChicago]

Originally Posted by ardecila

Well, my recommendation applies to any other forumers. I highly recommend to anybody interested in Chicago development that they check out the Yo. It's invaluable. Since I don't really live in Chicago anymore, I can't exactly do a photo tour myself.

Also, I thought Noble Square was the park a few blocks northwest?

Yeah, I don't think it is Noble Square, this didn't even become a park/plaza until the subway was constructed.

[Ch.G, Ch.G]

Originally Posted by honte

I thought those were Studio Dwell projects. Am I mistaken?

I think it's actually a triad: Osterhaus McCarthy + Miller Hull + Studio Dwell .

[aic4ever]

Originally Posted by Ch.G, Ch.G

I think it's actually a triad: Osterhaus McCarthy + Miller Hull + Studio Dwell .

Based on the informaton available on Ranquist's website, the architects for Urban Sandbox are as follows:

1621 N. Wolcott - Studio Dwell
1623 N. Wolcott - Studio Dwell
1627 N. Wolcott - Osterhaus McCarthy

They also list 1615 and 1617 N. Wolcott as part of the Urban Sandbox, although they don't have PDF's posted for those outlining who the involved parties are.

[Taft]

Originally Posted by honte

At risk of being labeled a car-loving, solar system-destroying NIMBY, I want to say that this closure of a major thoroughfare looks like an absolutely idiotic idea to me. It's going to create an insane nuisance for very little benefit, in my opinion.

Many of the shoppers going to the Milwaukee Corridor take Kennedy there and get off at either Division or Augusta, and then head toward Milwaukee. I can already see the misery now. It's a serious case of biting the hand that feeds.

Meh. Normally, I'd agree with your sentiments regarding a major disruption of traffic, however Milwaukee north through Wicker Park is already a NIGHTMARE. I believe all this would do is to encourage drivers onto other streets, which actually might clear up Milwaukee a bit. Of course it would slightly worsen the backup at Milwaukee and Division headed north. I'm not sure how devastating this would be.

Of course, the question I have about this is: why? Unless they are going to do something really amazing with that little park, I question the wisdom of disturbing the existing traffic flow.

Taft

[VivaLFuego]

Milwaukee is the least awful street at that intersection. Ashland and Division are both treacherously wide at that point - if anything should be done to make the triangle more pedestrian-friendly, focus on narrowing those streets, not removing Milwaukee.

[headcase]

Originally Posted by aic4ever

Based on the informaton available on Ranquist's website, the architects for Urban Sandbox are as follows:

1621 N. Wolcott - Studio Dwell
1623 N. Wolcott - Studio Dwell
1627 N. Wolcott - Osterhaus McCarthy

They also list 1615 and 1617 N. Wolcott as part of the Urban Sandbox, although they don't have PDF's posted for those outlining who the involved parties are.

My understanding was that Dwell did the four single family homes and the condo midrise was done by Miller Hull. Looking at Studio Dwell's site and Ranquists they do differ on what they are calling the addresses, SD has the 4 SF's as 1615-1623, while Ranquist has them as 1621-1627. I have seen the midrise listed as 1615 so I guess believe the developer?

SSDD

[Ch.G, Ch.G]

Originally Posted by Jibba

Yes, Ch.G, Ch.G, I was referring to the name, not the project. I definitely realized the ambiguity of the statement when posting it, but for whatever reason I decided to leave it as-is. So, to be clear, I, too, like the project from an aesthetic and functional standpoint (with minor caveats attached to that opinion).

And also, Ch.G, Ch.G, I believe I know the project on Division that you referred to above. I was biking back from that area today, and on my way home I noticed something that would match your description, but I failed to grab a picture of it. Next time I am in the area (which is often) I will make sure to photograph it. Also, concerning your sentiments about Vision, I think your wariness will be assuaged once I get some better shots of the vehicle entry area--the space more resembles an alley than the minor parking lot conveyed by the renderings, and this is likely due to the fact that the rendering does not show neighboring structures to the west of the development that border the entryway off nicely.

Thanks, Jibba. That does make sense-- about the renderings. And I'm sure that was the development you biked past. Maybe a block or so east of Penelope's? I think they might still be working on the framing.

[headcase]

Originally Posted by Ch.G, Ch.G

Thanks, Jibba. That does make sense-- about the renderings. And I'm sure that was the development you biked past. Maybe a block or so east of Penelope's? I think they might still be working on the framing.

I think you are talking about the one just West of Moonshine? The are still framing that one, but I can't honestly remember what the finsihed product is supposed to look like.....

SSDD

[emathias]

Originally Posted by ardecila

There is a plan to close the small stretch of Milwaukee between Ashland and Division, thus enlarging the "Polish Triangle" and allowing for some sort of more elaborate plaza there. I'm hoping the design will be something vaguely Parisian, with planters, trees, and cafe tables, as well as a more grand entrance to the subway. This will probably worsen the traffic in the area, though, since through traffic on Milwaukee now will have to make 3 turns to get through the intersection.

Conceptual picture:
...

If you want more photos of the smaller projects going on in Wicker Park, then I would suggest checking out YoChicago. Despite the often-icy relationship between us and them, they have comprehensive coverage of all the new condo buildings lining Chicago's arterials.

Seems like you could reduce lanes on Ashland, which would also help a lot, if you bolstered the Blackhawk/Paulina corridor, extended Marshfield to Milwaukee and bolstered Haddon/Marshfield corridor, and carved out a couple left-turn lanes on Milwaukee to support those. Even bigger thinking might including putting an auxillary exit from the interstate onto Crystal and pushing that through all the way to Ashland, or making Augusta interface with 90/94 in all directions. Even just pushing Potomac through from Greenview to Ashland and making it bi-directional would probably go a long way toward alleviating certain traffic. The biggest issue in that area may be the existence of so many superblocks, and a lack of enough local streets, not the proximity of the interstate.

Another thing that would almost certainly help is pushing August all the way to connect to Oak, or Blackhawk all the way through to Halsted, including overpasses and bridges.

[Jibba]

^Yes, as you have just laid out, there are plenty of alternatives to explore. In general, though, that space of the Triangle will never be inviting for any pedestrians until the traffic is tamed. Also, traffic issues notwithstanding, the area of the space is also not sufficient for the functioning of a viable pedestrian space, either. The only way to achieve this is to poach some of the existing roadway space that surrounds it.

[spyguy]

Originally Posted by headcase

I think you are talking about the one just West of Moonshine? The are still framing that one, but I can't honestly remember what the finsihed product is supposed to look like.....

SSDD

This one?


The FedEx building on Division by Studio Dwell is also quite nice and different from everything else around it.
----

Since we're on the topic, I posted this about a year ago on SSC, but probably forgot to post it here

OWP/P’s client controls a land parcel on Chicago’s Near North Side. With a majority of the property zoned for parking under existing Planned Development, our client is interested in obtaining Aldermanic and City approval to increase the allowed density in the site’s zoning.

OWP/P studied five development alternatives for the site—each with different configurations and densities of residential, retail and parking—and prepared sketch plans for our client to use in arguing its case for changes to the zoning.

[left of center]

Originally Posted by honte

At risk of being labeled a car-loving, solar system-destroying NIMBY, I want to say that this closure of a major thoroughfare looks like an absolutely idiotic idea to me. It's going to create an insane nuisance for very little benefit, in my opinion.

I entirely agree. Milwaukee is such an important thoroughfare, disrupting it like that would back it up for miles in each direction. The triangle that is there is a little small, sure, but its a big enough size where you will see people sitting on the benches and generally enjoying the fountain and the shade provided by the trees in the summer. We dont need to do anything as drastic as reroute Milwaukee. Its a waste of money, IMO.

I dont get why this city hates diagonal streets so much. We've lost numerous miles of diagonal streets in Chicago over the years. Some where for the best (Ogden Ave in Lincoln Park). Stuff like this though just seems like a shortsighted alderman pet project.

[Mr Downtown]

Originally Posted by left of center

We've lost numerous miles of diagonal streets in Chicago over the years.

We have? I can only think of a tiny bit of Fifth Avenue at the Eisenhower, Cottage Grove through McCormick Place, a half-mile of Blue Island through the UIC campus and about a mile of Ogden through Old Town (which had only been built 40 years previously).