CHICAGO | General Developments - Page 366

Abner · #**7301** Posted **Jun 5, 2009, 2:53 AM**

I have a (thankfully non-meter-related) question. On the corner of 18th and Ashland there's a public notice of Alderman Solis's request to "remove pedestrian street designation" from 18th St. (The address written on the notice is 1800 S. Ashland and the notification simply says "along W. 18th St." without anything more specific.) What does this mean? What is pedestrian street designation? On the surface it sure sounds like a bad thing... 18th St. is definitely a pedestrian street. There may have been more of these notices elsewhere but I didn't happen to see them.

the urban politician · #**7302** Posted **Jun 5, 2009, 2:58 AM**

^ Doesn't sound like a good thing to me.

Pedestrian designation insures that new buildings are built to the sidewalk and that there is not any parking requirement. I'm not sure why the Alderman would want to remove that.

Abner · #**7303** Posted **Jun 5, 2009, 3:02 AM**

Well, because aldermen are generally assholes.

the urban politician · #**7304** Posted **Jun 5, 2009, 3:16 AM**

^ Will there be a hearing?

If so, it might be a good idea to figure out what's going on.

Abner · #**7305** Posted **Jun 5, 2009, 3:54 AM**

I don't think the notice gave any information about what a person might conceivably do if they wanted to know more about what was going on, and it certainly didn't give any indication about it being anything other than a done deal. City government is not known for soliciting the opinions of residents about most matters (highrises in well-heeled neighborhoods notwithstanding, perhaps).

VivaLFuego · #**7306** Posted **Jun 5, 2009, 4:14 AM**

Not good news. The pedestrian street designation is one of the few true bright spots in the non-downtown sections of Chicago's zoning code. I can only assume there is a specific person with a specific street-murdering development in mind who holds specific sway with Mr Solis. I'd like to think Dept of Zoning and Land Use (or whatever Planning is called now) goes to the mattresses on this one, but Mayor Mumbles seems to only care about steamrolling aldermanic perogative when it comes to building stuff in Grant Park.

Abner · #**7307** Posted **Jun 5, 2009, 4:34 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by VivaLFuego

Not good news. The pedestrian street designation is one of the few true bright spots in the non-downtown sections of Chicago's zoning code. I can only assume there is a specific person with a specific street-murdering development in mind who holds specific sway with Mr Solis. I'd like to think Dept of Zoning and Land Use (or whatever Planning is called now) goes to the mattresses on this one, but Mayor Mumbles seems to only care about steamrolling aldermanic perogative when it comes to building stuff in Grant Park.

Ugh. In some places, a row as generally well-preserved as 18th would be treasured and protected. There's almost nothing on 18th in that area that's worth replacing with some large new development, with the exception of a large and almost always empty MB Financial parking lot just west of Ashland--but considering that it's a bank parking lot, I doubt that would be the property being monkeyed with.

There is, however, what seems to be an abandoned foundation for a one-lot condo project between Laflin and Ashland that has been filled with water and debris for well over a year. I always thought aldermen were supposed to do something about stuff like that.

Ch.G, Ch.G · #**7308** Posted **Jun 5, 2009, 5:07 AM**

^ Seriously. 18th is on its way to becoming one of the most vibrant corridors in the city. It needs elbow grease, not demolition. I hope the nascent activist community there catches wind of this.

brian_b · #**7309** Posted **Jun 5, 2009, 2:31 PM**

Someone wants a drive-thru bank branch on the corner.

Who wants to bet against me?

the urban politician · #**7310** Posted **Jun 5, 2009, 3:31 PM**

^ I was just thinking the same thing.

What's the point of Pedestrian street zoning if a single developer can so easily overturn it. Why even bother with creating the zoning then?

Abner · #**7311** Posted **Jun 5, 2009, 5:24 PM**

Well, you know the rules. Aldermen can do whatever they want, unless the mayor wants to do something different.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ch.G, Ch.G

^ Seriously. 18th is on its way to becoming one of the most vibrant corridors in the city. It needs elbow grease, not demolition. I hope the nascent activist community there catches wind of this.

I would say it isn't on its way, it already is one--albeit one that's been more fragile economically. There aren't that many neighborhoods in the city with incomes as low as Pilsen's that support so many businesses (and 18th doesn't even really serve as a Latino shopping destination like 26th does). You're right though, there's nothing about 18th St. that is going to benefit from teardowns.

ChiMack · #**7312** Posted **Jun 5, 2009, 9:30 PM**

i have a question about the ex robert taylor area, what did they built there and are people living there already? is it a mixed income area

the urban politician · #**7313** Posted **Jun 5, 2009, 9:45 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Abner

On the corner of 18th and Ashland there's a public notice of Alderman Solis's request to "remove pedestrian street designation" from 18th St. (The address written on the notice is 1800 S. Ashland and the notification simply says "along W. 18th St." without anything more specific.) What does this mean? What is pedestrian street designation? On the surface it sure sounds like a bad thing... 18th St. is definitely a pedestrian street. There may have been more of these notices elsewhere but I didn't happen to see them.

^ Credit Jonathan Fine, director of Preservation Chicago, for quickly getting to the bottom of this issue. Here is what he found out:

Quote:

The zoning change was for the MB Bank building their new building across the
street where their parking lot is. There will now be 1 driveway access vs.
the 2 that are there now. It is just for that block and once they are
complete, the zoning will go back to what it was.

Jonathan Fine
Executive Director, Preservation Chicago

wrab · #**7314** Posted **Jun 5, 2009, 11:25 PM**

The Chicago Architecture Foundation is in the process of installing a new Chicago city model in the atrium of the Santa Fe Building, to replace the smaller, less detailed one in their CitySpace gallery. When fully installed, it will cycle through a simulated 24-hour day. It is looking really great!

Busy Bee · #**7315** Posted **Jun 6, 2009, 12:39 AM**

Looking awesome! Is that Ryan Reynolds in the background?

Abner · #**7316** Posted **Jun 6, 2009, 4:28 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by the urban politician

^ Credit Jonathan Fine, director of Preservation Chicago, for quickly getting to the bottom of this issue. Here is what he found out:

Whew. Thanks, TUP. Did you take the initiative of emailing him yourself? I didn't know Preservation Chicago was plugged into that sort of thing.

Rizzo · #**7317** Posted **Jun 6, 2009, 7:24 AM**

You know, I thought about laser cutting a chunk of Chicago, but after seeing the size of this......don't think the apartment can hold it.

denizen467 · #**7318** Posted **Jun 6, 2009, 7:54 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by the urban politician

Jonathan Fine, director of Preservation Chicago ...

Speaking of old buildings that embody the city's history:

The 4-story red stone building on the southwest corner of St Clair & Grand used to have "Lindsay Light Co" (that century-old (polluting) company headquartered there) in stone at the very top on the Grand side, even just a couple months ago.

Now it says "Schmo Bros." or something like that, in new-ish looking stone. WTF?!?

SolarWind · #**7319** Posted **Jun 7, 2009, 7:14 AM**

June 4, 2009

Greenway Self-Park Presentation
http://www.slideshare.net/DavidBrinn...n-presentation

SolarWind · #**7320** Posted **Jun 7, 2009, 7:36 AM**

I visited slideshare.net for the first time today and I noticed a bunch of presentations that have to do with Chicago.

A bit dated, but here's one:

Current Construction Projects, City of Chicago, August 21, 2008
http://www.slideshare.net/juggernaut...august-21-2008