CHICAGO | One Bennett Park | 837 FT | 68 FLOORS

[r18tdi]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

There has been shitloads of residential construction, and each year I see more people walking the sidewalks.

Compared to River North the foot traffic as well as dining and entertainment options are still essentially nowhere.
5/10 would not bang.

[wierdaaron]

Some park shots from DNAInfo:











Looks kind of inspired by the new Maggie Daley park, or at least from the same school of design. And while I'm not super familiar with that part of town, I'd wager that the "public" park is really going to be used almost exclusively by people who live right outside it, like Lakeshore East's park.

[the urban politician]

BVictor, how was the public's response to the proposal?

[munchymunch]

Bitching about parking, that was the responce.

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by munchymunch

Bitching about parking, that was the responce.

that was all? no bitching about shadows, views, density, traffic, down drafts, or bird murder?

[Chi-Sky21]

I think the new park is a vast improvement over the old, college quad was a great description. My only gripe about the new park is that looking at the paths it almost makes it seem like a private park for 451 E grand and nobody else. Looks like 2 or 3 access points for residents and only 2 or 3 for the public. Of course one can always cut across the grass....

[munchymunch]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

that was all? no bitching about shadows, views, density, traffic, down drafts, or bird murder?

Yes some of that, Dna mentioned someone was concerned about drug deals in the park.

[sentinel]

Originally Posted by wierdaaron

Some park shots from DNAInfo:











Looks kind of inspired by the new Maggie Daley park, or at least from the same school of design. And while I'm not super familiar with that part of town, I'd wager that the "public" park is really going to be used almost exclusively by people who live right outside it, like Lakeshore East's park.

Makes sense, since I believe this park is also designed by Michael Van Valkenburg.

[Notyrview]

Wow, it's even more beige than I anticipated.

[BVictor1]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

that was all? no bitching about shadows, views, density, traffic, down drafts, or bird murder?

Bitching about views: 1 or 2 people. Alderman said that their building blocked someone else's view.

Bitching about shadows: 1 person.

Bitching about density: A few people because this proposal would be 2x's currently allowed.

Bitching about downdrafts: None

Bitching about bird murder: None

[wierdaaron]

There were complaints from the ornithological society at the Navy Pier meeting, and that's not getting any taller.

[aaron38]

Originally Posted by spyguy

Christopher.F Photography/ Flickr

Maybe it was folks in this building who complained about lost views. 451 E. will go up right in the middle of this shot.

[harryc]

Originally Posted by wierdaaron

There were complaints from the ornithological society at the Navy Pier meeting, and that's not getting any taller.

When I was at the Field one of the ornithologists had an ongoing population survey based on the dead birds picked up around McCormick place (east).

[The Pimp]

Like I originally stated... BORING! Why another beige turd? But, the park is nice.

[Notyrview]

^ lol yea they should just paint it dark brown

[ardecila]

Definitely torn on this proposal. Stern and Van Valkenburgh both work in this retro traditional style, which is disappointing but I know firsthand from NY that both designers can actually pull it off, unlike e.g. a Lagrange or Antunovich or some other local players.

The tower is something of a missed opportunity when it could be something nice and contemporary (Stern has done nice modern work in Philly and Paris) but I know I won't be shaking my head when I walk past, like I do at the Elysian or 35 W Wacker.

The park just seems like such a waste, though. Why not ask Related to build out DuSable Park or the shitty Ogden Plaza with this design instead of replacing a perfectly good, beautifully-designed existing park? It seems like Reilly was the motivation for the park work anyway, so if Related sees the park as just the cost of doing business, they shouldn't care if the park is a few blocks away.

[BVictor1]

Originally Posted by ardecila

Definitely torn on this proposal. Stern and Van Valkenburgh both work in this retro traditional style, which is disappointing but I know firsthand from NY that both designers can actually pull it off, unlike e.g. a Lagrange or Antunovich or some other local players.

The tower is something of a missed opportunity when it could be something nice and contemporary (Stern has done nice modern work in Philly and Paris) but I know I won't be shaking my head when I walk past, like I do at the Elysian or 35 W Wacker.

The park just seems like such a waste, though. Why not ask Related to build out DuSable Park or the shitty Ogden Plaza with this design instead of replacing a perfectly good, beautifully-designed existing park? It seems like Reilly was the motivation for the park work anyway, so if Related sees the park as just the cost of doing business, they shouldn't care if the park is a few blocks away.

Because DuSable Park is linked to the development of the Spire site and Ogden Plaza is a block and a half to the west and has nothing to do with the development at hand.

With the Lowes Hotel & Tower and the eventual development to the lot just to the north of it, I think that will have some bearing on the redo of that plaza.

[Mr Downtown]

I've heard that the redesigned park was going to be six stories, but Reilly made them knock it down to only one and a half.

Oh, and it was going to be glass shards and carbon fiber fractal shapes, but the hopelessly retardataire Stern insisted that it be a bunch of actual grass and shrubs and trees, like we were still in the 19th century or something.

[Tom Servo]

Originally Posted by ardecila

The tower is a big fucking piece of shit when it could be something nice and contemporary

Fixed. And yes. Nothing more than another failed opportunity to build something good.

Anyway, what's Odgen Plaza, and where is it?

[ardecila]

Ogden Plaza is across Columbus from NBC Tower. It's a gross hangout for bums and winos with a weird giant clock.