CHICAGO | General Developments - Page 819

denizen467 · #**16361** Posted **Aug 16, 2012, 12:40 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by spyguy

A store made from old shipping containers. Or what you said.

Ha ha, I hadn't realized a term had emerged for that. I had only been aware of container art, including that giant stack of them in Kansas City by some artist. (Always thought that would look awesome along the Stevenson somewhere.) Anyway I agree also with Hayward regarding the hypocritical usage at this location -- my term would be a "can't-contain-my-laughter" store.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Downtown

The Granada Theater was on the northeast corner. I'm pretty sure this is for the southwest corner, where the drivethru was. Of course, it used to look like this:

Indeed, of course, seeing as the "Granada" residential building was built right on the theater site. I think I remembered it wrong because I may have felt more scars from the demolition on the SW corner -- the Granada Theater demolition was known to be impending, but the SW corner building demolition was sort of an ambush. Plus, not only did it hold the corner at that major intersection, it also occupied a sort of view-terminating position on the commuter route down Sheridan (where the theater building really never had a head-on view, you would only brush by it along Sheridan). And, unlike the theater site, it was replaced not by another streetwall structure but by possibly the biggest urban turd ever.

Marcu · #**16362** Posted **Aug 16, 2012, 3:18 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by the urban politician

^ Being that this is already an existing abandoned drive thru, it's not really a loss, but it is definitely a major blown opportunity to add some density to that intersection. Plus, like McDonald's, I imagine that Starbucks is going to hold onto that real estate for eternity.

The bad news is the drive thru and the design, but the good news is that there really isn't that much parking. Most of their customers will either use the drive thru or arrive by foot, I imagine.

There is an existing "neighborhood" Starbucks about 4 blocks north of this site that has good urban design, an outdoor patio, and no parking. My guess is that they bought up this site with the idea of capturing drivers that the existing Starbucks does not accommodate. Any pedestrian is going to continue to go to the existing location to the north (or the four or so other coffee shops in the 1/8th mile radius). As far as Starbucks is concerned, any pedestrian element was thrown in solely for city approval.

J_M_Tungsten · #**16363** Posted **Aug 16, 2012, 10:50 PM**

I have quick question for debate. How is it that places like a Howard Johnson and the Ohio house can still exist in river north? Is there really a demand for those hotels in the area?

ChiPhi · #**16364** Posted **Aug 16, 2012, 11:36 PM**

Apparently the Howard Johnson is owned by some 98 year old woman who refuses to let it go. Is it wrong to say that I can't wait for her to die?

The Ohio house is actually a pretty Pleasing piece of mid century architecture imo, but very anti urban. Plus, it is nowhere near as seedy as the Howard Johnson. It's cheap, sure, but still probably makes more economic sense as a motel than a parking lot.

Mr Downtown · #**16365** Posted **Aug 17, 2012, 1:01 AM**

Not everyone can afford the Peninsula. Not everyone arrives by air or rail. Seems like a good idea to encourage a wide range of hostelries downtown. It's a shame when people come to "Chicago" and feel they have to stay out in Rosemont and commute.

the urban politician · #**16366** Posted **Aug 17, 2012, 1:10 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Downtown

Not everyone can afford the Peninsula. Not everyone arrives by air or rail. Seems like a good idea to encourage a wide range of hostelries downtown. It's a shame when people come to "Chicago" and feel they have to stay out in Rosemont and commute.

Yeah, because the only two choices when you want to stay downtown is Howard Johnson and the Peninsula. Clearly there are no hotels priced between those two extremes

nomarandlee · #**16367** Posted **Aug 17, 2012, 1:33 AM**

I don't think anyone begrudges the need for economical hoteliers or the need for downtown to cater to most nearly every price point. I think its literally just the dog ugly buildings that blight the streets cape in River North.

Red Roof Inn is nearly as economical as those in discussion and they set up shot in a nice quality building in Streeterville even though I've read rather bad reviews about the place but its the Red Roof so what do you expect. Likewise I think most here with for the idea of that new high rise, Tokyo Inn or something like that, that was proposed to go up across the street from Union Street on Clinton that seemed like it aimed for a economical clientele.

Those motels/hotels on Ohio remind more of the cheap motels along the dirt strips of El Paso in No Country for Old Men.

ardecila · #**16368** Posted **Aug 17, 2012, 5:45 AM**

Latest renderings for Ashland/Division "Tower of Pizza Hut"

Standpoor · #**16369** Posted **Aug 17, 2012, 7:32 AM**

One day it will be her time and the property can be redeveloped, until then I say it is her property and she can do with it what she likes. They both are relics from a bygone era and once gone, which they certainly will be one day, they are gone for good. Unlike the unholy intersection at Clark and Ontario. The Walgreens, McDonalds, Rainforest Cafe, Hard Rock, and Portillo's will never die.

This reminds me of a house right across the street from Steppenwolf and by Alinea, where a cranky old man kept stuffed animals in the front yard until the day he died. It seems that after his wife died, he put stuffed animals in the yard to delight children in her memory. The animals were dirty and rain soaked and the house became dilapidated with broken windows and beat up siding but he kept it into his 90s. It was pretty creepy but eventually he died and it was sold to Mangia(I think) and it became patio dining.

That tower looks much, much better than a pizza hut. I wonder what those shadow kids are doing. Do you think he is asking her if she wants some coffee?

Tom Servo · #**16370** Posted **Aug 17, 2012, 10:00 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ardecila

Latest renderings for Ashland/Division "Tower of Pizza Hut"

EPIC!!!

ChiPsy · #**16371** Posted **Aug 17, 2012, 12:04 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Standpoor

I wonder what those shadow kids are doing. Do you think he is asking her if she wants some coffee?

I don't know, but the guy between the trees in the first image looks like he's yelling for help, and there's a guy in the Intelligentsia shop in the second one who's either looking through a telescope or holding a very large cell phone

the urban politician · #**16372** Posted **Aug 17, 2012, 12:40 PM**

The tower of pizza hut is very nice.

So many proposals outside of downtown, I'm itching to see some of these get started.

Realtors are telling me just how much demand there is for apartments in good neighborhoods like EV/UV (frankly, though, unless you're talking about gang-infested areas like Austin or Englewood, the demand for apartments in most Chicago neighborhoods is soaring). I just can't imagine how, with the likelihood of over 95% occupancy with good rents/sq foot and an announced tenant in the retail space (I see Intelligentsia Coffee in the rendering) what would possibly give a lender any hesitation to finance a project like this? Same goes for the 15th and Blue Island and the Bradley Place project in Lakeview.

People need apartments, and there are a lot of people who simply don't want to live downtown. They talk about an apartment glut, but I just don't see it in the neighborhoods. How are 6-7 new apartment towers downtown going to affect the rental market in Pilsen, or Ukrainian Village, or Lakeview?

Ch.G, Ch.G · #**16373** Posted **Aug 17, 2012, 1:34 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom Servo

EPIC!!!

Love it. Love everything about it. It's perfect for the location.

MOAR PLS.

J_M_Tungsten · #**16374** Posted **Aug 17, 2012, 2:49 PM**

Agree, this is a fantastic location for this development. It better not change from this. This part of Ashland really needs a more modern feel to it.

Rizzo · #**16375** Posted **Aug 17, 2012, 3:11 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChiPsy

I don't know, but the guy between the trees in the first image looks like he's yelling for help, and there's a guy in the Intelligentsia shop in the second one who's either looking through a telescope or holding a very large cell phone

LOL! I recognize many of those shadow figures as they are pretty standard entourage in renderings. The one between the trees is a figure I never use. In this case, it's probably just some crazy guy in the park.

Anyway, I love the design. And the wall that folds in is a nice dynamic element. And dayum is that canopy thin! I'd love to see the detail drawings on that. Every architect's dream to get a canopy to appear that thin (and flat).

SamInTheLoop · #**16376** Posted **Aug 17, 2012, 3:21 PM**

New pizza hut does look great. I have wondered though if it's a 'real' project though since something appropriatedly dense and urban was first proposed....probably why my excitement has been somewhat restrained. Just hope it's not too good to be true and the developer can actually pull this off...

jpIllInoIs · #**16377** Posted **Aug 17, 2012, 3:42 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hayward

LOL! I recognize many of those shadow figures as they are pretty standard entourage in renderings. The one between the trees is a figure I never use. In this case, it's probably just some crazy guy in the park.

Anyway, I love the design. And the wall that folds in is a nice dynamic element. And dayum is that canopy thin! I'd love to see the detail drawings on that. Every architect's dream to get a canopy to appear that thin (and flat).

The guy to the right of the bag lady has his pants around his ankles.

Kenmore · #**16378** Posted **Aug 17, 2012, 5:19 PM**

* Moderator Edit *

Kenmore, this project has already been posted in the appropriate chicago highrise development thread.

george · #**16379** Posted **Aug 17, 2012, 5:22 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SamInTheLoop

New pizza hut does look great. I have wondered though if it's a 'real' project though since something appropriatedly dense and urban was first proposed....probably why my excitement has been somewhat restrained. Just hope it's not too good to be true and the developer can actually pull this off...

Living in the EV, I can't wait for this PH development to get started. Those renderings are from a spring meeting when the developer told me they might show a little less glass than pictured. Start time was scheduled for this fall. That was then.

ardecila · #**16380** Posted **Aug 17, 2012, 7:37 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hayward

And dayum is that canopy thin! I'd love to see the detail drawings on that. Every architect's dream to get a canopy to appear that thin (and flat).

I've seen details like this before... It's probably a single sheet of steel, suspended on the interior and continuing through the glass, tilted slightly towards the sidewalk.

I am curious how it handles snow loads and pigeons, though. I guess heating coils could be on the top and they would not be visible. Unfortunately there's only one way to deal with pigeons.