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  #961  
Old Posted Sep 28, 2017, 3:20 PM
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Originally Posted by k1052 View Post
I'm pretty confidant the city would agree to basically any streetscape improvements Amazon requested here short of burying the highway.
They could easily put up big, curved, architectural barriers to either side of the expressway starting at Jefferson, and do the same underneath the overpasses. That would go a long way toward making the expressway "disappear" from the surrounding neighborhood from a pedestrian perspective.
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  #962  
Old Posted Sep 28, 2017, 8:15 PM
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No need to bury the highway, simply have it end immediately at the Circle and extend Congress Parkway west.

It would still need to bridge over Desplaines as it currently does, but after that you can have traffic light-controlled intersections at Jefferson, Clinton and Canal. Canal can be brought to grade, and the extra space between the street at the existing grade level portion along the OPO can be turned into a wide, landscaped walkway.

Assuming the elevated portion of 290 between the Circle and the river is as old as the interchange that is currently being replaced, it would be pushing about 50 years and in need of replacement soon anyway.
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  #963  
Old Posted Sep 28, 2017, 9:34 PM
LouisVanDerWright LouisVanDerWright is offline
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Originally Posted by 10023 View Post
They could easily put up big, curved, architectural barriers to either side of the expressway starting at Jefferson, and do the same underneath the overpasses. That would go a long way toward making the expressway "disappear" from the surrounding neighborhood from a pedestrian perspective.
I've always thought they should just build a sweeping set of stairs on each side of the highway with ramps built in like the section of the riverwalk on each side of the highway. Bring the entire side of the Post Office up to grade with retail on top. Would add serious value to that first floor space.
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  #964  
Old Posted Sep 30, 2017, 6:47 PM
aphedox aphedox is offline
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Originally Posted by left of center View Post
No need to bury the highway, simply have it end immediately at the Circle and extend Congress Parkway west.

It would still need to bridge over Desplaines as it currently does, but after that you can have traffic light-controlled intersections at Jefferson, Clinton and Canal. Canal can be brought to grade, and the extra space between the street at the existing grade level portion along the OPO can be turned into a wide, landscaped walkway.

Assuming the elevated portion of 290 between the Circle and the river is as old as the interchange that is currently being replaced, it would be pushing about 50 years and in need of replacement soon anyway.
I agree with this 100%. Just remove the Congress/Canal grade separation and return it to being a normal street like it was when the post office was built in the first place. A normal intersection on either side of the building and regular streets all around would make a world of difference in terms of usability.


Last edited by aphedox; Sep 30, 2017 at 7:13 PM.
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  #965  
Old Posted Sep 30, 2017, 7:04 PM
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Even on the east side of the building there used to be reasonable street access. Not dark abandoned alleys to nowhere and a random patchwork of concrete leftovers from the past.

Last edited by aphedox; Sep 30, 2017 at 7:16 PM.
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  #966  
Old Posted Oct 2, 2017, 2:43 AM
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James Bond Agent 007 James Bond Agent 007 is offline
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Originally Posted by Kngkyle View Post
I really can't imagine a more perfect fit for Amazon. This is made for them.
Yeah, looking through that gallery at the link, looks like an ideal mega tech office.
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  #967  
Old Posted Oct 2, 2017, 10:17 PM
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While this site is great for Amazon, I honestly would rather they go somewhere else, and spur development in another part of the city. I doubt this site is going to have trouble attracting clients.
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  #968  
Old Posted Oct 5, 2017, 9:52 PM
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http://www.chicagotribune.com/busine...005-story.html

Column: With or without Amazon, old post office site is ready for its comeback




Robert ReedContact Reporter
Chicago Tribune

The former old main post office, among Chicago’s most long-awaited and significant downtown redevelopment projects, doesn’t need Amazon’s stamp of approval.
But getting it would sure be nice.
While undergoing a $600 million rehab, the massive art deco complex and adjacent area is expected to be on the list of sites Chicago’s City Hall presents to Amazon, which is scouring the nation in search of a home for its second headquarters.
Yet with or without Amazon, the old post office’s rebirth promises to be one of the most economically vital and far-reaching development projects to emerge from the city’s current downtown building boom.

Spruced up and pushed to its commercial potential, the site would finally shake off its dreary image as an empty, foreboding behemoth along the river ...

windows allow more natural light into the building’s core.
The post office site meets a couple of Amazon’s top requirements.
It’s in a centralized location with close proximity to train and other mass transit options. What’s more, with 2.5 million square feet and the possibility to build on adjacent property, the post office can immediately provide the wide, open work spaces that Amazon craves.

Still, even this building behemoth may not satisfy the Seattle-based ...


Not holding their breath for Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos’ call, the development’s backers are scoping out other tenant prospects.
The list includes: banks, call centers, software developers, technology firms, insurance companies and corporations seeking to band together multiple area offices into one location.

Any company that opts to move ers.into the post office development should have a little pioneering spirit.
The sheer size and scope of the project means there will be construction underway on-site after a major tenant moves in.
“It’s the ultimate urban loft experience,” the planning council’s Ellis says.
Nonetheless, the post office is the largest redevelopment in the country and promises to become a money generator for the surrounding community.

...
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  #969  
Old Posted Oct 6, 2017, 4:38 PM
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Chicago awards old Post Office preliminary landmark status, property tax incentive [Curbed]

"Known as a Class L incentive, the measure reduces tax assessments for landmarked buildings over a 12-year period with the caveat that the owner must invest at least half of the value of the property into an approved rehabilitation project. In the case of the old Chicago Post Office, taxes will be lowered a combined $53.2 million over the dozen-year life of the incentive.

Once that period expires, the renovated building is expected to create $19 million in additional annual tax revenue—quickly offsetting the initial discount."
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  #970  
Old Posted Oct 9, 2017, 3:35 PM
IrishIllini IrishIllini is offline
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The OPO is the location to beat for Amazon. If not them, I'm sure some other techies will gladly take it over.
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  #971  
Old Posted Dec 19, 2017, 9:58 PM
the urban politician the urban politician is offline
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Developer just landed a $500 million construction loan!
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  #972  
Old Posted Dec 19, 2017, 10:51 PM
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^that still doesn't put a tower there, right?
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  #973  
Old Posted Dec 19, 2017, 11:12 PM
Vlajos Vlajos is offline
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Originally Posted by maru2501 View Post
^that still doesn't put a tower there, right?
No it's to renovate the OPO.
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  #974  
Old Posted Dec 20, 2017, 1:47 AM
bnk bnk is offline
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Originally Posted by the urban politician View Post
Developer just landed a $500 million construction loan!
That a really big loan.


Worth reading about it.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/busine...219-story.html
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  #975  
Old Posted Dec 20, 2017, 3:01 AM
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That definitely adds heft to the OPO proposal for Amazon. I wonder if this announcement is causing any buzz in Seattle?
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  #976  
Old Posted Dec 20, 2017, 4:36 AM
the urban politician the urban politician is offline
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Just for some perspective, this is one of the largest construction loans in Chicago's history. And it might be the largest construction loan for an adaptive reuse project in Chicago, as well as one of the largest of this sort in US history. And the lender is JP Morgan Chase, no less. A huge bet.

This is most certainly big news.
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  #977  
Old Posted Dec 20, 2017, 4:38 AM
Domer2019 Domer2019 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bnk View Post
That a really big loan.


Worth reading about it.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/busine...219-story.html
That comment section is silly. Also, as a side note I don't know why they bother reporting on old loans in nominal values.
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  #978  
Old Posted Dec 20, 2017, 2:00 PM
Handro Handro is offline
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Originally Posted by the urban politician View Post
Just for some perspective, this is one of the largest construction loans in Chicago's history. And it might be the largest construction loan for an adaptive reuse project in Chicago, as well as one of the largest of this sort in US history. And the lender is JP Morgan Chase, no less. A huge bet.

This is most certainly big news.
with no big tenant signings announced, does the fact that they landed a $500m loan give credence to maybe some behind the scenes guarantees of a giant online retailer committing to the space?
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  #979  
Old Posted Dec 20, 2017, 2:28 PM
the urban politician the urban politician is offline
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Originally Posted by Handro View Post
with no big tenant signings announced, does the fact that they landed a $500m loan give credence to maybe some behind the scenes guarantees of a giant online retailer committing to the space?
I don’t know about Amazon, but perhaps some other large tenant
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  #980  
Old Posted Dec 20, 2017, 4:09 PM
Jim in Chicago Jim in Chicago is offline
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Originally Posted by Domer2019 View Post
That comment section is silly. Also, as a side note I don't know why they bother reporting on old loans in nominal values.
I try to not read open comments. They're pretty much always silly.
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