CHICAGO | Highrise Projects & Construction, v7

[left of center]

Originally Posted by LilZebra

So what happens to the small old building next door?

The 4 story building to the south on Carpenter? Renovated and incorporated into this development.

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by marothisu

Right, because you know Chicago is teeming with developers who have brought forth projects with narrow alleys, and it's totally the architects' fault for not making the company spending millions of dollars in the end want it. Totally has nothing to do with developers.

I hope one day people understand that the final product is something that's undergone numerous previous iterations that's usually dictated by the actual client (i.e. developers). I have friends who work for SOM and I've seen some pretty wild stuff they've created that the developer rejected after trying to persuade them of something. At the end of the day, it's the developer paying the money and they usually get say in what they want the building they're spending all this money on to look like. Don't blame the architects because there's almost no proposals ever with alleys - blame developers if anybody.

No, I'm saying the renderings show a public space that is underwhelming. The two Centrum towers are in different styles, so they don't form a coherent gateway. There's no arch or other gateway feature, either, so there's nothing to draw you in. Maybe landscaping can soften this a little bit, but we shouldn't be relying on manicured greenery to make public space work...

Once you get past the uninviting front section with the midrises, then it just becomes a row of townhouses like this. It's fine and all, but it's too private to make good public space. Residents will feel uncomfortable with random people walking through their front yard, especially on such a narrow footpath. Usually when wealthy homeowners feel uncomfortable, they do something about it... my guess is that this "connection" will end up getting closed off with a security gate at one or both ends, open to residents only.

[LouisVanDerWright]

Let's not blame anyone until we see the final product and confirm there is something to blame them about. My only concern with it is that it jogs. If this were a clean shot with just a bend in the middle, I'd have no doubt it would be successful. It's just a shame that's not retail instead of townhomes. Either way it will be an interesting experiment and addition to the city.

Like someone said above, no one ever builds projects with a component like this. It's an experiment which will hopefully turn out well. If it doesn't turn out perfect then hopefully the next developer and architect that has an opportunity like this will learn from it.

[the urban politician]

If that pedestrian walkway doesn’t have a public easement with the city, then the property owners can shut it down whenever they choose.

And this being ‘Murka and all, that likely will happen over time.

[PKDickman]

Originally Posted by ardecila

Residents will feel uncomfortable with random people walking through their front yard, especially on such a narrow footpath. Usually when wealthy homeowners feel uncomfortable, they do something about it... my guess is that this "connection" will end up getting closed off with a security gate at one or both ends, open to residents only.

Originally Posted by the urban politician

If that pedestrian walkway doesn’t have a public easement with the city, then the property owners can shut it down whenever they choose.

And this being ‘Murka and all, that likely will happen over time.

Guys, the open space is 40 feet wide and the paved strip is wide enough for a firetruck.

Its accessibility to the public is governed by this statement in the PD :

Applicant shall construct the open space shown on the site plan. The open space shall continue to be privately owned, maintained and subject to occasional partial closure for private use but, subject to the foregoing, shall remain accessible to the public during hours in which public parks are accessible to the public. Nothing contained herein shall preclude residents or other individuals from using the open space for other private uses, provided that they obtain all necessary governmental approvals and permits.

We wanted it open 24 hrs, but conceded that if became a security problem they could shut it at 11:00.
Last time there was any discussion about it, the Fire Dept said ixnay. They don't like gates blocking fire lanes.

[Kngkyle]

So Related Midwest were supposed to announce their plans for the Chicago Spire site and their South Loop site before the end of 2017. That doesn't appear to be happening so I wonder what is causing the delay? The Amazon race could certainly be delaying the South Loop unveiling, but that shouldn't impact the Spire site. Where are our insiders?

[Randomguy34]

^ Watch them reveal it on the 11th hour of the 31st, and say that the project we revealed in 2017

In other news, both hotels at 200 N Green and 110 W Huron received their full construction permits yesterday

[KWillChicago]

Originally Posted by Kngkyle

So Related Midwest were supposed to announce their plans for the Chicago Spire site and their South Loop site before the end of 2017. That doesn't appear to be happening so I wonder what is causing the delay? The Amazon race could certainly be delaying the South Loop unveiling, but that shouldn't impact the Spire site. Where are our insiders?

A little birdie told me they are going to build a 120 foot hole in the ground and then renovate it in 2027.

[ithakas]

Anything on Tribune Tower's lot as well? I know BVic mentioned it was one of the four or so firms I guessed.

[Khantilever]

Originally Posted by Kngkyle

So Related Midwest were supposed to announce their plans for the Chicago Spire site and their South Loop site before the end of 2017. That doesn't appear to be happening so I wonder what is causing the delay? The Amazon race could certainly be delaying the South Loop unveiling, but that shouldn't impact the Spire site. Where are our insiders?

I’m really glad you didn’t post this question in the Spire thread. Every time I’ve seen that there’s a new post there lately I get a mini heart attack.

I believe they said they’ll announce in 2017 first and later “Fall of 2017”, so I️ personally feel an announcement is unlikely. Why would they wait till the holidays?

Anyway, it could be a good or bad sign. Given the state of the market (strong and steady, I’m thinking it’s a good sign they’re waiting longer than they originally planned. It suggests they’re revising their expectations upward, perhaps even waiting to see if a big positive shock (e.g. Amazon) hits Chicago.

[SolarWind]

December 21, 2017

[SolarWind]

December 20, 2017



December 21, 2017

[the urban politician]

^ Call me the pessimist, but I highly doubt what you're saying.

Chicago getting Amazon is quite unlikely, and I don't think that is playing a role here regardless. There are indicators that the market here is a tad overbuilt, and I think they are playing a wait and see approach. They are in no rush

[SolarWind]

December 21, 2017

[SolarWind]

December 21, 2017

[chicubs111]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

^ Call me the pessimist, but I highly doubt what you're saying.

Chicago getting Amazon is quite unlikely, and I don't think that is playing a role here regardless. There are indicators that the market here is a tad overbuilt, and I think they are playing a wait and see approach. They are in no rush

and why is Chicago getting Amazon quite unlikely?..why is it more unlikely to get from Atlanta or boston?.. from what i have been reading Chicago has a pretty competitive chance of landing Amazon and no other city is considered a dead lock over another.

[left of center]

Chicago is definitely a strong contender, IMHO. A lot of news outlets put Atlanta, Dallas or Boston as the top cities, but quite frankly it isn't newsrooms full of journalists picking HQ2; Its Bezos and the Amazon team. Outside of the vague requirements they announced this fall, we don't know what exact metrics they will be using to choose a site, and how heavily each one will weigh.

All I know for certainty is that O'Hare alone puts us in the top 10. After that, everything else is going to be a subjective crapshoot.

[KWillChicago]

I cant remember the address but is that van buren "harry potter" tower still in the works or is that project dead now? I would love to have towers running along the expressway in that area as well.

[Khantilever]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

^ Call me the pessimist, but I highly doubt what you're saying.

Chicago getting Amazon is quite unlikely, and I don't think that is playing a role here regardless. There are indicators that the market here is a tad overbuilt, and I think they are playing a wait and see approach. They are in no rush

The current softness in the market was expected and has been discussed for a while, so that doesn’t explain the sudden *delay* in their announcement, which is what we’re trying to explain. Some here have hypothesized that competition from all the other proposals is holding them off but, again, they probably expected that from the beginning, so it doesn’t explain the delay.

Given the amount of time it’ll take to build, and the size of whatever will be built, it’s the long term fundamentals of the market that are driving their decisions. And nothing about those fundamentals has worsened, IMO. To the contrary, all news has been pretty positive. And a well-recognized aspect of real estate development is that improved expectations of future expected prices actually, somewhat counterintuitively, increases the incentives to delay a project (on top of the delay caused by re-designing the plans). That’s why I kinda think it’s a little bittersweet when these amazing parcels get developed; it suggests their growth expectations aren’t so high.

Amazon was just a silly example, but the fact that Chicago has even been discussed as a contender says something. And we might all get a surprise. The media caught on to the fact that an Amazon lobbyist recently registered in Atlanta, suggesting they’re the front runners. But, as usual when it comes to underestimating Chicago, they all failed to notice the same lobbyist registered in Chicago too.

[cannedairspray]

Originally Posted by chicubs111

and why is Chicago getting Amazon quite unlikely

Chicago vs any other individual city? Decent odds. Chicago vs every other city, Chicago against the field? Not very good odds at all.