CHICAGO | General Developments

[Via Chicago]

Originally Posted by Mr Downtown

and there are many such workers cottages remaining in the city.

so at what point have we obliterated enough that they suddenly cross the threshold of becoming worth preserving

[Rizzo]

I've always said it's a problem with the mechanism. Chicago is very pro tear-down and rebuild. The best solution is to create regulations that encourage re-use. Require buildings that have been constructed pre 1900 be dismantled by hand piece by piece and parts preserved.

Buildings that have a more complex assemblage of architectural details would require greater expense to tear down. It wouldn't necessarily prevent demolition but make it more cost prohibitive to do so. I'm trying to avoid murky criteria made by an opinionated group of architects...although that's best suited for landmarking entire streets.

[Mr Downtown]

^Fewer than a dozen, probably. When we got down to the last half-dozen 1870s buildings in the Loop, a few near Lake & Franklin were designated as landmarks based on little more than their rarity.

[PKDickman]

Originally Posted by Mr Downtown

^Fewer than a dozen, probably. When we got down to the last half-dozen 1870s buildings in the Loop, a few near Lake & Franklin were designated as landmarks based on little more than their rarity.

Criteria #7 gives cover for this.

7.Its unique location or distinctive physical appearance or presence representing an established and familiar visual feature of a neighborhood, community, or the City of Chicago.

But this has to be invoked by a grass roots community action.
Internet chatter has no legal standing and City Hall is really not in a position to do this for a lone cottage.

Even then I would seek to meet at least three criteria instead of the minimum two.

[Via Chicago]

my broader question is: do we ever plan to update the survey that was undertaken in the 90s? i understand it was a big undertaking at the time, but its obvious (well, at least to me) that times have changed and buildings are falling through the cracks that shouldnt be. or even moreso, so many vulnerable buildings have been demolished, that others of similar styles deserve to be offered more protections. there just seems to be zero political will or interest to do any of that.

i dont know what the answer is, but Orange/Red ratings need stronger protections than they have today. otherwise the list is meaningless, and there wont be anything left on it once developers have had their say in the matter

[PKDickman]

Originally Posted by Via Chicago

my broader question is: do we ever plan to update the survey that was undertaken in the 90s? i understand it was a big undertaking at the time, but its obvious (well, at least to me) that times have changed and buildings are falling through the cracks that shouldnt be. or even moreso, so many vulnerable buildings have been demolished, that others of similar styles deserve to be offered more protections. there just seems to be zero political will or interest to do any of that.

i dont know what the answer is, but Orange/Red ratings need stronger protections than they have today. otherwise the list is meaningless, and there wont be anything left on it once developers have had their say in the matter

A new survey is unlikely. The last one took over a decade and was funded by the feds and grants from the MacArthur foundation.

[Via Chicago]

well, then it sure does seem unfortunate to throw all that hard work down the toilet by knocking down increasing numbers of rated buildings on the list with impunity

[PKDickman]

Originally Posted by Via Chicago

well, then it sure does seem unfortunate to throw all that hard work down the toilet by knocking down increasing numbers of rated buildings on the list with impunity

It's not down the toilet. On the basis of that and the previous Illinois Historic Building survey, we preserved thousands of orange and red buildings as well at thousands of lesser rated workers cottages when we tied them all into landmark districts. I can stick my head out of the front door and see seven orange rated buildings that enjoy that protection.

A new survey may identify a few ones that fell through the cracks, but we are not producing any more pre 1940 buildings and no building is going to become more intact over time.

A new survey would only serve to tabulate out how many we have lost and how many will have lost their rating thanks to entropy.

That might seem like a good number to know, but I doubt that anyone downtown will want to pay you for it.

[ardecila]

^ Ideally a "new" version of the CHRS would focus on buildings erected 1940-1980, now that there is a fairly widespread respect for mid-century modernism (at least among elites).

Obviously there are some controversial cases within that time period; I think the more exotic forms of Brutalism still offend many people, and aggressive PoMo is only starting to see the twinklings of a resurgence in respect. But that's no reason those buildings shouldn't be identified as landmark candidates.

Many great modernist buildings have already faced the wrecking ball (Michael Reese, Kennedy-King College, Prentice, etc) but this is Chicago - the bench of Modernist buildings is extremely deep. There are lots of hidden gems, especially in the Bungalow Belt neighborhoods of the South and West Sides. Lee Bey's done a great job of exposing those...

[mattshoe]

The developer that bought the Von Humboldt Elementary School is holding a meeting tomorrow (Nov 2.) to announce what they are planning with the site, I plan on attending. Does anybody have any advance info?

[Skyguy_7]

Adding to the Wells Street boom, there's a new 4-story addition to the Moody Bible Institute that is supposed to break ground this month. Taking up what appears to be a little park on the East side of Wells, between Chestnut and Locust. Has similar massing to the new Jones College Prep.

[Via Chicago]

And speaking of Wells, the Pipers Alley building that was caught in that second city fire is now slated to be torn down

https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/2016...tion-of-facade

The little remaining charm of Wells is just being decimated in a staggeringly short period of time.

[The Lurker]

Originally Posted by Skyguy_7

Adding to the Wells Street boom, there's a new 4-story addition to the Moody Bible Institute that is supposed to break ground this month. Taking up what appears to be a little park on the East side of Wells, between Chestnut and Locust. Has similar massing to the new Jones College Prep.

There was a rendering posted on the previous page. Its not great. It meets the street quite clumsily but otherwise isn't bad and it hides the hideousness that is the current structure with some density. I don't hate it

[the urban politician]

More importantly, I'm waiting for that hotel in Old Town to get under way. Wells St is rocking the house these days.

Marothisu are there any permit data on that?

[SolarWind]

October 24, 2016



^ From certain vantage points the fountain is obscured by the rods.






October 28, 2016





^ The falling water is very subtle. From far it is hardly noticeable. A more irregular weir might have enhanced the visual effect.

[SolarWind]

October 24, 2016



^ The numbers mark the elevation relative to the Chicago City Datum (CCD).










October 28, 2016



^ Starting to collect quite a bit of garbage.

[SolarWind]

October 24, 2016




October 28, 2016

[SolarWind]

It's great to see these three new riverwalk rooms finally open. They still seem unfinished, but there's huge potential and I feel they will only improve with time.

[ardecila]

Ah, so they are bricking in Wacker Drive at the confluence. That should help keep it nice and quiet on the lawn.

No more views for you, lazy drivers!

Maybe that covered space (outside of the wall) can be used for a food truck area during cold or rainy weather.

[r18tdi]

I thought the final segement looked like a nice play to play some bocce ball.