CHICAGO | General Developments

[Ned.B]

Even if taking transit and walking took 1/2 an hour more both ways, I'd still do it, because having an hour of time to sit and do my own thing on the train is worth way more than a stressful hour maneuvering through traffic in a car. Plus there are all sorts of crosstown transit options if the weather is bad, and you can bet that the bus routes will eventually adjust or become more frequent if the Wet Loop commuter population increases.

[SamInTheLoop]

Originally Posted by emathias

McD's is about efficiency

Definitely agree. And, efficient would be a location within say 5-6 blocks of ~Monroe/Canal

[SamInTheLoop]

Originally Posted by moorhosj

And when McDonalds moved to Oak Brook in 1971 had people built their lives around the Loop HQ? Did everyone magically relocate to Oak Brook?

Via clearly isn't arguing against a city/downtown move for McDonald's HQ. I think what he's saying (and what I'm certainly saying at least) is that the smart move for the company ultimately would definitely be to locate where they can most efficiently and easily access the largest/most diverse/talented etc pool of workers. That would be a location within an easy walk (in Chicago's climate, let's call it a half-mile or so?) of the metro's transit nexus, which is that area between where the 2 largest commuter stations are and the CTA subway lines downtown. That would be the true smart move for McDonald's.....

[SamInTheLoop]

Originally Posted by streetline

I've got to think that the people whose minds are boggled by this choice remember the West Loop as it was a decade or more ago, rather than as it is now. For most transit choices, excepting the red line, this location is more convenient to transit than the Aon building.

I'm certainly thinking of the West Loop exactly as it is today. It's a much different psychological walk as well when you walk west over the expressway...........that's not too say that I also do not think that far east would be an odd/potentially poor choice as well - for instance, I was surprised and thought it strangely too far east when it was revealed McDonald's scuttled a very-near deal to land at Prudential Plaza. However this decision (if deal is signed) is definitely even poorer/odder than that would have been.....



What I think this all comes down to is short-sighted extreme cost minimization for McD's (I think the all-in cost to the tenant for this deal must be extremely cheap - however Sterling Bay is structuring the deal), and again, potentially if there is any untoward incentives going on (no knowledge clearly of anything such, however I've been around long enough - living in Chicago mind you - to realize it's worth sniffing around to see if there's anything there - at the very least.....

[Mr Downtown]

Very odd. McDonald's current headquarters is served by four bus lines to the door. The new one won't have one within two blocks.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by Mr Downtown

Very odd. McDonald's current headquarters is served by four bus lines to the door. The new one won't have one within two blocks.

What are you talking about? The #20 Madison bus has stops at Aberdeen and Morgan. Both of those stops are within 2 blocks of this site and that bus picks up at or near OTC too as well as close to a few CTA stations.

[rlw777]

Originally Posted by Kngkyle

If it was just a 1 mile walk then it's fine. But it's a 1 mile walk on top of a 25-40 minute Metra ride on top of a 5-15 minute drive to the train station. That isn't going to work for 95%+ of people. They will just drive to work instead.

Actually if you assume most of these folks are coming from around Oak Brook then I think you can safely assume they would transfer from Metra to the green line in Oak Park or to the pink line at Western Ave. and their walk would be a total of 6 blocks at the most.

[XIII]

Originally Posted by marothisu

What are you talking about? The #20 Madison bus has stops at Aberdeen and Morgan. Both of those stops are within 2 blocks of this site and that bus picks up at or near OTC too as well as close to a few CTA stations.

It's probably safe to assume they will also have shuttles to union station similar to the prudential center. Don't need to worry about transfers when the bus goes straight door to door

[Near North Resident]

Its a strange location

1) being on restaurant row
2) nowhere near the loop
3) nowhere near an el stop
4) nowhere near a bus line
5) nowhere near an interstate

I mean, why? I can't imagine employees would be happy hiking across the kennedy in wintertime if they miss the shuttle bus

[moorhosj]

Originally Posted by SamInTheLoop

the smart move for the company ultimately would definitely be to locate where they can most efficiently and easily access the largest/most diverse/talented etc pool of workers. That would be a location within an easy walk (in Chicago's climate, let's call it a half-mile or so?) of the metro's transit nexus

You have an embedded assumption that they didn't do analysis on efficiency of access for workers. It is very probable they ran the numbers and came to a different conclusion than your assumption.

This land is 6 minutes walk from the Google campus. I would assume Google, the company with probably the most data in the world, analyzed this as well. Maybe they received commitment from the city that an Ashland BRT is coming. Maybe they are starting a food startup incubator and want to be close to talent. You are assuming you have all the information and you don't.

[streetline]

Originally Posted by SamInTheLoop

I'm certainly thinking of the West Loop exactly as it is today. It's a much different psychological walk as well when you walk west over the expressway...........that's not too say that I also do not think that far east would be an odd/potentially poor choice as well - for instance, I was surprised and thought it strangely too far east when it was revealed McDonald's scuttled a very-near deal to land at Prudential Plaza. However this decision (if deal is signed) is definitely even poorer/odder than that would have been.....

You can't have it both ways, either it's a psychological difference, or your thinking represents reality exactly. And, if it is a psychological thing, that's something that should be addressed with PR rather than wasting hundreds of thousands of commuters' time every day.

The expressway is not nearly the barrier you seem to be cast to it as; it's pretty close to the width of the river you'd cross going east, and given all the idling trains by the river at rush hour I wouldn't be surprised if the air quality is better to boot. And on your way west, you'll see more greenery, smaller crowds, less beggars, and nicer restaurants, on your way to work.

[k1052]

Originally Posted by Near North Resident

Its a strange location

1) being on restaurant row
2) nowhere near the loop
3) nowhere near an el stop
4) nowhere near a bus line
5) nowhere near an interstate

I mean, why? I can't imagine employees would be happy hiking across the kennedy in wintertime if they miss the shuttle bus

It's two blocks from the L, a block from a CTA bus line, and within about 5-6 blocks of both 290 and 90/94. There will surely be private shuttles running to both Metra stations and CTA frequently morning and evening like the other large employers have. This thing isn't out in the sticks.

[harryc]

Originally Posted by k1052

It's two blocks from the L, a block from a CTA bus line, and within about 5-6 blocks of both 290 and 90/94. There will surely be private shuttles running to both Metra stations and CTA frequently morning and evening like the other large employers have. This thing isn't out in the sticks.

And DIVVY -

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by k1052

This thing isn't out in the sticks.

seriously.

the hand-wringing over this has been hilarious. people are acting like the intersection of washington & carpenter is in the middle of sauganash or mt. greenwood or the dark side of the moon.

the block in question is 0.1 mile from the morgan el station, 0.4 mile from the kennedy, 0.5 mile from the ike, 0.6 mile from ogilvie, and 0.7 mile from union station.

get a grip folks.

i too find the location choice a bit unconventional, but the hyperbole being spewed in this thread is getting ridiculous.

[marothisu]

I think that people who think this thing is way out there might not be too familiar with the area. It isn't in the Loop, nor River North and it's a bit unconventional, but it's also actually pretty close to the Loop as well as numerous transit options. There are other companies in the area too besides just Google. More and more smaller tech firms have been moving to W. Loop area. WeWork also has a Fulton Market space.

Also according to the WeWork page, West Loop actually has the most startup offices of any neighborhood in town (not sure if that counts East of the expwy though):
https://creator.wework.com/city-guid...-for-startups/

[tjp]

I walked from Ogilvie to Harpo last night .. It really does feel like a treck. I would think most suburban commuters will drive or rely on the shuttles.

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by tjp

I walked from Ogilvie to Harpo last night .. It really does feel like a treck. I would think most suburban commuters will drive or rely on the shuttles.

Really? I think it's a very pleasant walk along Randolph or Madison. Washington kinda sucks but it's not a retail street...

[maru2501]

ha ha ha that someone from oak brook is going to take two trains and a divvy to this place

they will park their Tesla in whatever structure they put up there

[the urban politician]

^ I'm sure in the beginning a lot of people will drive.

Time will eventually fix these issues, and eventually I suspect you'll see a greater proportion of workers arrive via transit/shuttle/foot. But of course it won't be overnight.

But I will say that with all these forces at work (centralization of jobs, booming city core) the city/region will be obliged to make strategic transit investments. Even to this day it blows me away that there are no good solutions for suburbanites to reach the 2 most popular attractions in the entire Chicago region: 1) The Magnificent Mile, and 2) Navy Pier--without arriving by automobile.

Some sort of real east-west transit option needs to be created. When the critical mass is achieved that spurs such an investment, I can't say.

[Via Chicago]

we do have solutions, theyre buses