CHICAGO | Wolf Point - West Tower | 493 FT | 48 FLOORS

[Rizzo]

Well, great cities are also destroyed for placeholders for "bigger and better things" that never happen. Just look what has been done to Detroit. Keeping it in context, the land banking by parking placeholders hasn't always worked well in Chicago either, so I wouldn't call them "wonderful." It certainly makes building new towers easier when what was knocked down with parking is lost in memory over time.

[ardecila]

This is definitely a two-edged sword... parking lots present lots of opportunity, but you have to create them by demolishing old buildings. Even in the last decade, the former CME building at Franklin/Washington was town down, and it remains a parking lot - not even a cheap taxpayer building.

I admire those cities that have refused to allow new parking lots to be created in their downtown areas - it makes building owners think twice before tearing down, because there's no viable way to make a vacant lot pay.

[tommaso]

Originally Posted by ardecila

This is definitely a two-edged sword... parking lots present lots of opportunity, but you have to create them by demolishing old buildings. Even in the last decade, the former CME building at Franklin/Washington was town down, and it remains a parking lot - not even a cheap taxpayer building.

I admire those cities that have refused to allow new parking lots to be created in their downtown areas - it makes building owners think twice before tearing down, because there's no viable way to make a vacant lot pay.

Bordeaux is a world heritage city. Preservation and education inspire creation. Nice to have a reference point in our grandfather's treasure chest!

[Rizzo]

Good example. The existing surface parking may be convenient, but it came at the expense of something a long time ago. Fortunately, not the case for wolf point where nothing of architectural marvel ever stood. But that's a rare case.

[PerryPendleton]

WOLF POINT PREP HAS BEGUN!

Hallelujah

http://chicago.curbed.com/archives/2...west-tower.php

[Nisa715]

Originally Posted by PerryPendleton

WOLF POINT PREP HAS BEGUN!

Hallelujah

http://chicago.curbed.com/archives/2...west-tower.php

Awesome! I can't wait to see these rise.

[DonMendigo]

Unban Jarta! I would like to wallow in his defeat

[the urban politician]

I still like SamintheLoop's idea of throwing a 'lost condo value recovery' fundraising gala for Jarta, preferably at the Billy Goat Tavern. Perhaps when caisson drilling begins..

[Towersteve]

Curbed also had a link to a story by Ian Sulpa on 11/12/13 about another 93 story tower. (titled will a rebuilt reactor be downtowns next destination building) I guess this isn't part of Wolf Point? Sorry.. don't see anything on the forum about this.

http://chicago.curbed.com/archives/2...n-building.php

[Steely Dan]

^ Steve, that new project is being actively discussed in the Chicago Highrise Projects & Construction compilation thread.

link: http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...59437&page=479

[Towersteve]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

^ Steve, that new project is being actively discussed in the Chicago Highrise Projects & Construction thread.

link: http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...59437&page=479

Thanks.. I'll check that link!

[MayorOfChicago]

My office window is on the 26th floor at Wacker and Lake Street. I'm literally watching two back hoes ripping up the concrete and a dividing fence in the middle of the parking lot right now.

If I glance to my left I watch the highrise and plaza at 444 W. Lake or whatever it is. They've got all the cross beams over the tracks and today are laying a ton of rebar over it.

Earlier they had a crane on a barge come right down the middle of the river and line up with the project, I so wanted to get a pic but couldn't get back to my office window in time after I noticed it from the east side of our building.

[MayorOfChicago]

Now it looks like the two back hoes are making out!!

[wierdaaron]

24/7 webcam stream please

[franktko]

Originally Posted by wierdaaron

24/7 webcam stream please

... From Jarta window

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by DonMendigo

Unban Jarta! I would like to wallow in his defeat

he'd just regale us with his usual broken-record cryptic message about how "big things" are going on behind the scenes that are about to drop any day now. the dude will still be claiming that the "Friends of Riverbend Condo Views" are right on the cusp of winning a major court battle to have the building torn down even after it's completed.

he was a goofball, but he certainly stayed true to his position, even when all factual evidence pointed in the other direction. he was consistent, but delusionally so

[jcchii]

tearing at it again this morn

bye bye to the most conspicuous surface lot in modern chicago

[LouisVanDerWright]

I wonder if they'll find any cool historical loot while they are tearing this site up like they did when they were digging the Spire hole and found that old boat anchor from before Streeterville was land (I love the legends of the anchor being off of Cap Streeter's steamer, but I know they were proven incorrect by the style and construction of the anchor). I imagine there is a lot of junk fill in this site.

[the urban politician]

^. Maybe they'll find remnants of that inn that originally stood at Wolf Point in early Chicago history. Forgot what that inn was called, but even a few wooden planks from that inn would be worthy of keeping in the Chicago History Museum, IMO

[Mr Downtown]

I wouldn't get my hopes up that any traces of Miller's Tavern remain, except perhaps an outhouse pit. The Canal Commissioners had plans in the 1860s to excavate a turning basin there, but I don't think they actually gained control of the land. No construction was ever begun. Instead, the Chicago & North Western Ry. used the area for grain elevators for many decades.