CHICAGO | General Developments

[denizen467]

^ The last couple drive-bys sure didn't seem that way, but wow (I see the article you linked was from just a couple days ago). Maybe it's a soft opening before the wine production gets going, which would make sense, or maybe they've been able to fit out all the components in parallel.

I'm not a big wine person so my interest in this is that it's adding another dimension to Randolph, adding another non-sweaty, non-chaotic live music venue downtown, and also giving Chicago a better version (as indicated by Mr. Dorf himself) of something NY considers itself proud of. It's now gotten where you could actually plan an entire evening of drinks, food, entertainment, and after-party (or whatever you'd like to call it) at multiple establishments all along Randolph. Add in upcoming offices and hotels around Fulton (and Halsted if you stretch things) and you could think of it as a self-contained neighborhood.

[george]

7-18

Fine Arts Building facade rehab is coming along

[BWChicago]

It looks much more light and feminine having been cleaned. Strange.

[Rizzo]

I hope my landlord leaves that one patch uncleaned. Kind of reminder of what Chicago once was. A gritty, dirty, industrial place.

[george]

Originally Posted by BWChicago

It looks much more light and feminine having been cleaned. Strange.

Maybe it's that cleaned, pink granite.

[ChiPhi]

7/21:

Related taking over the city, their signs are up at OMPW:


Anyone know what's going on at the Hilton?

[Swicago Swi Sox]

Originally Posted by ChiPhi

7/21:

I always drive by this building and shake my head. Does anyone know what the thought was with this building and the balconies being SO close to Roosevelt Road (speaking specifically about the lowest level apartment where the balcony is almost flush with the road? It doesn't seem like a unit that would sell very easily....

[ChiPhi]

^^
I had a conversation with someone on the second floor. Seemed like an awkward place for that person to be enjoying her coffe, but she was affable enough. My friend said "that's what window curtains are for." I responded "that's what first floor retail is for."

[Rizzo]

I'd definitely take one of those ground level condos.











For dirt cheap!

[ChiPhi]

It beats a parking base!

[denizen467]

Kinzie is closed off underneath the Wrigley plaza. Like, totally closed off, way more than with just an ordinary road project -- looks like chain-link fencing with one of those green opaque screens embedded in it. Is this the highly-anticipated plaza redo, or something else?

[Rizzo]

I'm really skeptical of the whole plaza project. Even if it's moving forward, I'm sure it will be far less impressive than the original design we saw years ago with that glass canopy.

[ardecila]

Maybe the owner of Wrigley just wants his construction fencing to be attractive.

Bear in mind, they're also doing a huge renovation and overhaul of the building, not just the plaza, so there will be lots of unloading/staging going on. It's a really prominent building but doesn't have the modern amenities to compete with the newer towers, so it must be upgraded.

I'm excited about the redesign. Even if there is no arcade over the plaza, the removal of the screen will make the plaza seem like the pedestrian street it really is, opening up views and encouraging people to walk that way. The retail will assist in this as well.

[Rizzo]

City Target

[denizen467]

Looks like some sort of sign-up is necessary with the new-and-improved, exiting-bankruptcy Tribune website, but the headline by itself is heartwarming:

Local museum lands Santa Fe sign

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/l...,3183499.story

[Swicago Swi Sox]

Originally Posted by denizen467

Kinzie is closed off underneath the Wrigley plaza. Like, totally closed off, way more than with just an ordinary road project -- looks like chain-link fencing with one of those green opaque screens embedded in it. Is this the highly-anticipated plaza redo, or something else?

I hear they are demolishing the plaza all the way through both the topping slab and the structural slab. This is to get full access to the structural steel below for inspection and to make any repair to the top flanges. They will then rebuild a new structural slab and topping for the new plaza. This is probably why Kinzie is closed below.

[SamInTheLoop]

I believe the long-awaited (and delayed) main announcment of retail and restaurant tenants at Roosevelt Collection is finally just around the corner - within the next couple weeks. Not sure exactly what the holdup has been (they've claimed in the media about waiting for a particular pre-leased percentage, not sure about that....it could be they've really wanted a particular tenant to be part of the announcement.....if so, I wonder whom that might be?

[Andrew|W]

Originally Posted by denizen467

Looks like some sort of sign-up is necessary with the new-and-improved, exiting-bankruptcy Tribune website, but the headline by itself is heartwarming:

Local museum lands Santa Fe sign

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/l...,3183499.story

According to the article, it is going to the Illinois Railway Museum in Union.

[J_M_Tungsten]

7-24
West loop Target

[ChiPhi]

^^^
Looks pretty good (better than suburban targets) but some more street level glass would've been nice.