CHICAGO | General Developments

[ardecila]

That Beef'n'Brandy building is an embarrassment and a joke. Too bad Daley didn't throw a fit about this one like he supposedly did for New York & Company.

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by paytonc

The CTA is apparently unwilling to pursue any changes to the station until they know its ultimate fate vis-a-vis the Circle Line.

Well, wouldn't you know it, the Renew Crew is reworking this station right now.

I doubt it will be substantial enough. I'd like to see a complete stripping, sanding, and repainting, and the rebuilding of all floor surfaces and stairs with fresh concrete and drainage systems. The walls in the mezzanine could be restored to their 1950s appearance far more cheaply than a complete reworking with the ugly new 2x2 mosaic tiles. All told, maybe a $5 million job? Easily funded out of TIF, and it wouldn't involve any of the stupid capacity expansions required for CMAQ funding. The only thorn is ADA, and you could probably finesse the scope of work to avoid the major-renovation status that would necessitate hellishly expensive new elevators.

[BWChicago]

Originally Posted by ardecila

That Beef'n'Brandy building is an embarrassment and a joke. Too bad Daley didn't throw a fit about this one like he supposedly did for New York & Company.

[markh9]

I must've been originally linked to this through SSP...either way, an interesting read if you haven't checked it out already:

View in-browser: http://www.scribd.com/doc/76564354/C...e-REPORT-2009a
Download Link: http://www.mediafire.com/?yq5f9sl711a3hd9

Its the GSA Preservation Plan for the Benson & Rixon Building. Pictures start on page 45 of the PDF (about halfway through). Lots of great shots, including some historical ones below.

[BWChicago]

I'll repost this too:

[ardecila]

Thanks for the great pictures, both of you. Cool stuff.

It's too bad the renovation of the Bond building doesn't include any big new signage. The new butt-glazed curtain wall approximates the appearance and texture of the old blank stone wall, but some expressive signage would be the piece-de-resistance. Lapidus and the original architects designed the building as an integrated piece with the signage - it's a bit more than a giant backing-board, but not by much.

They could put 'LABOR' or 'WORK' in 15-foot letters on the roof and the side. Leave off the cursive sign.

[BWChicago]

Maybe we can rename it the Bono Federal Building?

[aic4ever]

Originally Posted by ardecila

Thanks for the great pictures, both of you. Cool stuff.

It's too bad the renovation of the Bond building doesn't include any big new signage. The new butt-glazed curtain wall approximates the appearance and texture of the old blank stone wall, but some expressive signage would be the piece-de-resistance. Lapidus and the original architects designed the building as an integrated piece with the signage - it's a bit more than a giant backing-board, but not by much.

They could put 'LABOR' or 'WORK' in 15-foot letters on the roof and the side. Leave off the cursive sign.

Maybe even just a big new poster, while we're playing agitprop?

[EarlyBuyer]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

Just curious. I love retail arcades that connect 2 city streets. The one in Ann Arbor, Michigan is my favorite one that comes to mind.

There is one in Chinatown, Manhattan, but it is kind of dungy.

I am curious if Chicago has any in existence. Also, I kind of wonder if one could be incorporated in a new development some day? Block 37 was one opportunity that was missed. I would love to see one connect between Oak St and another one of the east-west streets in the Gold Coast, but at this point there really aren't any good development sites for that. Another site that comes to mind is the large parking lot on the SW corner of Chicago and State (the Cathedral's lot).

Thoughts?

tup: There was one that connected the Ambassador West and Ambassador East hotels and ran under State street. It was sealed up (on the Ambassador West side) when the Ambassador West was gut rehabbed into the Ambassador Condominium building in the early 2000’s. The purchaser of the Ambassador West turned over control and ownership of the arcade to the Ambassador East (now Public) hotel. The Ambassador East was last I've heard, using it for much needed storage space. When the arcade was operating there was a gift shop (named East-West Gift Shop), an old style beauty parlor, an old style barber shop, a shoe repair and shine shop, and a casual cafe (breakfast and light lunch) as well as public restrooms. There might have been more retail; however that's what comes to mind at the moment.

[spyguy]

Directly to the south of the North Avenue Collection building

Michaels/DSW/rooftop parking

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by aic4ever

Maybe even just a big new poster, while we're playing agitprop?

Clever way to honor Chicago's Slavic heritage.

Originally Posted by spyguy

Directly to the south of the North Avenue Collection building

Michaels/DSW/rooftop parking

[VivaLFuego]

Originally Posted by spyguy

Directly to the south of the North Avenue Collection building

Michaels/DSW/rooftop parking

So this would replace the buildings that had North Beach and Hogs-n'-Honey's, but Joe's would survive?

[Hayward]

Originally Posted by VivaLFuego

So this would replace the buildings that had North Beach and Hogs-n'-Honey's, but Joe's would survive?

I believe everything is coming down on weed street. Is it just me or does anyone else find it ridiculous a perfectly vibrant street is getting knocked down for pseudo-suburban development. It's not like there's any shortage of vacant space over there. DSW must really like the visibility from Whole Foods over the North Ave presence in the old circuit city space.

And with the additional parking and traffic, north ave and Sheffield becomes one of the most hellish intersections to cross.

[the urban politician]

Originally Posted by spyguy

Directly to the south of the North Avenue Collection building

Michaels/DSW/rooftop parking

^ So you get this and NAC, yet next door you get strip malls.

So what's the plan here, North/Clybourn? Can somebody make sense of this--are we going to build to the lot line or not?

[FlashingLights]

Originally Posted by Hayward

I believe everything is coming down on weed street. Is it just me or does anyone else find it ridiculous a perfectly vibrant street is getting knocked down for pseudo-suburban development. It's not like there's any shortage of vacant space over there. DSW must really like the visibility from Whole Foods over the North Ave presence in the old circuit city space.

And with the additional parking and traffic, north ave and Sheffield becomes one of the most hellish intersections to cross.

Give me a break. I hate these suburban developments as much as the next guy but Joes on Weed is not even close to urban either. It might be one of the most suburban bars in the city. I went there for Georgia college(lol why do we even need a Georgia bar in Chicago) night one day this fall and was embarrassed to even be in the place, and I don't even consider myself to be an urban snob or elitist. Most of the stuff on Weed street sucks.

[Hayward]

Originally Posted by FlashingLights

Give me a break. I hate these suburban developments as much as the next guy but Joes on Weed is not even close to urban either. It might be one of the most suburban bars in the city. I went there for Georgia college(lol why do we even need a Georgia bar in Chicago) night one day this fall and was embarrassed to even be in the place, and I don't even consider myself to be an urban snob or elitist. Most of the stuff on Weed street sucks.

You realize they are replacing the street with strip centers? They are also tearing down a decent building for the dsw. I don't see why anyone would disagree. There's already vacant space in that area with parking. This isnt helping. If the businesses on weed street were to be pushed out as part of a larger plan it should have been residential highrise. Even a 50 story tower would have less of a traffic footprint than all the proposed strip centers combined.

No I've never been to any of the establishments on weed street, but they seemed to do just fine and added a dynamic to the neighborhood if you can even call n/c that.

[tyler1]

Have there been any other updates to the Shops of Fremont development? It looks like the awful strip mall plans (posted by Spyguy) are no longer on the website. Rather, they show the more urban design, along with the original strip-mall plans in the PDF at the bottom. http://www.crmproperties.com/futureProjects.html

[FlashingLights]

The chipotle development is terrible, the DSW development isn't that bad and is better then most of the stuff there now. Joes on weed is not urban at all its a giant suburban bar with zero redeeming factors. My point is that you aren't really losing out on much. If you ever went to any of these bars or establishments you would realize how terrible most of them are and how they are the opposite of the urban environment that you want. I don't mind the dsw building coming in there the chipotle strip mall however raises issues for me since it obviously damages any future walkability of the area.

[harryc]

back in the early '80s this was one of the "real" bars, in an area with frequent gunfire, where the cops were likely to grab you since the only reason anyone would be in that hood after dark was to buy drugs in the whites (Cabrini Green). The ceiling was festooned with cheap bras, the bar stocked with cheaper liquor. Now up to code, ceiling almost bare, good liquor available, no gunfire, no drug dealing, no hookers. These shots are from Jan of 2011, when I was in the hood getting my Prius fixed, how times have changed.



and the El station !

[OhioGuy]

^^ That last photo has me wondering whether any stores have either moved into the former Borders space at North & Clybourn or expressed interest in leasing the large amount of retail space?