CHICAGO | Highrise Projects & Construction - Page 251

Ch.G, Ch.G · #**5001** Posted: **Jan 21, 2011, 3:45 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by 10023

Was that designed by an architect?

That is a serious question. Are there people that have studied and become licensed to practice architecture that produced this? Because it looks like they took an off the shelf floor plan for a residential apartment building, used MS Paint to draw a facade pattern, and then copied it vertically 39 times.

Seriously. A first year architecture student could produce something better than this. It's totally unacceptable.

spyguy · #**5002** Posted: **Jan 21, 2011, 6:59 AM**

A poor man's Ritz.

Does a Loop hotel and senior housing really need so much parking, especially being right next to several large garages? The only explanation I can come up with is that I believe Randolph Tower will have no internal parking. But great job supporting TOD and making Chicago greener, City. In SF people complained when a large new mall wanted some parking. Here, you can't go one block before being bombarded with curb cuts and parking garage signs. I've also been very disappointed that all of these new rental towers in the Loop have enormous parking components. I can't imagine that all of them are being utilized at full capacity.

pilsenarch · #**5003** Posted: **Jan 21, 2011, 12:58 PM**

Just in case there is any doubt of the total lack of talent behind this 'design', if you compare the first elevation posted to the latest you can see that they added TERRACES to the GARAGE floors(?!). The terraces appear to be about 2-3' of cantilevered slab one on top of the other separated by typical garage height of 8' floor to floor. Seriously? It appears to be some incredibly lame attempt at 'greening' the building...

trvlr70 · #**5004** Posted: **Jan 21, 2011, 3:39 PM**

All the comment about this new propsal are hysterical. (And I agree with all of them!)

i_am_hydrogen · #**5005** Posted: **Jan 21, 2011, 4:17 PM**

From Curbed, updated renderings of SoNo East:

More here:
http://chicago.curbed.com/archives/2...l-highrise.php

VivaLFuego · #**5006** Posted: **Jan 21, 2011, 5:28 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by spyguy

A poor man's Ritz.

Does a Loop hotel and senior housing really need so much parking, especially being right next to several large garages? The only explanation I can come up with is that I believe Randolph Tower will have no internal parking. But great job supporting TOD and making Chicago greener, City. In SF people complained when a large new mall wanted some parking. Here, you can't go one block before being bombarded with curb cuts and parking garage signs. I've also been very disappointed that all of these new rental towers in the Loop have enormous parking components. I can't imagine that all of them are being utilized at full capacity.

They definitely aren't. There is so much underutilized parking garage capacity in and around the loop right now, and people still want to build more.

Alliance · #**5007** Posted: **Jan 21, 2011, 5:31 PM**

^^^ Thats the old Booth Hansen rendering. This is the updated render from Berkelhamer Architects:

Photos from Curbed

I like that they're no longer twins. While the Booth Hansen building is great, I don't really like repeats. Hopefully they use similar, high quality materials.

VivaLFuego · #**5008** Posted: **Jan 21, 2011, 5:32 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by i_am_hydrogen

From Curbed, updated renderings of SoNo East:

More here:
http://chicago.curbed.com/archives/2...l-highrise.php

At least they're continuing the materials choices, but the proportionality of this just looks weird. SoNo West had a certain simple elegance to the overall form, balcony placement, and so on, this one just looks... misshapen. Hard to place... too squat relative to the length of the building, too much uninterupted curtain wall between the middle balcony tier and the southern end.

Still, a million times better than that atrocity proposed on Randolph, though.

orulz · #**5009** Posted: **Jan 21, 2011, 6:47 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by spyguy

First, BidClerk mentions the Doral Plaza expansion project:
2011/01/16 Millennium Park Plaza 80-unit multi-residential building, $20 million N Michigan Ave & E Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60601, US Cook

Some of the renderings for this indicated thit it would include a new entrance to Millennium Station under Doral Plaza, no? I've always thought that Millennium Station could use more entrances, and that the ones that do exist, should be more prominent.

spyguy · #**5010** Posted: **Jan 21, 2011, 11:36 PM**

IL Finance Authority approved issuing up to $35 million in bonds for this project. Apparently the architect has not yet been determined, or at least not announced.

East-West University is requesting approval of a Final Bond Resolution in an amount not-to-
exceed $35,000,000. Bond proceeds will be used to (i) construct and equip a new, 14-story multi-
purpose building to be located in the 800 block of South Wabash Avenue (i.e., formerly the site of
building located at 825 and 831 South Wabash) in Chicago; (ii) renovate and equip East-West’s
existing buildings located at 816 South Michigan Avenue and 819 South Wabash Avenue in
Chicago; (iii) pay capitalized interest on certain portions of the project, if necessary or desirable;
and (iv) pay costs of issuance. The new multi-purpose building will include limited ground floor
parking, retail shops, a student athletic center/health club; a campus library; instructional labs,
classrooms, and faculty offices, and 10 floors of student housing including studio, one-bedroom,
and two-bedroom apartments with kitchen and bathroom that will house approximately 220
students.

• Basement – 29 Parking spaces
• 1st Floor – Lobby and Retail Shops mainly consisting of a food court serving both resident and nonresident
students. The food court will be visible and easily accessible from the street allowing its use also
by students from other institutions in the area and by the general public. It will include a collection of fastfood
restaurants with shared eating space.
• 2nd Floor – Student Activities Complex mainly consisting of an athletic center housing weight and
exercise room, lockers, pool table and table tennis, etc., and a large auditorium with a seating capacity of
500.
• 3rd Floor – Library and Learning Resource Center
• 4th Floor – Instructional labs and offices for ancillary services.
• 5th through 14th Floors – Student housing consisting of studios, one or two bedroom apartments with
full kitchen and bathroom, for approximately 220 students.

Nowhereman1280 · #**5011** Posted: **Jan 22, 2011, 2:11 AM**

^^^ Excellent, only 29 new parking spots for a 14 story project, not bad at all...

the urban politician · #**5012** Posted: **Jan 22, 2011, 3:06 AM**

Great news on the E-W University project, Spyguy

Ch.G, Ch.G · #**5013** Posted: **Jan 22, 2011, 6:59 AM**

Yeah, awesome find, spyguy. This trend of university expansion in the South Loop is fantastic for the city.

ardecila · #**5014** Posted: **Jan 23, 2011, 4:16 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by VivaLFuego

At least they're continuing the materials choices, but the proportionality of this just looks weird. SoNo West had a certain simple elegance to the overall form, balcony placement, and so on, this one just looks... misshapen. Hard to place... too squat relative to the length of the building, too much uninterupted curtain wall between the middle balcony tier and the southern end.

Still, a million times better than that atrocity proposed on Randolph, though.

Bingo. It needs to be broken into two masses like the original, which has the center column of balconies inset a foot or two so that the railings are not flush with the facade. Perhaps they could make half of the building higher than the other...

Berkelheimer's website also has this little gem... not sure if it's Connors Park or Mariano Park (i.e. Viagra Triangle). The description merely says "Gold Coast".

Hayward · #**5015** Posted: **Jan 23, 2011, 6:38 AM**

That's Connors Park ^ And this park is in dire need of improvements. It appears this structure may house a cafe, which would certainly liven up the space.

spyguy · #**5016** Posted: **Jan 25, 2011, 1:10 AM**

^You can tell it's an Argo too.

Quote:

Originally Posted by spyguy

Bid Date/ Name
01.27.2011 Building A at Lake Shore East

http://news.medill.northwestern.edu/...aspx?id=176580

December housing starts fall to lowest level for 2010 while permits jump
by Lily Cunge Cai Jan 19, 2011

...Magellan Development Group LLC, a Chicago-based residential developer, has more confidence in the rental market than in the condo market these days.

Magellan plans to break ground on a 50-story residential rental building in the Lakeshore East neighborhood in June due to the high demand for multi-family housing, said Brian Gordon, company vice president.

ardecila · #**5017** Posted: **Jan 25, 2011, 1:23 AM**

There's already an Argo there, in Lewis Towers. Why would they move to a much smaller space with virtually no seating?

Hayward · #**5018** Posted: **Jan 25, 2011, 1:35 AM**

I'm not sure how much space they rent in Lewis Towers, though I stop by that Argo location often. It's always crowded, sometimes impossible to find a table.

Just throwing this out there, but if they are at a crossroads to do something, they could either move elsewhere or expand at their current location. 820 Market is gone (I never understood that place) For all I know, the counter was put in the rendering as a placeholder. I've been guilty of it in my own work by using objects that are familiar to get an idea across.

I do find constructing a sizeable cafe somewhat unnecessary. Just a small stand/counter like they have at Mariano Park will do. They can keep that overhang and create a pavilion. It would still be nice to sit and eat outside, but sheltered on a warm rainy day

Nowhereman1280 · #**5019** Posted: **Jan 25, 2011, 2:09 AM**

^^^ Argo has about 2500 square feet in Lewis Towers, its kinda small for a cafe.

Market 820 is gone? When did that happen? Let me let you in on a secret, the sole reason for Market 820's existence was to sell food to Loyola Students in Baumhart. Its the only place that accepts Loyola campus dollars downtown outside of the limited hours of the dining hall in Baumhart. It was run by Loyola to cater to students, but fly under the radar enough that rich people from the neighborhood would also use it for convenience shopping.

Sweet news about Lake Shore East by the way. Look forward to see who designed it (probably just Magellan right?) and what it looks like. I hope they've learned their lesson that good design pays dividends from Aqua...

ardecila · #**5020** Posted: **Jan 25, 2011, 2:35 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nowhereman1280

Sweet news about Lake Shore East by the way. Look forward to see who designed it (probably just Magellan right?) and what it looks like. I hope they've learned their lesson that good design pays dividends from Aqua...

Scuttlebutt is that Brininstool/BKL is designing it.