CHICAGO | Highrise Projects & Construction

[J_M_Tungsten]

The one story retail looks a lot like the one story retail going in on Milwaukee ave in Wicker Park.

[lawfin]

Yeah considering.....I am with the its perfectly acceptable crowd....in fact I wish we had many more building of this scale in the city...design eh...but I actually like the scale from an urban design stand point

[lawfin]

I wish that streets like clybourn and parts of elston that have been turned into suburban auto sewers followed this paradigm instead of big-box de riguer

[Buckman821]

Is 1225 Old Town designed by an in house architect at JDL? I couldn't find any architecture firms listed on the emporis entry.

[SamInTheLoop]

^ No....although it may have been originally. This is Hartshorne + Plunkard.

I tend to agree with most as far as it could have certainly been a disaster, and this is clearly not a disaster.

In addition to desiring a more modern cladding material than brick (why this civilization still builds at all with brick today is beyond me), preferably some sort of clean metal cladding system, I also would have definitely preferred the balconies to be recessed....

[SamInTheLoop]

Originally Posted by spyguy

AMLI claims that their new River North apartment building may break ground next month.

As I mentioned last week, the new owners of 203 N Wabash are planning to convert the office building to apartments. 185 units + retail.

In an article on downtown apartment development prospects last week in rejournals.com, AMLI also mentioned they are currently in permitting and partial occupancy planned for April 2013. I suppose there's always a slim chance this fugly project has been redesigned, but if not, here's hoping that the recent investment market volatility and downward recalibration of near - and perhaps medium - term economic and job growth forecasts claim this dog as a victim (as opposed to better apartment projects - presumably Optima Streeterville, 171 N. Wabash/73 E. Lake, Related Midwest's two developments, presumably Habitat's River North project, et al), at least until it can be redesigned into something remotely acceptable. I guess I just don't believe in major increases in density at all aesthetic cost....

[J_M_Tungsten]

8-9
The Admiral

Still no paint or precast, which ever it may be, but it looks to be like they are putting insulation on the lower town home part.

[Nowhereman1280]

^^^ You can tell for sure it's just going to be paint now. They are already installing windows which never comes until after the exterior panels have been installed. Therefore it's safe to assume the concrete itself is going to be the exterior.

[J_M_Tungsten]

That makes sense. Actually, it doesn't look too bad as it is now.

[HomrQT]

The admiral is much thinner than I anticipated from Marine Drive. And the view from the Foster side is so wide.

[Kenmore]

Originally Posted by HomrQT

The admiral is much thinner than I anticipated from Marine Drive. And the view from the Foster side is so wide.

I think that is pretty ideal.

[spyguy]

The article is too long and disjointed to post, but there are plenty of shiny renderings inside.

http://archpaper.com/news/articles.asp?id=5582

Feature> Breaking Ground
By Christopher Bentley
---

SoNo 2

Gateway Phase 1

City Hyde Park

Harper Court Phase 1 (already posted, however...)

...A recent press release stated that LA Fitness signed a lease for the first and third floors of the office building. If that's correct and the design hasn't changed, then the office building should be 12 stories tall.

[the urban politician]

^ The surface parking for Mariano's looks like it's still covered parking. That's at least a bit more palatable

[HomrQT]

Originally Posted by Kenmore

I think that is pretty ideal.

Personally I was hoping it would take up more of the block.

[ardecila]

I'm probably gonna get my head blown off for this, but I think the Borders building should be torn down and turned into a plaza. The site will have a strong definition, with its three sides enclosed by the Harper Court office tower, Hyde Park Bank, and the Metra viaduct. The current Borders parking lot could be redeveloped with some 3-story retail buildings, short enough to allow sunlight into the plaza for most of the year.

The plaza would be animated by people getting off the Metra Electric, and a curbside bus station on that little narrow block of Lake Park for the 6 bus routes that pass the site.

[Mr Downtown]

^If you're waiting for a train, wouldn't you stand on the platform? If you're waiting for a bus, wouldn't you stand on the inbound side of the street?

I don't know that many people get off a bus after a day at work and say "I know. I'll animate this plaza for a few minutes." Most of them just walk home.

[ardecila]

That's why the bus stop would be shifted west of the plaza onto the little street that's also known as Lake Park, forming a facility similar to the new LaSalle Intermodal. The new buildings on the south side could be used for restaurant space with outdoor dining, possibly with some small spaces for walk-up coffee or pastries.

There are other ways to animate the space, but a transit connection provides a steady stream of people all day. Adding a restaurant would increase the traffic at midday and in the evening, when the number of travelers wanes.

Perhaps I just don't understand how this station works. Do Metra riders not transfer to feeder buses the way they would at 95th or Jefferson Park?

[Mr Downtown]

^Correct. Because there's no fare integration, commuters ride Metra Electric or the express bus, not both. Metra Electric has stops every few blocks in Hyde Park and South Shore. If you're destined for Jeffery Boulevard, you just take the #6 to begin with. If you live inland from Metra along a crosstown route, you ride the Green Line and transfer there. There are no buses on 53rd.

[ardecila]

It seems like the 172 could be moved onto 53rd pretty easily. It already has a complicated route, so it's not like a shift would confuse people. Plus, the University is paying for the route, and also investing money in the revitalization of 53rd (Harper Theater, Harper Court). Shifting the route would make their investments mutually beneficial.

[Mr Downtown]

^But the 172 is a little circulator that only runs a few times a day carrying students and staff. It only carries 2400 people a day. Why would they get off the bus and mill around on your plaza? Just for fun?