CHICAGO | Highrise Projects & Construction - Page 6

VivaLFuego · #**101** Posted: **Oct 28, 2008, 5:40 PM**

Village Center is mostly hideous architecturally, and of poor urban form. As an added insult, it replaced a very handsome, dense brick structure of around 6-7 stories. At present, Village Center is borderline blight.

This is a very positive development. Previous renderings show that this will be a very interesting and attractive design (what else to expect from Gang?), though maybe not as groundbreaking/noteworthy/remarkable as nearby Solstice. The streetwalls along Hyde Park Blvd and Lake Park will have a dramatic impact on making the neighborhood feel more lively and intense.

Preckwinkle seems sure to approve this. The trick is making sure Hyde Park doesn't wind up with yet another vacant lot resulting from the myriad of reasons that prevent development in the neighborhood. The 17-story building at 53rd/Cornell seems to be flatlining, along with the 8-story proposal for the McMobil site at 53rd/Kimbark. Then there's the Dr.'s Hospital fiasco, the St. Stephen's Church albatross, the Promontory Point gradually sinking into the lake...

intrepidDesign · #**102** Posted: **Oct 28, 2008, 5:50 PM**

I'll all for that building at Huron and Orleans, all that's there right now is a crummy brick garage, total eyesore. The proposed building looks like it has some promise, although I'm a bit skeptical about the base. I wonder if this is a legitimate proposal or another pipe dream. Good find none the less.

the urban politician · #**103** Posted: **Oct 29, 2008, 2:13 AM**

I really hope AC has some success with these Gang projects in Hyde Park. So far there is no info on sales for Solstice, a building that I have categorized as belonging on my short "must-build" list

Jibba · #**104** Posted: **Oct 29, 2008, 4:41 AM**

Silver Tower

353 N. Clark

161 W. Kinzie

Random Loop shot as seen from Millennium Park

Tom Servo · #**105** Posted: **Oct 29, 2008, 7:06 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by honte

Hyde Park condos may replace shopping plaza
150-unit project has resident support, needs city OK

http://www.suntimes.com/business/124...hyde28.article

Sounds a bit like her old vision for Aqua...

Very glad to see they are still moving forward with this project - looks like a great addition to the South Side.

with utmost respect to her, her firm, and her work...

honte, is it just me or does everything from studio gang looked forced?

harryc · #**106** Posted: **Oct 29, 2008, 10:31 AM**

Silver Tower

Mechandise mart - Purple line

155 N Wacker

321 N Clark st

Flair Tower ( with SoNo and 757 N Orleans )

321 N Clark st

Staybridge & 110 W Superior

321 N Clark st

Streeter Place

VivaLFuego · #**107** Posted: **Oct 29, 2008, 2:15 PM**

To the Emporis and Page 1 guys: 200 W. Lake is under construction, and by "under construction" I mean caissons are being drilled.

BVictor1 · #**108** Posted: **Oct 29, 2008, 2:37 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by AdrianXSands

with utmost respect to her, her firm, and her work...

honte, is it just me or does everything from studio gang looked forced?

i'm not honte but, it's you

honte · #**109** Posted: **Oct 29, 2008, 2:41 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by AdrianXSands

with utmost respect to her, her firm, and her work...

honte, is it just me or does everything from studio gang looked forced?

I absolutely hear what you're saying... There is often a strange tension between very traditional elements and somewhat avant-garde elements, such as the balconies / box issue at Aqua, or the "frazzled cube" vs. very basic frame construction that occurs at the SOS project on the South Side.

This could be budget (most likely), lack of time / manpower to fully develop the concept, or the fact that they are still a young firm without a developing style. But the issue to me seems to be 1) a seeming desire to always have a "wow" factor, and 2) the concept not being fully brought through the building. Aqua to me is still the best example of this: Obviously budget and time were not on their side, but you can imagine a Hadid-style base on that building that absolutely blows you away. They had all the room in the world and a very nice program to do this too. Perhaps this would have been too much, perhaps you can argue that it would have been "unnecessary," but something along those lines could have really supported the overall identity and concept.

I haven't studied the above building very closely (is it possible to yet?), but it doesn't appear to have that issue as much to me. Perhaps because the "odd" elements are in the cladding and not the form itself.

Anyway, as always, the hat's off to Studio Gang and I am sure they have great things in their future. Of course, they are one of the few out there successful in getting anything of interest built, so any critique is purely academic.

BVictor1 · #**110** Posted: **Oct 29, 2008, 2:41 PM**

http://www.suntimes.com/business/roe...eder29.article

CAMPUS TOWN: Affirmation that the South Loop is becoming a citified "campus" comes in the plans for a new student housing high-rise proposed at 401 S. Wabash. Partners L&H Real Estate Group LLC and Brownstone Realty and Development Co. have filed a zoning application to build a 37-story building that would house about 1,200 students.

Gerry Curciarello, a partner at L&H, said that depending on financing, the investors could start construction on what's currently a parking lot by January 2010, allowing them to deliver the building for the 2011 academic year.

The same team acquired the building just to the east, at 59 E. Van Buren, in 2004. It turned the landmark but dilapidated former office building into housing for more than 400 students.

Curciarello said the new building will be designed with classic dormitory space, not the generously sized suites of other buildings. Underclassmen usually get smaller rooms. The two buildings may be connected, Curciarello said, perhaps through the addition of a common cafeteria on the lower two floors.

The architectural firm Solomon Cordwell Buenz will design the structure. The zoning application starts a hearing process that leads to a City Council vote.

SolarWind · #**111** Posted: **Oct 30, 2008, 1:18 AM**

October 29, 2008

SolarWind · #**112** Posted: **Oct 30, 2008, 2:00 AM**

October 23, 2008

SolarWind · #**113** Posted: **Oct 30, 2008, 2:31 AM**

October 23, 2008

155 North Wacker

Trio

161 West Kinzie

Dan in Chicago · #**114** Posted: **Oct 30, 2008, 3:38 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by VivaLFuego

To the Emporis and Page 1 guys: 200 W. Lake is under construction, and by "under construction" I mean caissons are being drilled.

Thanks, I've updated the status on Emporis (will take a day or so to clear the cache). I'm still curious about the status of Emerald North, The Fairbanks, Pure, and Burnham Pointe. At least the first two must be finished by now, or....?

Steely Dan · #**115** Posted: **Oct 30, 2008, 5:37 PM**

You Guys Are All Getting WAY Off-topic About This Times Square Crap. Take It To A Different Thread.

this thread is exclusively for discussion of highrise developments in chicago.

Tom Servo · #**116** Posted: **Oct 30, 2008, 6:29 PM**

does anyone know anyone at vdt or has been up there recently; has anyone seen the drawings for the kinzie/wells tower? if so, does it look as promising as the rendering suggests; are we looking at something that is on the staybridge level of awesomness?

Tom Servo · #**117** Posted: **Oct 30, 2008, 7:19 PM**

i was thinking that i'm too often negative towards this city. so, i'm looking out my window, 50 stories up, and thinking about a few recent projects that i really like... i'll make a non-ordered list to alleviate my lunch-time boredom:

/ sono / i really love this, and the base is beautiful

/ reebie lofts / this building is really elegant; i love the materials; and the insides are really great: flawless use of concrete

/ momo / god, these developer names are too funny... beautiful glass; wonderful expression of the building's function (i love the mirrored tower); semi-awkward base i think is fault of the tenant and the stupid signage

/ staybridge / please finish so that we can bask in your structural greatness

/ the helmut jahn sro / beautiful

/ 155 n wacker / is gonna look slick with the kpf tower next door; i love all these huge towers in the west loop that just scream: business... i feel the same about the hyatt and 111 duo too.

/ the dwight lofts / this building is a beautiful compliment to the existing building; did i mention i love the exposed structure? oh yeah... it's awesome. to me this building is all chicago, inside and out.

/ burnham pointe / doesn't give me an architectural boner, but wow, that turned out nice; it integrates itself so well; i wonder why are residential developments in the city can't turn out so nice? the garage portion is a little sloppy, and i'd prefer a blank concrete wall, but whatever... the silver tower looks like it might produce the same seamlessness as this... we'll see?

/ everything from brininstool and lynch lately / the base of 550 is annoying but, whatever.

/ spertus / sick.

/ 300 n lasalle / what? hines does an elegant glass tower? no way.

/ 600 n fairbanks / most beautiful and greatest residential tower ever. well... maybe in this era... i have a hard time accepting anything could ever be greater than 860-880

okay... i'm done thinking about recent buildings i like... why can't we live in a city of only brininstool and lynch, booth hansen, jahn, ibms and daley centers? i hate reality.

...back to work

JDRCRASH · #**118** Posted: **Oct 30, 2008, 7:26 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

You Guys Are All Getting WAY Off-topic About This Times Square Crap. Take It To A Different Thread.

this thread is exclusively for discussion of highrise developments in chicago.

Dude, you seriously need to consider running for LA Thread mod (even though you don't live there) because we could use that kind of enforcement around there.

Though I have a feeling this post is going to get deleted as well...

Tom In Chicago · #**119** Posted: **Oct 30, 2008, 10:02 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by AdrianXSands

i was thinking that i'm too often negative towards this city. so, i'm looking out my window, 50 stories up, and thinking about a few recent projects that i really like...

Agree with your list mostly. . . probably would add Aqua, Trump and Legacy at Millennium Park though. . .

. . .

BVictor1 · #**120** Posted: **Oct 30, 2008, 11:59 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dan in Chicago

Thanks, I've updated the status on Emporis (will take a day or so to clear the cache). I'm still curious about the status of Emerald North, The Fairbanks, Pure, and Burnham Pointe. At least the first two must be finished by now, or....?

I will check out the Fairbanks tomorrow. I hadn't changed it to complete because they hadn't finished installing the metal panels on the east face, then they ended up removing several floors of the panels.

I had gotten the technical info for Streeter Place last week, but I got mugged the other day, and that info was in my bag which was stolen, so either myself, Tom or Marshall will have to go back over there for the info again.