^^ It don't look that bad.

http://www.chicagorealestatedaily.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=32303

Women’s retailer signs at Block 37
By Samantha Sleevi, Dec. 17, 2008

Eclectic women’s retailer Anthropologie has signed a lease at Block 37, the mixed-use development under construction across from the Macy’s department store on State Street.

The 12,000-square-foot store would have a street-level entrance on State Street, according to Block 37 developer Joseph Freed & Associates LLC, which announced the deal.

I pass this every day, and work seems at a standstill. I only see a random security guard wandering around. Is there a serious hold-up with getting the first floor finished (and thus, opening up the sidewalks!)

I hear you. The sidewalk closures are beyond tedious at this point.

Tonight:
http://img78.imageshack.us/img78/6316/dsc059637762818dw8.jpg
http://img78.imageshack.us/img78/3567/dsc059667779231ml8.jpghttp://img381.imageshack.us/img381/7581/dsc059707793384jg4.jpg

Did they make the screen bigger?

^Nope. Although, in my above photo, it appears larger than it usually looks. Maybe the fact that I photographed the screen at night has something to do with it, and accordingly it now has more visual presence against a dark background.

I hate CBS for not making that screen wrap around the building like it was supposed to.

In the spirit of Festivus, let's begin with the airing of grievances. I got a lot of problems with this building, and now you're gonna hear about it.


The screen. It was supposed to be a bar that wrapped around the corner. Instead they made it 1/3 of the intended size and centered it, which looks awkward. Meanwhile, the sides remain exposed to the elements. It's obvious that they are not going to expand the screen, but maybe they can figure out a way to artistically cover the sides. Speaking of which, what happened to the news tickers? I even remember an obscure article that mentioned Morningstar was also interested in having a display/ticker for financial news. Finally, I thought they said no advertising?


The crown. What happened to the top of the building? Wasn't there supposed to be some kind of pattern using the CBS logo? There were even some images that showed the Morningstar logo facing State Street.


The building. This is not the place for a boutique office building. And if so, don't cut back on the design or materials (in this case, the facade).


The "public art." Woven stainless steel is pretty lame - perhaps it will look better with night lighting. And I hope that whatever is planned for that gap near State and Washington is good because I think it was supposed to be a video screen. I won't even go into the atrium/public space issue.


The CTA superstation debacle. Enough said.

^ Agreed on all points.

That half-screen thing is particularly annoying. WTF? Did the clown behind that debacle not think that people would notice just how damn stupid it looks?

I don't even know how CBS ended up with their studio on Dearborn, anyway. It's kind of dark and forbidding compared to state, and the fact that half of it faces Daley Plaza only adds to the barren feeling. That's probably why they didn't bother investing in a longer and more costly screen--no one strolls down Dearborn for the shopping (which doesn't exist), let alone just for the hell of it.

Oh, and if the screen is definitely going to remain as such for the foreseeable future, they absolutely must leave the metalwork around it exposed. WAY better looking than what would arguably be boring and chintzy covering (metallic Krylon-coated Dryvit, anyone?).

...they absolutely must leave the metalwork around it exposed.

I think it looks like they couldn't afford the bigger monitor. Or maybe someone forgot to 'carry the 3' when they measured the opening.

^ Agreed on all points.

That half-screen thing is particularly annoying. WTF? Did the clown behind that debacle not think that people would notice just how damn stupid it looks?
You'll probably be happy to know that the clown lost his job a couple of weeks ago. Not for this, but for other things.

I thought there was suppose to be some screen/lighting that wrapped around the entire building? I've severely disappointed in the entire block, and it seems it's been under construction for YEARS and they still don't have the walls finished on the 1st floor.

Very weird situation....I'd almost rather have that block back when it was a plaza.

I thought there was suppose to be some screen/lighting that wrapped around the entire building? I've severely disappointed in the entire block, and it seems it's been under construction for YEARS and they still don't have the walls finished on the 1st floor.

Very weird situation....I'd almost rather have that block back when it was a plaza.
It was supposed to wrap around the corner of Washington and Dearborn. There is a big gaping hole for the screens, but WBBM-TV's management decided to go cheap and only put up one screen even though the building was designed for the wrap-around.

There were some articles about it a while back. The mayor and the architect were not pleased, but there's nothing they can do about it.

As noted above, the person who made the decision not to do it right has been fired, but for other reasons.

^ right, I walk by the building every day and roll my eyes. I do like the scenes from around Chicago they keep playing on the screen, but this entire project is a flop as far as I'm concerned.

I've never seen any toursits or family/friends of mine give this building anything but a glance as they walk by.

After DECADES of waiting for something quality and moving...we're left with a 4 story grey box. It could seriously be a warehouse.

I think the State Street side, and to a lesser extent the Randolph Street side, will be much improved when construction is done and the retailers are open for business. But don't look up past street level unless you want to be disappointed.

^ right, I walk by the building every day and roll my eyes. I do like the scenes from around Chicago they keep playing on the screen, but this entire project is a flop as far as I'm concerned.

I've never seen any toursits or family/friends of mine give this building anything but a glance as they walk by.

After DECADES of waiting for something quality and moving...we're left with a 4 story grey box. It could seriously be a warehouse.

I love how when they opened their studio, their first broadcast was all about them being located at 'The Heart of Chicago.' Shouldn't they live up to that by not cutting corners on design to save a few bucks? I think being in that location requires a little more responsibility.

OK...WTF? There aren't even footprints in the snow, inside the fences along State and Randolph. Nothing has happened for weeks.

Whats the status of the Subway below block 37 ?

Whats the status of the Subway below block 37 ?

http://www.jamesharrisgallery.com/Artists/Mark%20Mumford/Nothing%20ever%20happened%20here.jpg

LOL

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=33331

Apple not coming to Block 37: lawsuit
By: Eddie Baeb March 16, 2009

Apple Inc. has pulled the plug on plans for a store at Block 37, prompting another retailer to go to court to get out of its lease in the new mall, according to a lawsuit.

Yoga-wear retailer Lululemon Athletica Inc. alleges that Apple isn't going to open a store at Block 37 in a lawsuit filed in federal court last week that seeks to cancel Lululemon's lease, alleging the firm was misled about Apple's plans.

Did see a flatbed truck unloading crates this morning, inside the fence. Not sure that means construction has resumed, but at least there's a hint of activity.

Great... We have to deal with these pesky sidewalk closures for potentially another year. I wonder if I'll ever be able to walk down the south side of Randolph again.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123794125131932665.html

Developers Scale Back Luxury Projects as Economy Shifts
Some Delay Debuts as Tenants Pull Out; Trouble in Xanadu

By KRIS HUDSON

...In Chicago, developer Joseph Freed and Associates has delayed completion of the first phase of its Block 37 mixed-use project, spanning 285,000 square feet of shops, to this fall from this spring. Freed wooed Apple Inc., but the computer seller declined. Yogawear retailer Lululemon Athletica Inc. recently broke its lease in response to Apple's decision. Overall, the first phase is 55% leased, with tenants including women's apparel seller Anthropologie, Spanish fashion retailer Zara and a Puma AG sportswear store.

Great... We have to deal with these pesky sidewalk closures for potentially another year. I wonder if I'll ever be able to walk down the south side of Randolph again.

same with wacker at waterview. while we can walk, it still takes away a lane of traffic east on wacker and south on clark. I hate it.

http://www.josephfreed.com/?top=/info/Nav/MediaCenter.html

Developer Announces Five More Signed Leases For Block 37
by Jayne Carr Thompson

Block 37 master developer Joseph Freed and Associates LLC announced today that five more leases have been signed with retail tenants for Block 37.

Those signed include the famed Chicago clothier Bigsby & Kruthers, Swarovski, Starfruit, Tahini and Sunglass Hut.

"With the signing of these tenants, we have taken another big step toward bringing this project across the goal line," said Larry Freed, President of Joseph Freed and Associates LLC, the project's developer.

"When it opens this fall, Block 37 will be the source of 2,000 jobs and over $17.5 M in annual tax revenue for the City of Chicago. To date, the project has brought over 2,200 construction jobs to Chicago," Freed said.

Ty Tabing, Executive Director of the Chicago Loop Alliance, commented that "we are extremely excited to see this progress on Block 37. The historic significance of bringing the uniquely Chicago Bigsby & Kruthers brand to the project is very important. It is reminiscent of the high quality retailers who originally were located on the site."

He went on to say that he anticipates that "having the Bigsby store on the second floor of the project will be quite effective in driving foot traffic within the project."

Freed reflected that these five tenants contribute to the new, dynamic, cutting-edge tenant mix that has been the goal for the property since Freed purchased the project in 2007.

Also sensitive to the historic significance of the project, Freed said, "Putting a Bigsby & Kruthers store in the heart of downtown Chicago on this historic block is especially appropriate when you consider the strength and longevity of the Bigsby brand in Chicago," he said.

"We will be able to bring together the best and newest in men's and women's fashion, quality service and attention to the needs of our customers with Joe Silverberg and his partner, Jack Shniderman re-launching the Bigsby & Kruthers brand," Freed continued.

Silverberg opened his first Bigsby & Kruthers store with his brother, Gene Silverberg, in Chicago in 1970. For years, they dressed the nation's CEO's, celebrities and professional athletes at their Bigsby & Kruthers stores. The company received national and international attention and awards including a listing in Esquire Magazine as one of the top ten specialty
retailers in the United States and was featured in Esquire, Forbes, GQ and the Wall Street Journal.

Known for his genial personality and his expertise and experience as a successful merchant, Joe Silverberg is excited to be able to respond positively to the demand for the quality fashion synonymous with the Bigsby & Kruthers brand.

"We believe that we have a terrific opportunity right now — we've had a great response from our manufacturers and a continuing demand from our customers to re-launch Bigsby & Kruthers with both men's and women's clothing. And we have the chance to locate at Block 37 in the heart of downtown Chicago where we can attract business people, tourists and visitors to the theatre district and the financial district."

Jack Shniderman is also a retailer with deep experience in the Chicago market. A native Chicagoan, Shniderman began his career at Eric Salm in Lincoln Village. Recruited by Robert Vance Ltd. in 1979 as a buyer, he worked his way up to president of the company with 3 retail stores and an outlet store. He bought the company in 1985 and still owns it.

Under his leadership, Robert Vance has been featured in Celebrated Living Magazine as one of the best places to shop "off the beaten path" and nominated by MR Magazine as one of the top 25 most interesting stores. The menswear newspaper, Daily News Record has also profiled the company.

Shniderman opened Polo Ralph Lauren stores for a company with licenses for locations in Pittsburgh, Fort Lauderdale and Short Hills, New Jersey. In 1986, Shniderman and his partners bought the Chicago Polo Ralph Lauren store. He sold it back to Ralph Lauren in 1993 as part of Lauren's buy-back of license rights prior to taking his company public.

Shniderman sees the new Bigsby & Kruthers as offering the next generation of service — the "new gentleman's cool" fashion with a diverse men's product offering of approximately 30% suiting and 70% sportswear and a significant custom area. The women's collections will be similarly cutting edge.

Both men emphasize that the store will offer a "special" experience to its customers with excellent service, new, cool clothing along with the more traditional and a mix of diverse price points that provide value at each price.

Bigsby & Kruthers will occupy 9,000 square feet on the second floor of the project.
In addition to Bigsby, the other new tenants announced today include Tahini, a 1,500 square-foot fast casual eatery located on the Transit Level that specializes in Mediterranean-style sandwiches, salads, and desserts.

Starfruit Cafe serves a variety of organic frozen yogurt and kefir in fruit flavors and more than 20 toppings. Other treats include parfaits and lowfat smoothie-style kefir drinks. Kefir is a cultured milk product, with more probiotic qualities than yogurt. The cafe occupies a 700 square- foot space on the Transit Level. It is owned by Lifeway Foods, a Morton Grove, Illinois-based company.

Sunglass Hut is a recognized leader of specialty sunglass retailing with nearly 2,000 locations worldwide. Sunglass Hut stores, located in a wide variety of high-traffic shopping and tourist destinations, offer consumers the latest branded products from Oakley, Ray-Ban, Guess, DKNY, and many more. Sunglass Hut at Block 37 is located on Level One in a 1,000 square-foot space.

Swarovski is considered by many to be the finest quality lead crystal made today, featuring precision-cut Austrian crystal in striking prisms of gleaming beauty. Products include figurines, designer table top accessories, art objects and jewelry. The 900 square-foot Swarovski boutique at Block 37 is located on Level One.

Leasing continues at the Block 37 project, with additional announcements expected in the next two to four weeks.

Other tenants announced to date include Chicago's Lettuce Entertain You, bringing a new-concept restaurant and food court to the project; Muvico, a premium movie venue offering reserved seating, restaurant and bar service and first-run movies; PUMA; Zara; Anthropologie; and a store and salon by Aveda.

^^ good news ^^

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/mag/article.pl?articleId=32361

Hotel checks out of Block 37
By: Thomas A. Corfman September 14, 2009

Loews Hotels has walked away from an agreement to build a high-end hotel as part of the Block 37 development, despite getting the site for $1, dealing another blow to a downtown project dogged by decades of delays and other setbacks.

...Freed says the retail portion of the project, which was most recently expected to open this summer, will now open in November in stages with merchants such as athletic retailer Puma and women's clothing store Anthropologie. The retail portion of the project is more than 70% leased, including deals expected to be announced in the next few days, although some of those tenants won't open until the spring.

^^followed by bad news^^

I swear this building has been under construction for YEARS.

Interesting !!

Trapeze act swings into Block 37

By: Eddie Baeb October 12, 2009

Block 37 is close to a deal with two new tenants, one of them a dinner theater troupe that combines burlesque and R-rated acrobatics.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/article.pl?articleId=32492

http://www.suntimes.com/business/1821447,CST-FIN-block13.article

Block 37 nears show time
REAL ESTATE | Dinner-theater troupe close to signing lease, but space configurations remain


October 13, 2009

BY DAVID ROEDER droeder@suntimes.com
Block 37's developers are close to leasing prime top-floor space along State Street to a dinner-theater troupe with elements of vaudeville and circus acts.

Teatro ZinZanni, based in Seattle, would take over around 40,000 square feet, sources close to the project said. It would be on the fourth floor of the retail base being built on the block between the Daley Center and Macy's.

The sources said an agreement could be signed by next week. But ceiling heights and space configurations might be issues. The troupe's shows are under a vast tent said to be central to the performance.

Block 37, due to open this fall, is a project of Joseph Freed & Associates LLC. Freed executives did not return calls and the firm's spokeswoman, Jayne Thompson, would not discuss Teatro ZinZanni.

As for the floor's layout, Thompson said part of the floor is getting a cineplex operated by Muvico Entertainment LLC. "When Freed designed the space for Muvico, other entertainment uses were taken into account," she said.

Live theater also is expected to get space on the floor. Thompson declined to name prospects, but sources said talks have been held with Redmoon Theater and the Broadway in Chicago operation, which is examining a smaller space to supplement its Loop theaters.

Teatro is "a very cool, unique entertainment property," said Kelly Leonard, executive vice president of the Second City comedy club. Leonard said Second City briefly considered a role in a tourist-themed attraction at Block 37 but is not pursuing it. "The economics of a small space downtown are tough," he said.

Teatro ZinZanni's owner is the Seattle-based not-for-profit arts organization One Reel, which since 1972 has produced a wide range of arts-related festivals, special projects and performances nationally and internationally. Profits from Teatro support Reel One's other projects and charitable donations.

The show is arranged around a five-course meal. Ticket prices in San Francisco are about $145. Performances include live music, trapeze artists, clowns and other spectacles.

Teatro would take space formerly assigned to David Barton Gym, which withdrew from Block 37.

The show's food service in Chicago could be handled by Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises Inc., which is to have a restaurant elsewhere in Block 37...

:ohno:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-block-37-foreclose-oct20,0,3612744.story

Banks move to foreclose on Block 37

By Sandra M. Jones

Tribune reporter

3:05 p.m. CDT, October 20, 2009

Block 37, the Loop parcel that has defied development for decades, has run into financial trouble less than four weeks before its first retail shops were set to open, putting the project's future in question once again.

Bank of America N.A. and a group of lenders have moved to foreclose on the retail and transit portion of the mixed-use development, claiming Chicago developer Joseph Freed and Associates LLC has exceeded the planned project costs by $34 million and is in default on its mortgage, according to a lawsuit filed in Cook County Circuit Court on Monday.

Freed disclosed the dispute on Tuesday, calling the banks' steps a "misguided action that could halt the project" and warned that if the four-story shopping mall project shuts down now, it "will be near-impossible to restart," according to a company press release. Freed took over the project, which has gone through many developers over the decades, in April 2007. It is located at 108 N. State St.

The clash not only creates another roadblock for the long troubled project, but could squelch the burgeoning retail scene on State Street where Block 37 had been hailed as Water Tower Place south. The threatened foreclosure also signals that the commercial real estate bubble, which is predicted to follow the housing bubble, is beginning to pop as banks are forced to revalue commercial properties.

"It's probably the tip of the iceberg of banks taking properties back," said Ross Glickman, chairman and CEO of Chicago-based Urban Retail Properties, who was involved in the Block 37 project in the 1990s under a previous developer. "In general, banks have extended various mortgages beyond maturity and it gets to the point where they can't do it anymore."

The lawsuit charges that Freed owes $128.5 million on a $205 million loan. Bank of America is the biggest lender among the group with $65 million of the $205 million loan. The other lenders include Landesbank Hessen-Thuringen Helaba, Wachovia Bank N.A., Charter One Bank, and National City Bank, according to court documents.

Block 37 began in the 1970s as part of the late Mayor Richard J. Daley's vision to revitalize the Loop.

smjones@tribune.com
Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune

NOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo :( :( :(

Yeah. It's fitting, really.

10-27

http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/2429/blk372.jpg

http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/8670/blk373.jpg

http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/7894/blk374d.jpg

Can someone give me more clarification on that metallic "stippling" (don't know what else to call it) in that first picture? Maybe I've mentally blocked alot of Block 37 news out of despair, but it looks sexy and am wondering if it's on all sides or just on that side.

^The Gehry knock-off cheese graters? Yeah, there's one on each side.

They don't look all that sexy in person. It's better than painted concrete, but the architect isn't as clever as he/she thinks they are.

this big block really isn't great at all imo, de design is very bland especially considering some very nice and beautifull old gems nearby....shame on that this building/design was ever granted building permission...:ohno: :(

They don't look all that sexy in person. It's better than painted concrete, but the architect isn't as clever as he/she thinks they are.

I seriously doubt it is architect Ralph Johnson's fault... This building has had so much difficulty getting done that I am sure the original creative plan by Johnson was much better, but has been value engineered down to a blandness by the developer due to cost issues...

A lot of buildings turn out less than spectacular than the original drawings because developers value engineer or just delete details that made the original plan attractive to begin with.

Ralph Johnson is a highly respected architect and is responsible for several award winning buildings in Chicago... His original plans were definitely nicer.

Good point. Would be interesting to see his original designs, just to see if/how it has evolved. In person, the wavy steel stuff just doesn't grab my attention like I want it to. It also ends up looking like Gehry wanna-be, only because he's the king of wavy steel stuff.

Would be really nice to see it open for the holidays, but given the cursed history, I'm not optimistic:

Joseph Freed and Associates LLC said it signed leases for 13 new tenants at Block 37 as the embattled retail development fights to stave off foreclosure.

The announcement of the new leases comes as developer Freed battles to keep control of the project. Bank of America, the lead lender, moved in October to put the retail and transit project at 108 N. State St. into receivership less than a month before the mall's first shops were set to open.

The new tenants -- which include Sephora, Michelle Tan and Comic Vault -- are a mix of chains and local shops aimed at satisfying the city's redevelopment agreement to put unique retail in the famous city block.

Freed, which is contesting the foreclosure lawsuit, said it hopes to open the mall by Thanksgiving and complete the project by the end of 2010, "assuming the bank cooperates on necessary funding."

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-biz-block-37-leases-nov03,0,6012273.story

I'm so confused as to what's going on. BofA wants to foreclose, but Freed is alleging that BofA only wants to do that so it gains control of the project at the last possible step and rake in the money? It looks like, outwardly, the project is moving forward just fine, so that strengthen's Freed's argument?

11-13

http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/1018/b371.jpg

http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/2429/blk372.jpg

http://img692.imageshack.us/img692/8670/blk373.jpg

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-sun-freed-nov15,0,6473129.story

Block 37 in final push to open, but mall finds itself in another mess
Developer Larry Freed is headed to court with Bank of America, which wants to foreclose on Joseph Freed and Associates LLC and give the project to a receiver

By Sandra M. Jones

Tribune reporter

November 15, 2009

.........Larry Freed doesn't believe in jinxes.

In fact, the steady and analytical head of the Chicago family firm building the mall at 108 N. State St. is so indifferent to curses that he is naming the mall what Chicagoans have called the lot for decades: Block 37.

..........Freed set about redesigning the escalator flow, upgrading finishes, putting express elevators in from the street level to the third-floor Lettuce Entertain You food court and installing LED billboards. While the results are stunning, what matters is that the mall opens before Thanksgiving, said Matthew Sardo, owner of Comic Vault, a Block 37 tenant slated to open this month.

"If they don't, it will be a detriment to the project as a whole. I don't want to open in January when nobody shops," he said.

smjones@tribune.com
Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune


..

11-16

http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/8670/blk373.jpg

http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/1554/blk374.jpg

http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/8670/blk373.jpg

http://img188.imageshack.us/img188/2330/blk371jpg.jpg

Good Grief! Could this have been any more f**ed up?


http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-sat-block-37-nov21,0,1574002.story

Block 37 developer Joseph Freed and Associates loses control of retail project
Bank of America wins ruling appointing CB Richard Ellis as receiver; Freed vows to appeal

By Julie Wernau and Sandra M. Jones
Tribune reporters

November 21, 2009

In a major setback to its urban ambitions, Joseph Freed and Associates LLC lost control of the long-troubled Block 37 project just as the first stores prepared to open.

Cook County Circuit Judge Margaret Brennan ruled Friday that Freed didn't have the means to see the cash-strapped project through to completion and instead placed it in the hands of a receiver, CB Richard Ellis, a real estate broker and property manager. Freed vowed to appeal.

"We strongly disagree with the court's ruling," said Larry Freed, president of Joseph Freed. "We are the only developer in two decades to move Block 37 forward."

Freed said the mall developer "will fight to protect our rights, reputation and investment

Looking back to some of the earliest construction photos for this project, it's really neat to see how much density has been added to the area despite the height. Love this project!

After about seven months away, I visited Chicago last week. Here are some snapshots of Block 37 taken on Christmas Day.

From the northwest corner:

http://images.snapfish.com/345949572%7Ffp336%3Enu%3D3248%3E9%3A9%3E937%3EWSNRCG%3D323342%3C495633nu0mrj

http://images.snapfish.com/345949572%7Ffp337%3Enu%3D3248%3E9%3A9%3E937%3EWSNRCG%3D323342%3C495635nu0mrj


http://images.snapfish.com/345949572%7Ffp337%3Enu%3D3248%3E9%3A9%3E937%3EWSNRCG%3D323342%3C495636nu0mrj


From the west looking east:

http://images.snapfish.com/345949572%7Ffp336%3Enu%3D3248%3E9%3A9%3E937%3EWSNRCG%3D323342%3C495638nu0mrj

Looking east from the southwest corner:

http://images.snapfish.com/345949572%7Ffp338%3Enu%3D3248%3E9%3A9%3E937%3EWSNRCG%3D323342%3C495639nu0mrj

Looking northeast:

http://images.snapfish.com/345949572%7Ffp336%3Enu%3D3248%3E9%3A9%3E937%3EWSNRCG%3D323342%3C49563%3Anu0mrj

^ I think we all remember these days.

Despite all the complaining, I"m so glad it's still not a vacant lot. Far, far, far from it, in fact..

I just walked through the first floor and pedway--it looks pretty nice. Not sure what I think about the tenant line-up, though, and it appears that Ben Sherman and Club Monaco are out of the picture.

It's not as daring as I had hoped (is there still just the lone LCD screen instead of the promised lcd ticker for the news?), but way way way better than the vacant lot.

That being said, I'm sympathetic to the developer. It really does sound like BofA is being opportunistic.

I walked by this thing today. Although I still think the architecture is less than inspring, it probably will increase the energy level on corridor 3 times with all the new entertainment venues in the area (theater district, The Wit Hotel, new restaurants). Also, from a pedestrian perspective, at least on the State Street side, it has some flair. All of the glass store fronts are not that bad, especially at night. I just hope the new management team can land the movie theaters. That would really push the energy up to another level.

I walked by this thing today. Although I still think the architecture is less than inspring, it probably will increase the energy level on corridor 3 times with all the new entertainment venues in the area (theater district, The Wit Hotel, new restaurants). Also, from a pedestrian perspective, at least on the State Street side, it has some flair. All of the glass store fronts are not that bad, especially at night. I just hope the new management team can land the movie theaters. That would really push the energy up to another level.

Movie theaters? I thought the only thing being discussed was the zinzanno dinner performance (not movie theater).

Movie theaters? I thought the only thing being discussed was the zinzanno dinner performance (not movie theater).

There were/are plans for a movie/dinner theater. I don't know if Freed had a signed lease but, they were inn discussions with a chain called Muvco or somthing like that.

Muvico backed out. That was quietly disclosed a couple of weeks ago in the BofA/Freed fight.

We are going to be the only city in the country to ever open a dead mall. I wonder if it will have more tenants the day it opens, or the day it closes, five years from now.

at least the barriers have been taken down and the sidewalks are open. gives it a little sense of normalcy

We are going to be the only city in the country to ever open a dead mall.

Hey, it's the new global trend!
http://www.pbs.org/pov/utopia/

Shame about Muvico, especially since getting them apparently involved patiently telling Richie to stop freaking out -- not an easy task. At least it'll be pretty easy to quietly mothball the 4th floor, then the 3rd... waiting, like Dearborn Center, for some big box to grab the space.

Any interior photos out there? I forgot to stop in today.

Muvico backed out. That was quietly disclosed a couple of weeks ago in the BofA/Freed fight.

We are going to be the only city in the country to ever open a dead mall. I wonder if it will have more tenants the day it opens, or the day it closes, five years from now.

Is that why there are 20 tenants opening during this holiday season in 2009, and 17 more confirmed tenants opening in 2010?

No doubt Block 37 has been an enormous mess over the course of many years, but now that it is finally opening, I really can't see why it won't attract TONS of shoppers/business. Just because you might rather drive all the wait out to Schaumburg to do all of your shopping, doesn't mean that most other million people who live within a few-mile radius of Block 37 will do the same.

Part 1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYnc2tcK810) and part 2 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQ8QyEhDT94) of a walk through Block 37, and a visit to the pedway (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWECaGxpl5E).

Is that why there are 20 tenants opening during this holiday season in 2009, and 17 more confirmed tenants opening in 2010?

Who are the tenants? Subtracting out the food court and restaurants, who's left?

L'Occitane en Provence ain't gonna make it if there's no anchor to draw people through the space to begin with.

Ten years ago, State Street still was regional shopping for the city's South and Southwest Sides. But new power centers on former industrial sites have drawn off a lot of that demand. The closing of Toys R Us was the first clue that things were not as we assumed, and Carson's was the second. Macy's is running on fumes. Yes, a dozen high-markup apparel and cosmetic retailers will limp along for a few years inside Block 37. But I predict by Christmas 2015 it will just be a walkthrough food court using the ground and lower levels only.

I hope you're wrong. And I think you will be proved wrong come 2015.

To me it seems like State Street is on the rise, not the decline. Losing Toys R Us and Carson's doesn't say much about State Street. Toys R Us nearly failed and closed a bunch of its stores, and department stores haven't been doing well for a long time now. Macy's seems to be doing OK, the company as whole may not be doing so great, but we don't have numbers for the Chicago store.

State Street will continue to offer stores typically found in Malls across the US. It works for State Street and it works for the city. It's still urban and it attracts a lot people.


Block 37 still has a long way to go before it can be considered a failure or a success. And don't forget it is opening during a global recession. Muvico did not back out entirely, it wanted Freed to be an investor in some independently owned theater that would essentially be a Muvico theater but BofA didn't approve that lease, probably because it would have shifted more risk to the developer and none to Muvico.

A mall didn't kill Michigan Ave. State Street can handle one mall. Block 37 have some great tenants so far. Anthropologie, Zara, and Puma are all stores that attract a lot of customers.

Looking at the yochicago vids, I see a lot of potential. I really hope that this ends up doing well, because the worst thing that could happen here is if we traded an empty lot for an abandoned mall.

I hope you're wrong. And I think you will be proved wrong come 2015.

To me it seems like State Street is on the rise, not the decline. Losing Toys R Us and Carson's doesn't say much about State Street. Toys R Us nearly failed and closed a bunch of its stores, and department stores haven't been doing well for a long time now. Macy's seems to be doing OK, the company as whole may not be doing so great, but we don't have numbers for the Chicago store.

State Street will continue to offer stores typically found in Malls across the US. It works for State Street and it works for the city. It's still urban and it attracts a lot people.


Block 37 still has a long way to go before it can be considered a failure or a success. And don't forget it is opening during a global recession. Muvico did not back out entirely, it wanted Freed to be an investor in some independently owned theater that would essentially be a Muvico theater but BofA didn't approve that lease, probably because it would have shifted more risk to the developer and none to Muvico.

A mall didn't kill Michigan Ave. State Street can handle one mall. Block 37 have some great tenants so far. Anthropologie, Zara, and Puma are all stores that attract a lot of customers.

^ Block 37 won't be a failure in the long run. Millennium Park changed the whole dynamic, IMO.

^Yeah, plus the Olympics will really make it take off!

The future of State Street retail is projects like Sullivan Center, where retailers get individual street entrances and visibility. Isn't this readily apparent from observing the Mag Mile, where the vertical malls have been decanting their top tenants for the last 15 years, losing them to street-level spaces?

Of course street level spaces are more desirable to retailers, but retailers have to pay a big premium for a street level location. Looking at Michigan Ave, clearly a lot of retailers think the lower rent payments is worth the trade-off. Some retailers have actually given up a street level location to move inside a mall. Stuart Weitzman moved from street level at 900 N. Michigan to a space inside North Bridge. Oilily moved from street level space at North Bridge to inside 900 N. Michigan. Lalique used to have street level space at 900 N. Michigan is opening up inside Water Tower Place.

Block 37 is just a fraction of the retail options on State Street. I wouldn't advocate for more malls on State, but I think the retail market on State can absorb one mall.

The overall trend is definitely towards street-level spaces -- as evidenced by 730 N. Michigan (where a mall once had been proposed), Chicago Place, and the Palmer House Hilton. Individual tenants will of course move around, but they're not indicative of the wider trend; perhaps someone wanted a bigger/smaller space and could only find the right size space within a mall.

I did finally get a chance to walk through, and it's not bad. The office/tourist/student population should be able to support a few outposts of established Michigan Avenue names, but the city's vision of it being a haven for "first in the region" names was always way off-base.

North Bridge benefits from not being as vertical as Chicago Place, or as utterly twisted as Water Tower. 3 floors, in a simple curved layout, with food on 4 and the almighty Nordstroms at on end. It's still a mall, but it's the best mall layout by far. I'll be curious to see how Block 37 feels inside, when I visit sometime this week.

Kamin's take -
http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/art/chi-1201-block-37dec01,0,2890566.story

Block 37 mall design falls short of promise despite smart urban touches

New Block 37 beats the vertical shopping-mall model, but its architecture wilts alongside muscular neighbors


Here are some first impressions of the just-opened, very unfinished Block 37 shopping mall in Chicago's North Loop: It is a major architectural disappointment, a light-filled upgrade for the underground pedway system and an urban hub whose potential won't be realized for years, if ever.

Befitting its cursed site, which has taken 20 years to develop and swallowed millions of dollars in taxpayers' money, the mall is opening under a financial cloud, with its developer, Joseph Freed and Associates, and its lender, Bank of America Corp., battling in court for control of the project.

Whatever the legal outcome, the mall does not fulfill the expectations raised by Chicago architect Ralph Johnson's 2004 master plan for the long-vacant block. The plan promised to re-urbanize the 2.7-acre parcel, which once buzzed with shops, movie theaters, fancy grocery stores and restaurants where Chicago pols hung out.

...


He sees potential, and I guess he confirms that there is a movie theater for sure still in the talks. I would like to know if there's still any future talk about doing a red/blue line super station.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-sat-block37-1212-dec12,0,2355766.story

Block 37: Joseph Freed and Associates still has control of project, for now
Bank of America wants CB Richard Ellis as receiver, but Freed still holds required insurance

By Sandra M. Jones

Tribune reporter

December 12, 2009

Bank of America's move to turn over control of Joseph Freed and Associates LLC's Block 37 to a court-appointed receiver hit another roadblock Friday.

CB Richard Ellis, the commercial real estate services firm appointed to oversee the completion of the financially strapped shopping mall, has yet to secure the insurance necessary to take control. The firm has part of the insurance but not all of it, CB Richard Ellis told the Circuit Court at a hearing Friday.

CB Richard Ellis is still missing what is known in the industry as an owner controlled insurance program, a type of liability insurance for the contractors and subcontractors working on the site. Without it, construction cannot continue.

Freed, which took over the project from now-defunct Mills Corp. in 2007, is still in possession of the property and has the proper insurance, but it is short on funds to finish the project. Freed could add CB Richard Ellis to its existing policy but so far hasn't done so, vowing instead to fight to keep control of the project.

"This situation gets stranger with every passing week," said Larry Freed, president of the family-run developer. "So far, the receiver has only suggested using our insurance and our safety plan. We are clearly the best qualified to complete the Block 37 project. We have the required insurance; we have the required safety plan; we have control of the project and continue making the project come alive."

Meanwhile, Freed is attempting to bring outside investors into the project to help pay off a construction loan owed to a Bank of America-led group of lenders, according to Jayne Thompson, spokeswoman for Chicago-based Freed..............


Without Freed's cooperation, it could take CB Richard Ellis months to get its own owner controlled insurance program..............

smjones@tribune.com
Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune



...

Block 37 officially transfers to court-appointed receiver, on the same day that Anthropologie opens.

A court-appointed receiver is taking over Block 37.

More than two months after a judge moved to replace developer Joseph Freed & Associates LLC at the new State Street mall, the keys officially changed hands Friday.

After heated courtroom debate that ranged from insurance to accessing the mall’s management office and phone system, Cook County Circuit Judge Margaret Brennan ordered the transfer to take place Friday and denied Freed’s request to postpone the handover pending its appeal.

Freed’s lender, Bank of America Corp., sued in October to foreclose on the 280,000-square-foot property, saying the Chicago-based developer had defaulted due to cost overruns and didn’t have enough money to complete the project.

http://www.chicagorealestatedaily.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=36828

I am not surprised that Block 37 didn't make it. Which isn't to say it should not have; that is an arguable point. And frankly, if Block 37 were successful enough that the City didn't need to build a casino so much the better (who needs another casino really?)

...but...

Having studied architecture and planning as long as I have I am convinced that Block 37 was never meant to be developed!

Look at the buildings that surround it: Marshall Fields and City Hall, built of the same height, size, and materials, and year (1908-12; the time of the Chicago Plan), Chicago temple, theaters, and the Reliant Building (designed by Burnham himself, co-author of the Chicago Plan). Do you think this was by accident?

I don't have a smoking gun, but I do have an interesting reflection which I think helps my case: of all the vacant lots in downtown chicago (only a handful to be sure), ONLY Block 37 had an 8 foot fence around it for what, 16 years? Could it be the developers and the City know what I know, and were afraid that the public would see it as well?

And now that it is floundering, maybe it is time to revisit my idea?

I have no idea what you're trying to say. You almost sound like you're stoned.

:rofl:Stoned is not even how I'd describe his rambling. I must admit, It's kinda funny though.:nuts:

Since the developer has chosen to use the name Block 37, perhaps the title of the thread should be revised.

.....
Look at the buildings that surround it: Marshall Fields and City Hall, built of the same height, size, and materials, and year (1908-12; the time of the Chicago Plan), Chicago temple, theaters, and the Reliant Building (designed by Burnham himself, co-author of the Chicago Plan). Do you think this was by accident?.....

Yes.

I am not surprised that Block 37 didn't make it. Which isn't to say it should not have; that is an arguable point. And frankly, if Block 37 were successful enough that the City didn't need to build a casino so much the better (who needs another casino really?)

...but...

Having studied architecture and planning as long as I have I am convinced that Block 37 was never meant to be developed!

Look at the buildings that surround it: Marshall Fields and City Hall, built of the same height, size, and materials, and year (1908-12; the time of the Chicago Plan), Chicago temple, theaters, and the Reliant Building (designed by Burnham himself, co-author of the Chicago Plan). Do you think this was by accident?

I don't have a smoking gun, but I do have an interesting reflection which I think helps my case: of all the vacant lots in downtown chicago (only a handful to be sure), ONLY Block 37 had an 8 foot fence around it for what, 16 years? Could it be the developers and the City know what I know, and were afraid that the public would see it as well?

And now that it is floundering, maybe it is time to revisit my idea?

Are you Dan Brown?

Jimmy Hoffa is buried there? That totally explains everything.

http://img.metblogs.com/sf/files/2008/06/unsq.jpg

http://home.wlu.edu/~mahonj/Union%20Square%201.JPG

http://viewsbythebay.blogspot.com/uploaded_images/UnionSquare1-716619.jpg

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a5/Union_square_san_francisco.jpg&imgrefurl=http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Union_square_san_francisco.jpg&usg=__hR3mjFVYEjs60wTSkkFuP9-fBuE=&h=2336&w=3504&sz=5094&hl=en&start=13&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=2tMSwkAph0kOcM:&tbnh=100&tbnw=150&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dunion%2Bsquare%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26sa%3DN%26rlz%3D1C1GGLS_enUS364US364%26imgsz%3Dl%26tbs%3Disch:1

http://blogs.warwick.ac.uk/images/andrewgott/2006/09/19/100_0328.jpg

http://jcreporting.com/images/shrunk_union_square_photos_003.jpg

Union Square, San Francisco

Union Square, San Francisco

You know, if Block 37 does badly enough, it might get torn down and replaced with something like this. :lol:

I think the only reason daley didn't focus on turning this into a public space was he was focusing so much on completing millenium park during the planning stages of this that he wanted to focus State Street on shopping and that was all.

Mayor Daley should have given all of it it to Harolds of London!

I like Union Square, but it's also the only open space in any direction for 5 blocks, which I'm sure is a big reason it's always busy. Chicago has Daley Plaza 1 block away, and Millennium Park 2 blocks away. One more open space at Block 37 would be redundant.

http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/9463/p1010657.jpg
http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/2446/p1010663m.jpg
http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/8567/p1010660y.jpg
http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/4572/p1010659r.jpg
http://img502.imageshack.us/img502/3585/p1010670.jpg
http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/8190/p1010667.jpg
http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/1477/p1010669p.jpg
The best seat in town

that tv needs to be bigger or flanked by other tvs, it looks kind of lonesome on its own.

I might be remembering this wrong, but I think the plan was for a waaay wider TV, which was changed at the last minute (probably due to being cheap.)

I walked by here last night and ts nice to see retailers trickling in.

I might be remembering this wrong, but I think the plan was for a waaay wider TV, which was changed at the last minute (probably due to being cheap.)

I would hope they could expand it later. They certainly arent trying to make it look permanent, with the crappy girders exposed behind the smaller screen. I'd imagine they'd replace it soon enough. That'll make Daley Plaza look a lot cooler.

What is with this obsession with open space? You want greenery, go to the countryside or 500' away to Millennium Park -- not to what was once called "the world's busiest corner." (Well, okay, so that was State & Madison, but close enough.) Plus, Union Square literally stinks; it's in the Project for Public Spaces' Hall of Shame, after all. *Here's* what Block 37 should have looked like the whole time:
http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/3512.html

A small amount of open space can leaven a dense district, but large amounts subtract from the activity that's the place's raison d'etre.

^ Who are you replying to?

^^ Probably to skyscrapercityguy's wish that block 37 should've resembled an open space like union square in SF.

Union Square is fine. Not completely attractive but it is well used. But there's no need for that on Block 37. As others have noted, if you want open space head in any direction; west to Daley Plaza, south to Chase Plaza or Pritzker Park or Federal Plaza/ Quincy Court, north to the riverwalk, or east to Millennium Park. And eventually you'll be able to go up to the public rooftop.

I tend to follow the Jane Jacobs schools of thought of being against open space for the sake of open space. In most cities, I find that plazas/parks tend to be the least interesting parts of them compared to a healthy and active streetscape, and those that are active tend to be active for reasons unrelated to them being a park in and of itself (for example: Millenium Park has a lot of "attractions", and would it be nearly as popular if it was located far away from any major street/intersection like say east of LSD somewhere on the south side?). And anyway, to that point, I think the mixed use vision for Block 37 is ultimately the best for continuing a healthy streetscape in the Loop.

^^ I agree and hope this project can get back on its feet (soon hopefully)

Disney store planned for Block 37

Published on May 19, 2010 2:57 PM

By Wailin Wong | A Disney prototype store that will boast interactive features is slated to open at Block 37 in the fall, becoming the retail complex's first new lease since a court-appointed receiver assumed control of the property in late January...

...Disney executives were not immediately available to comment on the Block 37 deal. In a press release announcing the new store design last week, the company described the concept as "a unique destination developed from a child's perspective" that "integrates the latest technology to create an enhanced shopping experience." One feature of the stores is a "Disney Princess" castle, where a child can wave a magic wand in front of a mirror inside to summon a Disney princess....

...CB Richard Ellis said the Block 37 location will total 4,464 square feet and anchor the mall's southeast corner on Level 1...

http://www.chicagobreakingbusiness.com/2010/05/disney-store-planned-for-block-37.html

I have to say, I was overall very fond of the Block 37 building...though I am a bit bias towards Puma and having them in there made me like the building a bit more. Obviously it just opened, so it is too soon to have any serious opinions on the place until it begins to really fill in, but I think the connection to the Red and Blue lines is going to have some good impact on the building.

Another Disney store, even a high-tech concept, isn't exactly what I was hoping for. But if it helps attract more people to this area, and helps fill up the eerily empty Block 37, I'll take it.

Another Disney store, even a high-tech concept, isn't exactly what I was hoping for. But if it helps attract more people to this area, and helps fill up the eerily empty Block 37, I'll take it.

Couldn't have said it better. If Disney, who I'm sure has deep pocket is smart and can market this as a new type of flagship retail offering, there's always the possibility for it to be a big destination, commercial setting, ala the American Girl store at water tower. Potentially attracting not just suburbanites but out-of-towners as well, in addition to providing ancillary exposure to the rest of block 37.

cool Disney should be able to attract more people, and the more people that come to the area most likely more businesses will follow

They have definitely made some strides but I too question the long term viability of this project. They have lost some key tenants. (The loss of the movie theater was probably one of the bigger setbacks)

Here's hoping they can salvage the project and that the existing stores stay profitable.

*B of A is trying to sell the loan now: See the article from Crains (http://www.chicagorealestatedaily.com/article/20101012/CRED03/101019981/b-of-a-looks-to-sell-block-37-loan)
*Ranks as one of my top 3 development disappointments (http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/the-condoist/2010/10/block-37-2-on-our-list-of-disappointing-developments.html#more) in recent Chicago history

They have definitely made some strides but I too question the long term viability of this project. They have lost some key tenants. (The loss of the movie theater was probably one of the bigger setbacks)

Here's hoping they can salvage the project and that the existing stores stay profitable.

*B of A is trying to sell the loan now: See the article from Crains (http://www.chicagorealestatedaily.com/article/20101012/CRED03/101019981/b-of-a-looks-to-sell-block-37-loan)
*Ranks as one of my top 3 development disappointments (http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/the-condoist/2010/10/block-37-2-on-our-list-of-disappointing-developments.html#more) in recent Chicago history


what other projects were dissapointing?
nice article.

I strongly advocate for Block 37 being part of a larger Daley Plaza...unless the current development is so successful that it obviates the 'need' for a casino (and we see how that is going).

I have studied planning, and in particular Chicago planning, for a while, and my feeling has always been that Block 37, regardless of what was there, was always intended to be part of a larger plaza. Here's why I say that:

1) City hall and Marshall Fields would face each other across an open plaza, both having been built immediately before and after publication of the Chicago Plan, and both with facades of similar height, scale, and massing.
2) on this same plaza would face the Chicago Temple.
3) across the plaza are several theatres, including the Chicago and Goodman theaters.
(I mention these because the authors and sponsors of the Chicago Plan of 1909 were well aware of the great plazas of Europe, and very much wanted the same for Chicago)
4) the Reliant building, designed by, you guessed it, Daniel Burnham, has it's main face towards Block 37 and NOT state Street. Yes it was built 10 years prior to the Plan's publication, but I have to wonder if he was already thinking about the plaza concept even then.

5) Finally: Block 37 sat vacant with an 8-foot solid plywood fence around it for 16 years. There are a handful of surface lots in the Chicago Loop, and NOT ONE has this same situation. I strongly suspect the Mayor and/or developers saw what I saw, and feared that if the fence came down the public would see it too and demand it remain open space. Keep in mind they demolished a perfectly servicable historic building to develop this block. Pulling the fences down would've only emphasized this fact.

So I stand by my conviction that Block 37 was meant to be part of Daley Plaza, the Mayor and/or developers knew it, and that the project will forever lurch from failure to failure until this fact is accepted.

FTM, they could build the CTA superstation under the plaza, and create a new surface access in a glass box attached to the ComEd building. Refresh the mural and make that structure at least a little more useful!

So I stand by my conviction that Block 37 was meant to be part of Daley Plaza, the Mayor and/or developers knew it, and that the project will forever lurch from failure to failure until this fact is accepted.


^ I had you until this paragraph.

So it's written in stone that 108 N State St absolutely will be a failure because it was meant to be a plaza by some planners 100 years ago?

Thanks for declaring that, but I beg to differ..

^ I had you until this paragraph.

So it's written in stone that 108 N State St absolutely will be a failure because it was meant to be a plaza by some planners 100 years ago?

Thanks for declaring that, but I beg to differ..

I agree with your above statement.

Anyways I am an optimist. So many people are sheep.
I know thats trite to say but so true sometimes.
For how many years everyone is saying Real estate good
Real estate good Real estate good.

Now its all Real estate bad, Real estate bad, Real estate bad.
Everything is going to be okay.
Block 37 is cool. Ive been there, its a little weird,
but nicely done and a cool place to hang out
when its cold and I cant wait until the
new lettuce entertain you restaurant gets there

And were they supposed to have a movie theatre
there? That would be really cool.

Um, no, Elliot. America needs more city, not more useless open space.
1) City Hall and Field's have similar massing because of their programs. Plenty of other non-office buildings built around that time (the Field's warehouse?) have a similar scale.
2) The Chicago Temple was placed to be near City Hall.
3) The theatres were built along Randolph... to face *the other theatres* on Block 37, not a park. Burnham wanted a civic plaza all right -- but over on Halsted, where we built an interchange instead!
4) The Reliance Building's office entrance was on Washington because the retail entrance was on State.
5) Block 37 sat with the fence and scaffolding because construction was always supposed to be imminent. No conspiracy here.
6) There's plenty of open space all around. The developer kicked in a lot of money for the CTA station; however would the city (even with the Central Loop TIF) pay on its own for Millennium Park, the super station, and your proposed Gargantuan Pigeon Habitat?

Um, no, Elliot. America needs more city, not more useless open space.
1) City Hall and Field's have similar massing because of their programs. Plenty of other non-office buildings built around that time (the Field's warehouse?) have a similar scale.
2) The Chicago Temple was placed to be near City Hall.
3) The theatres were built along Randolph... to face *the other theatres* on Block 37, not a park. Burnham wanted a civic plaza all right -- but over on Halsted, where we built an interchange instead!
4) The Reliance Building's office entrance was on Washington because the retail entrance was on State.
5) Block 37 sat with the fence and scaffolding because construction was always supposed to be imminent. No conspiracy here.
6) There's plenty of open space all around. The developer kicked in a lot of money for the CTA station; however would the city (even with the Central Loop TIF) pay on its own for Millennium Park, the super station, and your proposed Gargantuan Pigeon Habitat?

1) I reject the notion that space would be 'useless'. It would serve as the central assembly point in Chicago. Rallies, protests, parades, festivals, would all take place or begin/end there.

2) Yes, but why? It could've easily been built elsewhere within that vicinity, but instead they chose right on the plaza. Bear in mind the planners and sponsors of the Chicago Plan were well aware of the great squares of Europe.

3) I am well aware of Burnham's original intentions, and just how grandiose they were. Still, I have to think he saw what was going on in front of the Reliant building and considered the possibilities of Block 37 as well.

4) Actually, there is a front door on State Street. But I concede the point. It is probably more likely that the idea for the plaza came well after the building was built (I'm guessing the Chicago Temple was when it came to mind).

5) Not buying it. There have been 'construction coming' sites throughout chicago (and elsewhere), that sat for years, and they only had chain link fencing or less. Hell, in St. Louis we have a site like that in front of Busch Stadium, and it is barely fenced in! Block 37, for all the 'imminent' construction, had a finished surface (concrete if I recall); I know this from the several festivals I attended on the site. No, you don't put up an 8-foot high solid plywood fence around a lot in the very center of downtown chicago for 16 years just because construction is 'imminent'.

6) Whether the City would pay for it is not the issue. Neither are pidgeons: Venice anyone? In fact, the City could borrow from Milleneum park and let corporate interests create the new plaza in exchange for naming rights.

And to another point:

"So it's written in stone that 108 N State St absolutely will be a failure because it was meant to be a plaza by some planners 100 years ago? "

--No. It's written in stone because the combination of uses around the block dictate that a plaza be built instead of a building. As I have said before if it succeeded, and in particular to the point that the City never built a casino I would be fine with it. But as I see it the characteristics of the site and it's neighbors fundamentally call for a plaza.