...continued from the old thread.

A link to the previous thread:

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=327647

Noticed 2 cranes on the 1600 MP site today.

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This and the Jazz Showcase closing is very sad news.

Bringing it back to vibrating pile drivers, do these things still use some degree of hammering impact? The piles going in for Burnham Pointe aren't making near as much nise as the ones for 900 S. Clark. They seem to almost slide into the ground, but they still give them a few powered whacks on the way down. Or does that just mean the ground is really loose in the spots they've done so far?

http://www.nearwestgazette.com/Archive/0107/newsstory0107e.htm

Courthouse goes condo

By Marie Balice Ward

The vacant building at 1340 S. Michigan Ave., which was erected in 1922 as a furniture company and served most recently as the Cook County Domestic Violence Court before the court moved to 555 W. Harrison St. in 2005, soon will experience yet another of several metamorphoses when it is converted to condominiums.

The classic revival building’s white terra cotta façade “will be preserved,” vowed Sebastian Sobieski, an agent with Realty Group, which has teamed with Concept Developers on the project.

The façade boasts non-structural terra cotta columns topped by elaborate capitals that rise on either side of recessed windows. The building’s ornate cornice also is in the classic revival style, and the roof offers impressive panoramic views.

“We plan to renovate the building’s façade and create loft style condominiums, possibly with overhanging balconies on the sides of the building,” Sobieski said. “We anticipate there will be 55-plus units that will be from 1,000 to 1,300 square feet in size. There might also be terraces on the building’s third floor.”

Sobieski’s group is “working with architects to develop a design and floor plans,” he said. Renovations may add “a couple of stories for penthouse units without interfering with the façade.”

Project architects Hartshorne + Plunkard, based in Chicago, specialize in adaptive reuse, historical preservation, and planning for single- and multi-unit residential properties.

The lofts will have 12 foot ceilings, open brick walls, and exposed electrical and ventilation systems. Sobieski suggested the building will appeal to young professionals who have lived in the area more than five years and are ready for a change of scenery.

Work is expected to begin in early 2007. The sales office currently at 1326 S. Michigan Ave. will move to accommodate construction of a second, adjacent project at 1330 S. Michigan Ave., Concept Developers’ and Realty Group’s Azure Towers. A new 18-story glass-enclosed highrise, Azure Towers will offer luxury amenities such as state of the art safety systems, a landscaped roof, a residents-only fitness center, and an entertainment room with direct access to the rooftop park.

I may be crazy, but i haven't heard any talk about this project. This article says they already broke ground in november. This project reminds us how many architectural styles there are to learn from and adapt beyond the typical glassy skyscraper we see so much of these days.

http://www.nearwestgazette.com/Archive/0107/newsstory0107c.htm
Chinese-themed hotel, condo complex planned

By Lisa R. Jenkins

http://www.nearwestgazette.com/image/0107/newsstc.jpg

Developers Peter Siu and See Y. Wong of Wabash Properties recently unveiled plans for Chicago’s first-ever Chinese themed hotel and condominium complex. The Imperial Court Plaza Hotel will go up on the site of a vacant lot at 2150 S. Clark St. in Chinatown. The 15-story hotel will provide 20,000 square feet of retail space and more than 150 hotel rooms and executive suites.

“The Imperial Court will be unique, in that each part of the hotel will reflect a particular period in Chinese culture,” Wong said.

Designs for the top three or four floors will be inspired by the Tang dynasty (618-781 A.D.), with the middle floors devoted to the Sung dynasty (960-1279 A.D.) and the bottom floors to the Ming Dynasty (1368 to 1644). All artwork and furniture will be custom made in China.

“Chinatown is in major need of a hotel," Wong said. "And with its location so close to McCormick Place, I expect lots of conventioneers from Hong Kong, China, and Japan to stay at the Imperial Court Plaza Hotel.”

Construction will begin this summer or fall, and Wong said the result will have “a five-star hotel feel” with “reasonable” four-star prices.

Wong started his real estate career in 1987 and in 1988 founded Richland Realty, for which he currently serves as president and managing broker. Richland predominantly serves Chinatown, Bridgeport, and McKinley Park.

Wong specializes in land acquisition, planning, and marketing and has developed numerous successful residential projects. He also is CEO of Richland Mortgage Co., which offers custom financial solutions for residential and commercial real estate. The company operates eight Chicago-area branches, is licensed in six states, and lent upward of $300 million.

Wong’s community activities include serving as vice-chairman of the Hong Kong Club of Chicago in the early 1990s. He also founded the Young China Club, a non-profit organization dedicated to facilitating networking between young professionals and entrepreneurs in various industries.

He received former Illinois Governor George Ryan’s Award for Leadership in Business and Economic Development for connecting the Illinois and Hong Kong communities. Wong also co-founded the American Metro Bank, where he served as chairman from 1997 to 1999; he currently serves on its executive board. Wong also is a managing partner of the Hotel De Supreme in Dong Guan, China.

Although Chicago's Chinatown has a long history, the Imperial Court Plaza Hotel will be a first for the community.

The first Chinese immigrants arrived in Chicago in the 1870s after other Chinese had settled in California, Oregon, and Washington. T C. Moy arrived in 1878 and is considered the city’s first Chinese immigrant. After determining Chicagoans were more accepting of the Chinese than people on the Pacific Coast, he settled here and urged his family and friends still living in China to join him. Soon, more than 80 fellow Chinese had relocated to America.

The largest influx of Chinese came in the 1950s and 1960s, after Communists took over mainland China in 1948.

http://www.nearwestgazette.com/image/0107/newsstc2.jpg

This is great news. I hadn't realized that the developers of Azure had aquired the courthouse. 14th Street will be hopping in the next year or so with MP1400, Michigan Avenue Tower 2, the 2 projects on Wabash and Reebe Lofts on State.

Anyone know the history of this buidling prior to the County Courthouse?
These are some poor shots but it give a sence of the building
http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l221/Mansmith_2006/DSCN2263.jpg
http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l221/Mansmith_2006/DSCN2259.jpg

^It was originally the Interior Furniture Company building. Preservation Chicago has some info on their website:

http://www.preservationchicago.org/chicago7/2006/circuitcourt.html

You can also download a .pdf that has even more info.

http://www.midwestconstructionmag.com/news/building/default.asp

24-Story Apartment Planned for South Loop

Chicago-based Amli Residential has broke ground on a 24-story apartment tower with 440 rental residences at 900 S. Clark St. in Chicago's South Loop. Project costs were not released.

Located on 2.2-acres at Clark Street and Roosevelt Road, the tower is part of the 22-acre LaSalle Park, a master-planned, mixed-use community combining Amli's rental property, condominiums, 420,000 sq. ft. of retail developed by Centrum Properties, a Target store and a new public park.

The tower was designed using glass, aluminum, poured concrete and stucco.

Exterior color will be used to highlight some building elements.

Plans call for a mix of studio, convertible, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, with a combination of soft-loft finishes and traditional styles. Most apartments will feature balconies. Rental rates, not yet finalized, are expected to range from $1,300 for studios to $2,400 for three-bedrooms.

The residential mix is designed to appeal to young professionals, graduate students, downtown workers and staff at the nearby Illinois Medical District, including those renting with roommates. Property amenities include a parking garage, a large fitness center, internet café, rooftop party room, four seasons room and outdoor roof deck.

Chicago-based Solomon, Cordwell, Buenz and Associates is the architect.

I got confirmation this afternoon that East-West University has purchased the Wabash side of the Park 1000 PD. However, the person I talked with didn't know the details, so I'm not clear exactly how the property will be divided up or how that restructures the PD. East-West doesn't really know their plans yet. I was rather surprised that East-West had that kind of money--and thought that was the best use of it.

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http://www.globest.com/news/821_821/chicago/152087-1.html

Columbia Lease Opens Door to Another Build
By Robert Carr

Columbia College, founded in 1890 as a communications school for women, has purchased many historic properties in the South Loop, and now looks to expand its properties with leases and new buildings. While the student population is at 11,000 and growing, the college plans to build a new media production center and 14-story multifamily center, as well as recently taking three floors in the 218 S. Wabash office building.

The college signed a 10-year lease for 34,000 sf in the building, north of the core campus that includes 11 buildings along Michigan and Wabash, from Congress to Roosevelt. The college will put ancillary services, such as administrative workers, on floors seven through nine.

“We have to maximize the space for the college main campus,” a college spokeswoman tells GlobeSt.com. “The main thing we’re supposed to be doing is teaching students. Because we continue to grow, we continue to need more classroom space.”

The college has also generated a little negative press recently, with the announcement that it is forcing blues king Buddy Guy to shut his nightclub Legends. The college owns the building, and has been trying to move out Guy from the two-story building on Eighth and Wabash that he’s occupied since 1989. The college plans a 14-story dorm on the site.

“The land was donated to us in 1999, and they were grandfathered into the lease,” the spokeswoman says. “At the time we made it clear that we were razing the building. At that time Buddy said he had no place to go, so we signed another two-year lease that expires May 31. We’re trying to be flexible.”

Also, the college recently selected four architecture firms to interview for a design commission for the college’s proposed 42,000-sf media production center. The building will be built at the southwest corner of 16th Street and State on a vacant lot currently owned by the city of Chicago. The design will preserve a 25-foot arch from the facade of the current building at 1327 S. Wabash that bears the inscription “Famous Players Lasky Corp.,” the parent company of Paramount Pictures.

US Equities represented Columbia in the recent lease. The spokeswoman says she could not reveal the lease rate, and most brokers don’t keep data on the South Loop. The building owner will be providing rehab and build-out for the space. She also did not say how much the college is spending in its expansion plans, though she said it will be a multimillion project.

[QUOTE=spyguy;11278720]http://www.globest.com/news/821_821/chicago/152087-1.html

Columbia Lease Opens Door to Another Build
By Robert Carr


Also, the college recently selected four architecture firms to interview for a design commission for the college’s proposed 42,000-sf media production center. The building will be built at the southwest corner of 16th Street and State on a vacant lot currently owned by the city of Chicago. The design will preserve a 25-foot arch from the facade of the current building at 1327 S. Wabash that bears the inscription “Famous Players Lasky Corp.,” the parent company of Paramount Pictures.
[QUOTE]

^^ Well I like being proven wrong on this one. I couldn't believe that the rescued facade of the Laskey Film Editing building would ever see the light of day. This along with the saved county court house building are two good examples of preservation at work in the South Loop. I met the owner of the building as he was moving out and he told me that this block of South Wabash use to be rich with Film editing and Movie reproduction houses - His family had bought the building from Laskey in the 50s. So it's very cool that the Columbia Communication School had the appreciation to include this in their building design.

http://www.globest.com/news/821_821/chicago/152087-1.html

The college has also generated a little negative press recently, with the announcement that it is forcing blues king Buddy Guy to shut his nightclub Legends. The college owns the building, and has been trying to move out Guy from the two-story building on Eighth and Wabash that he’s occupied since 1989. The college plans a 14-story dorm on the site.



Wow... a 14-story dorm? I thiought they were going to knock it down and use it as a surface lot for many years before buildign a campus center there. Maybe the demand for housing was just too much. Great news!

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I think the GlobeSt story is wrong. Columbia's Master Plan calls for a Campus Center at 8th and Wabash. As part of the planning, Valerio Dewalt Train did a diagram showing what various floors would be used for, and I've even seen a rendering they did of a very avant-garde building--though no architect has been chosen.

In addition to the Dwight Building project, remember that the Buckingham Building is under conversion to student residences. Alicia Berg has told me that they have developers approach them all the time about building student housing.

What (if anything) is being planned for the parking lot south of the University Center, just west of the former Dexter Building, between Harrison and Balbo?

I'm looking forward to the day when State is one continuous streetwall from Chicago Ave. to Polk.

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I believe that there is an error in this story. I sent an email to Alicia Berg at Columbia seeking clarification. It seems possible that, given the recent demand for housing, that they changed the program from Student Center to Dorm, but I doubt it.

I think that the missing piece of info is an address on South Clark where a student housing project was recently announced. Do you remember that PRB? It's in your neck of the woods and I think I remember you commenting on it.

Like Mr. Downtown said, the Dwight building on S. Clark (620?) is expected to be student housing. The building to the South of the Dwight Building, Pat's Pizza, is proposed to be demolished and a second building for student housing constructed.

Mr. Downtown is also reminding us that the Buckingham Building (south side of Van Buren between Michigan and Wabash) is currently being renovated for student housing.

A good chunk of the Northern end of the parcel is owned by the YMCA of the USA. They purchased it for a future headquarters. They are currently leasing at 101 North Wacker.

I don't know who owns the rest of the block. Perhaps Mr. Downtown does.

A few months ago the YMCA announced that they were not planning to build on the property anytime soon.

It is the same owner (July 12, 2006)
NATIONAL COUNCIL YOUNG MENS CHRISTIAN ASSN USA
according to the Recorders Office. Although a claim lien was put on the property from the Dept of Water Management in October.

Only the top 240' or so of the approximate 400' long parcel was conveyed to the YMCA. The bottom 160' is still held by the original trust - I believe it is the Allright Corp, a parking lot company (they also sold the parking lots at the SWC of Clark/Polk to Lennar).

FYI - zoning is DX-12.

A while ago I think I mentioned something about Eastgate Village. Well anyway, there are supposed to be two towers, one at Prairie & 26th (14 floors) and the other at MLK & 26th (17 floors)
http://img452.imageshack.us/img452/298/eastgsitepee9.jpg
http://img392.imageshack.us/img392/8646/eastg1jq8.jpg
Another view of the larger building
http://img392.imageshack.us/img392/240/eastg2pe9.jpg

Not really exciting design-wise, but I'll take a couple extra highrises.

Great find, Spyguy.

I don't mind the rather lousy architecture either, as long as we get some density packed into that area.

It would be nice to see some retail injected into one of those streets, other than just Cermak

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YMCA-USA plans to build a small office building there. The city gave them a TIF bribe to stay in Chicago, but that was a couple years ago.

Jones HS and Columbia both desperately need fitness facilities, which would seem to fit well with a YMCA building, but YMCA had no interest in such a facility. In addition, CTA could use an offstreet elevator/escalator entrance to Harrison Red Line station. Last I heard the city had signalled that they want "some kind of public benefit" as part of the project, YMCA had a new president, and nothing was really very far along in terms of program or design.

The story I hear on 901-1001 S. State is that the city paid more for the condemnations than planned and is trying to renegotiate the redevelopment deal with Northern Realty.

PRB,

Before you put your tax plat back under the couch, would you please look something up for me?

Who are the current owners of the 2 parcels on the East side of, roughly, 901-1001 South State? It used to be Filmar Inc. and Lasalle Trust. The City made a move on them, but its all messed up with lawsuits now. This is the property with the (now closed) flophouse and the surface lot on the South East corner of 9th and State.

I don't see any recent activity on those lots... I still see them owned by Filmar and trusts.

,,

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http://www.globest.com/news/825_825/chicago/152228-1.html

Russland Gets $66M Loan for Condo Tower
By Robert Carr

Russland Capital Group Inc. has closed on its loan for $66.5 million for its new Michigan Avenue Tower II Condominiums, a 267-unit property going up at 1400 South Michigan Ave. Russland, a partnership of developers Jacob Bletnitsky and Alex Vaisman, says the tower is 83% sold.

The tower is modeled on its predecessor, Michigan Avenue Tower Condominiums, which is one block north and was also developed by Russland. The new Tower II will contain 28 floors of condos, with between seven and 12 units per floor, with four penthouse units. Amenities will include a landscaped deck area with an outdoor swimming pool and a garden that will cover the south portion of the parking garage, with an included dog run.

The loan was arranged by Fremont Investment and Loan, which also handled the loan for the first tower. Scott Manlin, vice president and regional manager of Fairmont’s Chicago office, says the development should do fine, though some say high-end condos are struggling in a slight slump.

“It’s all still about location,” Manlin tells GlobeSt.com. “If a project is well conceived and is in a good location, it will do fine. The markets differ, but Michigan Avenue, the Gold Coast and Streeterville still remain strong, and demand exists.”

Jones HS and Columbia both desperately need fitness facilities, which would seem to fit well with a YMCA building, but YMCA had no interest in such a facility. In addition, CTA could use an offstreet elevator/escalator entrance to Harrison Red Line station. Last I heard the city had signalled that they want "some kind of public benefit" as part of the project, YMCA had a new president, and nothing was really very far along in terms of program or design.

Wouldn't a fitness facility at State and Polk, in theory, fit the bill perfectly? I'm not sure who owns that lot.

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Ah. So the city is already one step ahead of me. Excellent! One less parking lot.

Correcting Loopy's timeline: The PBC began planning expansion of Jones--including a gym--in the late 90s. About four years ago, the YMCA did a phone survey about neighborhood interest in a fitness facility, something comparable to the New City Y. Either as a result of that survey, or because YMCA-USA was working independently of YMCA-Metro Chicago, or because YMCA is shifting priorities (closing Duncan, etc.), when the city announced the project it was a mere office building.

I heard a rumor that the facilities at Jones would include a poolhouse and the gym/poolhouse would be open to the public at times. Anyone else hear this rumor?

I'm sure they said that at the meeting where the design was shown. But that was, what, eight years ago? In 1984, they said South Loop School's gym would be open to the public, too.

Tower crane is going up this morning at 900 S. Clark.

http://www.globest.com/news/832_832/chicago/152501-1.html

Inverbrass Funds Buys 100,000-SF Building
By Gina Kenny
(To read more on the multifamily market, click here.)
CHICAGO-The Inverbrass Funds LLC has purchased a 105,000-sf building and an adjacent parking lot for approximately $10 million with the intent of renovating the building into work/live units. Inverbrass Funds, based in Chicago, purchased the building at 619 S. LaSalle St. in Chicago’s Printers Row neighborhood from “a local partnership,” says John Slivka, senior associate for CB Richard Ellis.

Slivka and Marcello Campanini, also with CB Richard Ellis, represented the seller in the transaction. The asking price for the property was $7.2 million. Slivka tells GlobeSt.com that it was “more of a business decision” as to why the local partnership was selling the property. “There was a tenant that left a significant vacancy that allowed the ownership to work on repositioning it via capital improvements,” he says.

Tabin Corp. purchased the building in 2001. Slivka would not confirm that Tabin was the seller of the property. However, Ayman Khalil, principal with Inverbrass Funds, did confirm Tabin was the seller.

Inverbrass Funds purchased the building with the intent of converting it to work/live lofts because of its location, Khalil tells GlobeSt.com. “It was one of the few remaining actual printing press type of buildings in the South Loop,” he says. There are currently only a few tenants with the “two major tenants” being a printer and a publisher, Khalil says. “Frankly speaking, I do not think they will be staying,” Khalil says. The two tenants are paying “historic rates that were [between] $8 per sf to $9 per sf,” he says. “Even if I was not planning on doing any upgrades, any renting fees would basically price them out of that area,” he says.

Geo. Lauterer Corp., which sells fraternal regalia, church usher supplies and corporate awards, is the only tenant that has a long-term lease, Khalil says. The business occupies approximately 10,000 sf and has about five years remaining on their lease, he says. “They told us that they want to stay and we are happy to accommodate them,” he says.

Inverbrass Funds plans on initially converting “at least half” of the space into work/live rental units, Khalil says. A significant portion of the building will be renovated into units that are between 1,000 sf and 1,500 sf with private baths, kitchenettes and individual heating and air conditioning, he says. “We plan to focus on hardwood floors, timber beams, exposed duct work and track lighting,” he says. The lease rate for the units will be about $1,500 per month for the 1,000-sf units and about $2,000 per month for the 1,500-sf units, he says.

Khalil tells GlobeSt.com he hopes to have the renovations start in about six months. “We are developing plans and permits now,” he says. The renovations should be completed in the beginning of 2008, he says.


Copyright © 2007 ALM Properties, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.
For reprint information call 410-571-5893 or e-mail afaulkner@remedianetwork.com.

^^ Took me a while to place this one. This has a Schwinn bycycle shop on the first floor. I am surprised that this thing wasn't converted along time ago.
http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l221/Mansmith_2006/619SLaSalle.jpg

I wonder if they plan on doing anything with the adjacent parking lot that they purchased....

^^ I recall that there was some talk about a University Dorm being put on the parking garage site on Clark. Anyone else remember that?

The building sold is actually the building to the South of the building that fronts Harrison (its not clear on the picture which building is identified). I think the Schwinn shop is actually in the building on Harrison (a beautiful building that I have also wondered how it is office). I can't remember what the building looks like but it must be semi-crappy to sell for $71 a SF (records show the building itself was sold in November for $7.45M). Plus it has no windows on the North or most of the East side so converting to condos/apartments/dorms was probably not really an option. The $10M must include the parking lot.

The buildings to be converted to dorms are actually planned on Clark Street (The Dwight building and Pat's pizza to the south). They are right behind the sold parking lot.

This stretch of LaSalle Street is undesirable in my opinion. It is dark and the trains run across the street. It has an "alley" feel to it. After they complete Vetro, it will probably be very dark at this building.

The building sold is actually the building to the South of the building that fronts Harrison (its not clear on the picture which building is identified). I think the Schwinn shop is actually in the building on Harrison (a beautiful building that I have also wondered how it is office). I can't remember what the building looks like but it must be semi-crappy to sell for $71 a SF (records show the building itself was sold in November for $7.45M). Plus it has no windows on the North or most of the East side so converting to condos/apartments/dorms was probably not really an option. The $10M must include the parking lot.

The buildings to be converted to dorms are actually planned on Clark Street (The Dwight building and Pat's pizza to the south). They are right behind the sold parking lot.

This stretch of LaSalle Street is undesirable in my opinion. It is dark and the trains run across the street. It has an "alley" feel to it. After they complete Vetro, it will probably be very dark at this building.

I think you're right....I just walked by the Schwinn shop building and the address there is 601 South LaSalle.

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http://www.cpnonline.com/cpn/regions/chicago_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003540883

Burnham Pointe Condos Under Way in Chicago's South Loop

February 01, 2007
By Dees Stribling, Midwest Correspondent

The market for condos in downtown Chicago might be slow, but it hasn’t ground to a halt. Construction financing for the Residences at Burnham Pointe, a project that recently broke ground in the Printer’s Row district of the South Loop, was finalized this week to the tune of $83.5 million.

Chicago-based Corus Bank is the lender. The project, a 29-story building (pictured) that will ultimately include nearly 300 residential units along with about 16,000 square feet of retail space, is being developed by locally based Terrapin Properties.

“The market for condos is still strong if they’re in the right place at the right price points,” Jake Geleerd, managing member of Terrapin Properties, told CPN this afternoon. “There’s been tremendous growth in Printer’s Row over the last 18 months for just that reason.”

Condos in the Residences at Burnham Pointe start at the mid-$300s, according to Geleerd, with various configurations (studio to penthouse) available. “We’re close to the Loop, and comparable in design and amenities to, say, the projects near North Michigan Avenue, but less expensive,” he said.

Currently, he added, nearly half of the units have been sold. No leases have been signed for the project's retail space, but Geleerd noted that Terrapin is in discussions with a number of national retailers.

Just as reminder:
http://www.terrapingroup.com/properties/i/props/burnham4_lg.jpg

H-piles have been driven into the ground for a few weeks now. I can't wait until this building gets to be about 120' tall... enough to block Ziv's view.

I am glad to finally see some action going on at Burnham Pointe... I bought a unit there last summer, and look forward to my new home.
I find it interesting that Terrapin's spokesperson (Jake Gerleerd) said a few inaccuracies. There are no studios in the building, and units can be had in the mid 200's. Although the reporter could very easily have not gotten it right.

Keep getting these in the mail
http://img526.imageshack.us/img526/7730/pied0553tg6.jpg
http://img526.imageshack.us/img526/3516/pied0282nm8.jpg

Keep getting these in the mail
http://img526.imageshack.us/img526/7730/pied0553tg6.jpg
http://img526.imageshack.us/img526/3516/pied0282nm8.jpg

Spyguy, what building is that?

Also, for about the past month, I've noticed a sign from the Chicago Park District in the small parking lot directly south of the Transportation Building (600 South Dearborn). Does anyone know what exactly the plans are for this small "park" that is to be built?

The plans for Printers Row Park call for the two small roadways around the fountain square to be closed, and for the new park to have a mixture of hardscape and landscaping. Most of the landscaping is slightly elevated in hopes it won't just become a dog run.

I tried to convince my neighbors that the park should have a small concessionaire at the south end who would "supervise" the park's use in an informal way, to keep it from becoming solely a resting place for the homeless. But they could only envision a typical hot dog trailer rather than a coffee kiosk or newsstand or wine bar, and voted against it in the Park District's public meeting last July.

Last fall I worked with the designers at Site Design to try to give the park a subtle theme based on it being Printers Row. We were trying to design some of the bench elements as if they were oversized pieces of printers' movable type/type matrices.

The site is dark so much of the day and year that I was a little sorry to see the city insist on expanding the park there. I would much prefer to see a nice urban plaza, properly fronted by surrounding buildings and with good sun exposure, on the parking lot across from the Transportation Building.

[QUOTE=Sir Isaac Newton;11660149]Spyguy, what building is that?[QUOTE]

I believe that is Glashauss on just north of 14th and Wabash

The plans for Printers Row Park call for the two small roadways around the fountain square to be closed, and for the new park to have a mixture of hardscape and landscaping. Most of the landscaping is slightly elevated in hopes it won't just become a dog run.

I tried to convince my neighbors that the park should have a small concessionaire at the south end who would "supervise" the park's use in an informal way, to keep it from becoming solely a resting place for the homeless. But they could only envision a typical hot dog trailer rather than a coffee kiosk or newsstand or wine bar, and voted against it in the Park District's public meeting last July.

Last fall I worked with the designers at Site Design to try to give the park a subtle theme based on it being Printers Row. We were trying to design some of the bench elements as if they were oversized pieces of printers' movable type/type matrices.

The site is dark so much of the day and year that I was a little sorry to see the city insist on expanding the park there. I would much prefer to see a nice urban plaza, properly fronted by surrounding buildings and with good sun exposure, on the parking lot across from the Transportation Building.

Thanks for the info! Has the plan been approved? Will there be a hot dog trailer on the grounds? Do you have any idea when they might start/finish?

Last I heard the plans were going to the Park District for review before being sent out for bid. No concessionaire. Probably a spring start if everything went well with bidding.

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And another one
http://img472.imageshack.us/img472/6586/glashaus3bk7.jpg

http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/1885/glas1ac3.jpg
http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/503/glas3py6.jpg
http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/9576/glas2mt9.jpg
http://img264.imageshack.us/img264/5599/glas4cq4.jpg
http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/8729/glas6bw7.jpg
http://img264.imageshack.us/img264/2515/glas5ro9.jpg
http://img264.imageshack.us/img264/6361/glashausrtlwq8.jpg

[QUOTE=Sir Isaac Newton;11660149]Spyguy, what building is that?[QUOTE]

I believe that is Glashauss on just north of 14th and Wabash

Glashaus has started pretty heavily advertising. I heard ads for them on the Drive morning show the last couple days, first time I can remember hearing ads for a downtown condo development there, and drivetime ads are not cheap.

^^ Yeah I got an email Ad this morning - February 11th is their "Grand Opening"

- edit

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Yeah, especially the original timeframe for completion.

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Falor seems shocked to learn that Nicky Hilton was not an experienced interior designer; when this was the thing that most of us found interesting about the story to begin with.

seems shocked? Maybe Falor is not an experienced developer some people thought.

Interesting timing though, especially right after that video of her and Paris making some pretty nasty remarks surfaced. Oh will they ever learn?

^ So are you reading this to say that the deal is over with, or it's still happening but in a nastier and more litigious tone? Falor seems to be on one end or another of a lawsuit in just about everything he's involved in.

Tower crane is up at 900 S. Clark, and piledriving proceeds apace at Burnham Pointe, boy does it ever.

^ I really hope that Peter Ziv is getting an earful every morning from that

:lol: :lol: :nuts: :lol: :lol:

Finally, I saw a rig on site. I had thought this one was in a holding pattern. Looks like they were pounding steel rather than drilling caisons.


Additional good news for 14th and Michigan.
Also I heard from some guys at the Firehouse restraunt the the National Letter Carriers Association bulding has sold for 9 million. Anyone see anything? The site can support a huge building.

Finally, I saw a rig on site. I had thought this one was in a holding pattern. Looks like they were pounding steel rather than drilling caisons.


Additional good news for 14th and Michigan.
Also I heard from some guys at the Firehouse restraunt the the National Letter Carriers Association bulding has sold for 9 million. Anyone see anything? The site can support a huge building.

Where exactly is the National Letter Carriers Association building located?

1411 S Michigan I believe. It would be nice if that 80's garbage was demolished.

^^ National Letter Carriers Association building is just south of the Firehouse restaurant on the East side of the street. It's a one story biege 80s style building - easily missed.

- edit

^Shoot! Her design presentation boards were so pretty too. :sleepy:

Tsk tsk....Nicky Out of both projects. She should've developed her skills in the Hilton hotel business before striking out on her own.

Just something interesting that I saw today. I hope it's ok to post. I'm never sure with political stuff. :)


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Jane DeRonne
February 20, 2007 Phone: (312) 263-9273

FIORETTI UNVEILS PLAN FOR “GREENEST WARD”
Second Ward would lead city toward environmental sustainability

CHICAGO—Bob Fioretti, candidate for Alderman in the 2nd Ward, announced this week that when elected, he plans to hire an independent green building specialist to take part in all meetings with developers and guide them in planning.

The plan is meant to ensure that all new developments in the ward follow green building standards established by the US Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program. The green building professionals hired by the Alderman’s office will help educate developers about the long-term savings of green buildings and steer them through the unique challenges of building green. An opponent of closed-door deals with developers, Fioretti has pledged never to meet with developers without an independent voice present. His goal is to make the 2nd Ward the “greenest ward in the greenest city.”

In a further effort to encourage green building, Fioretti plans to offset the initial expense of building green by providing grants to cover expenses of LEED certification. He also said he would lobby for state and federal tax credits and property tax reductions for green buildings, similar to incentives available for historic structures. Fioretti added that developers already have the opportunity to take advantage of the City’s Green Permit Process, which expedites permits and waives developer service fees for eligible projects.

“Mayor Daley has taken great steps toward greening our city,” Fioretti said. “I will work with both developers and residents to ensure that the 2nd Ward leads the way toward an environmentally sustainable future.”

According to Alex Nikolich, a leading green building consultant at Henneman Engineering, located in Chicago’s 2nd Ward, Fioretti’s plan could greatly improve the quality of life for 2nd Ward residents. He cited occupant well-being, comfort, and long-term sustainability as common benefits of green building.

“With this plan, construction quality will be enhanced, utility bills will be lower, and quality of indoor air will be more stringently monitored,” Nikolich said. “In addition, less waste will be generated during the construction process and depletion of natural resources will be minimized.”

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http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/3278/burnhampointeot6.jpg

http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/3278/burnhampointeot6.jpg

Lovely..thanks Spyguy. Any chance of a larger rendering?

http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/5153/burnhampointe2pi5.jpg
Very grainy though.

^is it for 411 S Mich Ave? Looks nice.

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:drool:

Wow, that looks frickin amazing.

BTW, how is Burnham Pointe gonna address Folio Square? Is there gonna be an alley between the two buildings, or not?

Is there gonna be an alley between the two buildings

The existing 14-foot alley remains. That's really inadequate, and causes problems for the Dwight Building as well as this one. Unfortunately, the Polk Street Canyon group's antics made it hard to have serious discussions with Terrapin over an as-of-right project.

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The existing 14-foot alley remains. That's really inadequate, and causes problems for the Dwight Building as well as this one. Unfortunately, the Polk Street Canyon group's antics made it hard to have serious discussions with Terrapin over an as-of-right project.

Well, it's not quite as bad as it could be, compared to some of the other buildings going up in the area (Vetro and Printers Corner) that both have parking podiums going straight up from the alley along their entire length.

As far as I can tell, the tower section of Burnham Pointe is set back another 20-30 feet from the property line, and at Polk there's only a 2-story passage back to the parking podium coming up to the alley. Further north, by Com Ed, it becomes a 7-story podium. I assume service areas for the retail, trash and so forth are back along the 7-story portion, but I haven't seen actual plans. Mr. Downtown, have you ever seen more than a rendering of the final version of what they're putting up?

have you ever seen more than a rendering of the final version of what they're putting up?

Nothing for a couple of years. I think we talked with the architects about trying to widen the alley and how that worked in conjunction with their parking entrance/exit, but I've forgotten the details.

My concern about a 14-foot alley is not the views from alley windows--though I would think that would concern Terrapin. It's that the entire alley is blocked by a single vehicle. When the moving truck blocks the parking exit and starts blowing the air horn because the wholesale grocer's truck has the alley blocked, that quickly becomes a quality-of-life issue for the neighborhood. The Dwight Building has to have a loading dock across the Clark Street sidewalk because the alley is so narrow. That's a pedestrian safety and streetscape issue for the whole neighborhood.

And Loopy, I'm not sure how calling anyone a NIMBY contributes to the discussion.

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Crain's reports today that Terrapin has construction financing for Burnham Pointe, and that a joint venture of Equity Residential and Lincoln Property has construction financing for 1401 S. State St., which will be called City Lofts.

City lofts, of course, were what they tore down on that site . . .

Crain's reports today that Terrapin has construction financing for Burnham Pointe, and that a joint venture of Equity Residential and Lincoln Property has construction financing for 1401 S. State St., which will be called City Lofts.

City lofts, of course, were what they tore down on that site . . .

I thought that 1401 South State will be called Reebie Lofts?

I thought that 1401 South State will be called Reebie Lofts?

If that name was ever used, I suspect it was an informal working name. I doubt that Reebie Moving and Storage Co. wants to lend its name to a project it has no connection with. Reebie only bought (or leased) the building formerly on that site about 15 years ago, so it's not a well-known association like the landmark Egyptial Revival building on North Clark.

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As a heads-up, I opened a separate thread for X/O Condominiums (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=446357). Any additional discussion of that project can be directed there. Thanks.

^^ That's interesting indeed, loopy. We'll have to watch out for that possibility.

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http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/5153/burnhampointe2pi5.jpg
Very grainy though.

That will look real nice on that corner!

Looking south on State St is a beautiful site. I counted four (or five?) crane booms looming over State St the other day. :)

Looking south on State St is a beautiful site. I counted four (or five?) crane booms looming over State St the other day. :)
I agree, however I'm really looking forward to seeing the finished buildings even more! (esp. One Place, since our new place will be there:) )

I thought that 1401 South State will be called Reebie Lofts?

http://www.1401south.com/

I don't think this was ever posted. It is the retail portion of the redeveloped 1212 South Michigan building (across from the Columbian). It contains something like ~16,000 sq. ft. of retail and is designed by DeStefano.

http://img388.imageshack.us/img388/5541/1212smichiai0.jpg

It looks pretty cool in the rendering, but obviously it's not going to have Armani as a tenant. This will turn out really cool or a blunder, but it's certainly interesting to look at.

OH MY GOD. WTF? This is what we put at one of Grant Park's two corners, perhaps some of the most significant intersections in the city.

So, is the concept that almost the entire facade will be given over to corporate signage?

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OH MY GOD. WTF? This is what we put at one of Grant Park's two corners, perhaps some of the most significant intersections in the city.

So, is the concept that almost the entire facade will be given over to corporate signage?

^ Whats up with some of you people and corporate signage? As if giant blank concrete garage podiums are fine, but a big sign is civic vandalism.

I personally would love to see bilboards (including animated ones) placed on many of Chicago's uglier podiums, and I even started a thread about that a while back

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I have to side on the anything is better than what we have here. This is one, if not THE ugliest buildings in the South Loop. I will be very interested in any other renderings that are out there. I know the economics would be against this but I would celebrate if they tore this one down and started over.

OH MY GOD. WTF? This is what we put at one of Grant Park's two corners, perhaps some of the most significant intersections in the city.

So, is the concept that almost the entire facade will be given over to corporate signage?

Huh, thats strange....
I think it looks great, better than having a dead corner.
Brings life back to the sidewalk.

I don't think this was ever posted. It is the retail portion of the redeveloped 1212 South Michigan building (across from the Columbian). It contains something like ~16,000 sq. ft. of retail and is designed by DeStefano.

http://img388.imageshack.us/img388/5541/1212smichiai0.jpg

It looks pretty cool in the rendering, but obviously it's not going to have Armani as a tenant. This will turn out really cool or a blunder, but it's certainly interesting to look at.

^ I think you're confusing Armani Exchange and Armani. Armani Exchange is relatively cheap. No reason why they couldn't have a store there

By H. Lee Murphy
March 19, 2007
©2007 by Crain Communications Inc.

With the Carson Pirie Scott flagship on State Street now closed, owner Bon-Ton Stores Inc. is eyeing a replacement site on Roosevelt Road in the South Loop, along with other locations in the Chicago area.

Real estate sources say York, Pa.-based Bon-Ton, which bought Carson's last year for $1.1 billion, wants space at Roosevelt Collection, a shopping center on Roosevelt Road near Clark Street planned by Chicago-based Centrum Properties Inc.

Lisa Balis, senior vice-president of leasing and marketing at Centrum, says she's "not aware of a single conversation anybody here has had with Carson's so far. I don't believe we have room for them, anyway."

Real estate brokers who have talked to Carson's, however, say the company believes it can squeeze into Roosevelt Collection by designing a multilevel space. Failing that, it could consider an empty parcel across Roosevelt Road, the brokers say.

Bon-Ton also is negotiating for a new Carson's site at the Gurnee Mills shopping center in north suburban Gurnee. In Hammond, Ind., it's building a 100,000-square-foot Carson's to replace an older store.

A Bon-Ton spokeswoman won't discuss specific sites, but says: "We are interested in growing Carson Pirie Scott. That name is our biggest contributor to sales, and Chicago is the biggest market we operate in."

Carson's has become Bon-Ton's top-performing division. Bon-Ton reported last week that sales at its non-Carson's stores open at least a year fell 2.7% in the fiscal year ended Feb. 3, while Carson's same-store sales rose 4.3%.

Gurnee Mills won't confirm negotiations with Carson's. But James Hayner, Gurnee's village administrator, says, "We've heard that Carson's is interested in coming here, and they've talked to Gurnee Mills."

The 28-store chain has opened just two stores in the past 20 years. But observers expect Bon-Ton to be more aggressive.

"In the past, Carson's has been hamstrung by its financial condition and always seemed to be retrenching," says John Melaniphy Jr., president of retail consultancy Melaniphy & Associates Inc. in Chicago. "Now they have a parent company willing to invest in them."

^^

great news! i would love to see carsons at roosevelt collection.

i didnt know carsons only had 28 stores

Somehow sales are near 50% for 1349 South Wabash - spring or summer ground breaking.

Somehow sales are near 50% for 1349 South Wabash - spring or summer ground breaking.

Nice! About a month ago, I remember hearing from someone that 1555 South Wabash should be breaking ground in the near future. Also, does anyone know how sales at Glashaus are coming along and when they expect to break ground?

Does anyone know what the Jones College Prep addition/expansion will comprise of? I know that the Pacific Gardens Mission is moving to around 14th and Canal. Will the current Pacific Gardens Mission ******** be adaptively resused by Jones College Prep or will it be knocked down and a completely *** structure be built? Will the expansion of Jones Prep also go on the parking lot just northwest of the State and Polk intersection?

OH MY GOD. WTF? This is what we put at one of Grant Park's two corners, perhaps some of the most significant intersections in the ****.

So, is the concept that almost the entire facade will be given over to corporate signage?

As opposed to painted concrete?

Does anyone know what the Jones College Prep addition/expansion will comprise of? I know that the Pacific Gardens Mission is moving to around 14th and Canal. Will the current Pacific Gardens Mission ******** be adaptively resused by Jones College Prep or will it be knocked down and a completely *** structure be built? Will the expansion of Jones Prep also go on the parking lot just northwest of the State and Polk intersection?

Details are very limited... but it was my understanding that the PGM would be demolished (the latest update I heard was they would move out of the building in November) and new facilities including a recreational building would be constructed. I had heard that the new rec building would include a gym and a pool with the pool possibly opened to the public during certain times. I have tried to find more details, but I think the plans are in the conceptual stage and moving PGM was more political than out of need.

Nice! About a month ago, I remember hearing from someone that 1555 South Wabash should be breaking ground in the near future. Also, does anyone know how sales at Glashaus are coming along and when they expect to break ground?

I was in Glashaus sales center about a month ago and they were well over 40% sold. They were talking summer breaking ground but lets see.

[QUOTE=Does anyone know what the Jones College Prep addition/expansion will comprise of? I know that the Pacific Gardens Mission is moving to around 14th and Canal. Will the current Pacific Gardens Mission ******** be adaptively resused by Jones College Prep or will it be knocked down and a completely *** structure be built? Will the expansion of Jones Prep also go on the parking lot just northwest of the State and Polk intersection?[/QUOTE]

I recall a great article in on-line from Columbia that outlined the JCP plans - I'll dig around and see if I can find it but from what I recall they are demolishing the PGM and taking the parking lot to Polk for a multi-level athletic complex with additonal class and administrative space.

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Wow... not sure what to make of that. Just a reminder - the two buildings north of that were sold last year to be student housing, Burnham Pointe is the just South of a one story car wash/parking garage next door. Clark Street might actually have some life to it down there.

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What do you know about that Student Housing project? Who is the developer? Is it approved? Have any renderings or details, such as number of beds, been released? Is Columbia involved financially?

I don't know too much about the project, but here is the Emporis listing....it includes an extremely rough sketch/rendering...

http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=285742

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I guess this is pretty minor, but walking by the Astoria Tower site today I noticed that 9th Street was blocked off and that there was a sign for a city project to improve 9th Street between State and Michigan. Does anyone know exactly what this will entail? I'm guessing new sidewalks, adding a few small bushes, etc. but is it any more involved than that?

It's a standard CDOT streetscaping project, which has been in the works for a couple years. They're rebuilding sidewalks, curb cuts, new planters and light standards. This seemed a bit silly to me, given that 5/8 of the project is about to be closed and then reconstructed for new residential projects (Astoria, Park Michigan, Park 1000, unnamed Northern project) but CDOT forged ahead. (At campaign events, Ald. Haithcock brings up the new little 9th Street median in Dearborn Park as her big accomplishment).

The flowerbed fences will have a little flower cast into them. I had suggested a memorial wreath as a historic tie-in to the statue of Logan (inventor of Memorial Day) but someone at CDOT rejected that as "morbid."

A big project on Michigan Avenue also gets under way this year, I think.

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[QUOTE=Mr Downtown;12489355]This seemed a bit silly to me, given that 5/8 of the project is about to be closed and then reconstructed for new residential projects (Astoria, Park Michigan, Park 1000, unnamed Northern project) but CDOT forged ahead. .


Good point dude

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Oh yeah, the Smithfield project. PRB is right, this block will really come to life. I have a lot of students in my area of the neighborhood, and I have to say that they really keep the place from being a boring residential condo-opolis.

Go Columbia, keep the South Loop weird!

Wow. That is the first time I have seen the rendering. I had heard that Pat's was going to move into the northern building and that they would demolish and build a new building - but I never imagined that they would build a 14-15 story building that wraps around the northern building!

I agree... I like the students in the neighborhood. Daley has been pushing for additional student housing and I know a large amount of students live in my building because there are not enough dorms. Maybe they should build a dorm across from the Transportation Building? Then they might not necessarily need to build a parking podium on that lot becuase it is too skinny to have parking above the first floor once you consider the ramps required (not to mention that the first floor should be parking). The only other thing I can think could do well there is a hotel (I don't think office would do OK there).

Wow. That is the first time I have seen the rendering. I had heard that Pat's was going to move into the northern building and that they would demolish and build a new building - but I never imagined that they would build a 14-15 story building that wraps around the northern building!

I agree... I like the students in the neighborhood. Daley has been pushing for additional student housing and I know a large amount of students live in my building because there are not enough dorms. Maybe they should build a dorm across from the Transportation Building? Then they might not necessarily need to build a parking podium on that lot becuase it is too skinny to have parking above the first floor once you consider the ramps required (not to mention that the first floor should be parking). The only other thing I can think could do well there is a hotel (I don't think office would do OK there).

I agree that the students are a great thing for the neighborhood, as well. And I also agree that a good use of the parking lot across the street from the Transportation Building would be another super-dorm building!

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River City is definitely one building that has contributed to the inventory of newly constructed/rehabbed condos. Not sure if you would be interested in buying there or not, but I have noticed signs on the building, recently, that mention that they are auctioning off their remaining unsold condos in the near future.

http://www.nearwestgazette.com/Archive/0407/Newsstory0407e.htm

Construction too loud on Clark St., neighbors charge

By Sarah Severson

New construction is a common sight in the South Loop, and with it comes the expected noise and annoyance to those living in and around it. Residents living close to a highrise condo and retail development going up at 710 S. Clark St. have suffered more than their share of disturbance, however. For months, jarring noise and vibration have been constants as construction workers have pounded 95-foot steel beams known as H-piles into the ground on a daily basis from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. since the end of December.

The project, managed by Terrapin Group and constructed by the Walsh Group, originally called for using a much quieter and cheaper process of drilling rather than pounding the beams into the building’s foundation. The drilling method carried greater risk, though, so in the end the project was required to use H-piles. The City’s approval process relied on soil borings and dimension surveys to choose between the two methods.

“That area is built on a swamp, and when you excavate out, you take the potential of caving in,” said Rob Eshoo, vice president of construction at Terrapin Group. “The H-piles were more money, but design-wise and from the City’s perspective, it was less risky.”

The City requires a monitoring system, with sensors on the site, the street, and nearby properties to gauge vibration levels from the pounding. A company representative oversees the project on the site each day, so Terrapin is well aware of the noise and disruption.

“There is a double-edged sword of new development,” Eshoo said. “It’s a slight inconvenience at the time, but when everyone’s property values go up they don’t come thank us.”

Eshoo estimated pile pounding will finish in mid-April, weather permitting. Despite further construction, the noise level will plunge after the piles are in.

“We just want to get the beams in quickly,” he added. “Once it’s done everyone can appreciate and enjoy the amenities—the retail and the new homeowners will be an upside down the road for the neighborhood.”

The pounding’s inconvenience has been far more than “slight” for many residents who are home during the day. Carla Shortino lives at 124 W. Polk St., right next to the construction, and was home with her three-year-old and two-week-old baby when the pounding began. She ended up relocating to her sister’s house for five weeks because she could not tolerate the noise.

“My nerves were fried and I was freaked out that it was going to upset my kids,” she said. “I wanted to be home, but it was really traumatic for me. The building was shaking so bad, and you could feel the floor and building vibrate with every pound.”

When Shortino returned home to more pounding, friends who are away at work all day gave her their keys so she could stay at their homes during the day. While a relief, she still had to bundle her two young children up each morning and stay away from home all day.

“The first week of this, it was blizzarding and so awful,” she said. “I even called a lawyer to see if there was anything I could do, but he said I would probably be wasting my money. This situation really put a hardship on us.”

Another nearby resident, Tammy Sarver, a political science professor at Benedictine University, said she used to write from home on Fridays but has had to work at coffee shops since the pounding began.

“The pounding sounds like someone has taken all of the pots and pans in the kitchen and is banging them in my head,” Sarver said. “I can’t write when I hear clanging all day.”

Sarver is so tired of the construction noise she has decided to move.

“If this is going to continue to happen, I’m not staying—I’m moving where there is no room to build,” she said. “Luckily I can get out of here easier than other people here because I’m a renter.”

Martin Plummer, who lives in a building at Clark and Polk Streets, said he understands noise comes with new construction but is upset nevertheless.

“I hate nuisances, especially those that I don’t give my approval or consent to.” Plummer said. “I don’t remember anyone passing around a survey asking if I’d object. Within the scope of a mile of my building there are six major construction projects going on.”

Danny Scollan, a realtor who also lives in the area, said he faced challenges selling properties close to the construction project.

“It’s difficult because no one wants to move in with the prospect of that noise constantly right next to them,” he said. “The growth is good for real estate, but a lot of realtors think it’s too much and that there is no regulation to keep the noise to a minimum. Constant noise pounding for months on end can drive someone insane.”

Parson Brown is a film major at Columbia College who lives around the corner from the construction. He said he has to wear headphones to get anything done whiles at home during the day.

“Normally I’d like to sleep later, so the only positive thing is that the noise wakes me up,” Brown said. “Usually I have to blast music into my ears when I’m doing homework. For several months it’s been all day, every day.”

Susan Delhey is one resident who has taken action, writing letters to Terrapin Properties and contacting the City about her concerns. She has a one-year-old child who does not sleep during the day due to the pounding and then is up at night because her sleep pattern is thrown off.

“I’m surprised it passes the City’s noise decibel limit—I can’t believe the City hasn’t done something about this,” she said.

A representative from Terrapin replied to Delhey’s letters with sympathy but no action. Delhey has contacted 2nd Ward Alderman Madeleine Haithcock, who agreed an ordinance governing this type of noise is needed. She plans to talk to the Mayor about the situation, said the Alderman’s spokesperson Cynthia Young.

“It’s very disconcerting to say the least,” Young said.

For now, the project does abide by current rules stating construction should occur between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.

“There’s not really anything the City would be able to do in terms of the noise,” said the City’s Department of Environment spokesperson Larry Merit.

^^ Martin Plummer, who lives in a building at Clark and Polk Streets, said he understands noise comes with new construction but is upset nevertheless.

“I hate nuisances, especially those that I don’t give my approval or consent to.” Plummer said. “I don’t remember anyone passing around a survey asking if I’d object. Within the scope of a mile of my building there are six major construction projects going on.”


This guy sounds like a pompus putz! PLEASE MOVE TO NAPERVILLE:ohno:

Yes, River City still has a few left (I think 4). The auction is April 24 http://www.ricklevin.com/REAuctionDetail.asp?val=177.

That is a case where the units were overpriced and/or undesirable (many would consider River City a disaster of an investment).

Printers Square has a few units left (out of 356, that is pretty good). There are not a lot of buildings north of Roosevelt that have units available today.

I am not worried at all for this neighborhood. As the buildings get completed, they should sell quickly.

^ I don't want to hear this crap! I was awakened every day for two months from pile driving at 1400 museum park, now I have to listen to the pile driving at michigan ave tower II, but I know it's for the good of the community, and I've enjoyed watching this construction over time. The noise is only bad until 6pm- no big deal! These complainers make me sick, and they don't realize that this construction can be good for their property values once completed, and have even greater benefits for the local community and the city as a whole. Morons.

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I live right across the street from Burnham Pointe in 780 South Federal....when they were driving Piles, it was somewhat loud, but anyone who views the construction as "traumatic" probably has some serious issues. I also find it ridiculous that people actually have the nerve to complain about construction nearby their own mid/high-rise condo buildings. How do they think their own buildings came to be? These people take selfishness and stupidity to a whole different level!

River City is American Invesco's biggest debacle. They started out with very unrealistic pricing, spent millions to advertise, and did nothing to really update or improve the facilities. Now they can’t give them away. Not shocking that they are going to auction.

If you go to the main lobby, it looks like a bankrupt 1980s suburban shopping mall. There is no hint that any effort was made to improve the ghost town like space. And the 1980s chrome ceiling and wall treatments are falling apart.

I want to feel sorry for the unfortunate people who did buy there (although most of them are investors), but they had to see this coming. Now they are stuck with outdated units that they almost can’t give away because there are so many (currently more than 40 units) are on the market. They certainly have not benefited from the increase in values in the surrounding neighborhood.

I am a big fan of architect Bertrand Goldberg’s other work (including Marina City), but River City was a complete failure. Perhaps if the other 80% of the gigantic project had been built, and there were thousands of more apartments, it would have been OK… But then again, perhaps not.

You couldn't pay me to live there.

^ I'll live there for money! I'll get paid to live anywhere other than a cardboard box or a crack house, or prison.

As for construction noise... I have to chuckle a bit as I am one of the future residents of Burnham Pointe, and I know all too well what living with construction noise is all about.

I live across the street from Block 37 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/iconeon/334616486/) and deal with construction noise all the time. But they at least have the comfort of knowing that the noise is limited to 8AM to 8PM (seven days a week) and that they can sleep at night. I have construction going 24 hours a day, because of the CTAs tunnel construction between State and Dearborn. They can't close State Street during the day, and they don't have to abide by any noise regulations. Quite often they can be found jackhammering, excavating, and doing various other loud things at 3AM. Because the CTA project is public, I have no recourse to deal with the noise.

So they can just shut the F**k up.

^ I'll live there for money! I'll get paid to live anywhere other than a cardboard box or a crack house, or prison.

Trust me... The place is a dump for the kind of money they are trying to get for the units.

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In addition to what Spygut posted below...

More bullshit....


Prairie Ave. group fights X/O luxury highrise plan

By Angie Timmons

Despite her early support, 2nd Ward Alderman Madeline Haithcock said she will stall permits for the X/O development planned for the Prairie Avenue District, adding she “didn’t know that people around the area wouldn’t want it.”

Haithcock said her initial support had stemmed from the green light the Greater South Loop Association (GSLA) and the Near South Planning Board (NSPB) gave X/O last year.

http://www.nearwestgazette.com/image/0407/Newsst15.jpg

Envisioned as a pair of dancers against the Chicago skyline by their architect, the X/O luxury highrise towers are causing a stir among neighborhood residents represented by Prairie District Neighborhood Alliance (PDNA), a new group formed in part to fight the development. The PDNA did not exist when X/O developers went calling on area community groups last year.

Arguing X/O does not fit the character of the Prairie District and that public notice was not given before public meetings, the PDNA has filed a challenge of project approval with the City’s Department of Planning and Development. Also, the group alleges X/O developers Kargil and Frankel & Giles violated zoning and municipal codes.

“X/O is forever going to change Prairie Avenue,” said Tina Feldstein, PDNA president, at the group’s March 5 meeting. “Five hundred units of glass and steel do not reflect this neighborhood. You’ve got to let the City know you don’t want those towers on that corner.”

The City’s plan for the Near South community contains clear guidelines for development within the Prairie District. Calling for low-rise structures and “building materials and styles that are compatible with the historic character of Prairie Avenue,” the guidelines suggest building heights along Prairie Avenue (where X/O would be located at 1700 S. Prairie Ave., though set back behind ten townhouses) should be 60 feet, with heights up to 250 feet allowed elsewhere in the district. At 45 stories, the tallest of X/O’s two towers would come in at 460 feet; the second tower would have 33 stories.

Though X/O does not appear to reflect what City guidelines envision for the Prairie District, Bob McKenna from the Department of Planning and Development told the PDNA members at last month’s meeting that the project fits within the City’s zoning code and that the developers “have ownership rights and development rights” to the land, regardless of how one might feel about the design. He noted Haithcock had said early on that the towers did not fit with the neighborhood.

People living in the Prairie District are scratching their heads over the plans vs. zoning code question. Jeffery Ayersman, PDNA treasurer, said, “The City tells us initially that the plans themselves are optional, yet the Zoning Ordinance, which is the law, uses terminology that ‘plan developments must be consistent with plans adopted by the plan commission…,’ with the definition of must being mandatory. So how can a plan be optional if the Zoning Ordinance says it is mandatory? It defies logic of normal people.”

Controversy has not cooled early sales at X/O. Brian Giles, senior vice president with Kargil Development, said that as of late March 140 units worth $70 million had been sold. “People recognize the quality of the development,” Giles said, and X/O’s modern design is “architecturally significant.”

Giles would not comment on Haithcock’s pledge to stall X/O’s building permits but later said that his company is not at the point where it would be securing them. PDNA concerns about issues such as inadequate sewer infrastructure for such a large project, to Giles, “doesn’t hold any water, no pun intended,” because large developments anywhere in the city can require sewer upgrades. X/O is an approved planned development, and like Haithcock, Giles pointed to GSLA and NSPB support as evidence his company gained the requisite public support. He added his company will break ground later this year.

PDNA’s Feldstein called those groups’ backing into question at the early March meeting, saying, “the community support is steeped in conflict,” especially with X/O developer Keith Giles sitting on the NSPB board.

Bob Fioretti, Haithcock’s challenger in the April 17 runoff election, said Haithcock “has pitted community members against community members,” in the wake of X/O. If he were Alderman no problem would have arisen because he would have kept the public informed along with way. “She’s the Alderman; she can do a lot,” Fioretti said, when asked if X/O as an approved planned development was too far along for anyone to force the project back to the drawing board.

Haithcock felt Prairie Avenue residents’ ire at the March PDNA meeting, especially when one resident, feeling duped by the situation, called her on her flip-flop regarding X/O. “Coming here doesn’t do me any good,” Haithcock said, “If you don’t want to work with me, just say so.” Haithcock also maintained she was listening to neighbors now and that the past does not matter.

“We recognize that this is not what [Prairie Avenue residents] wanted,” Haithcock told the Gazette. “We’ll take another look at it and we’ll see.” Haithcock vowed to bring both sides together so everyone could work toward a resolution, noting, “Their opinion matters.”

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Bunch of stupid twats. Tina Feldstein moved into the neighborhood 3 years ago from Lincoln Park and she needs to take her ass back! These people keep comenting on the historic character of the neighborhood; what historic character? Do they mean the dozen mansions left in the area? The area hasn't been historic for 50 years, if not longer. It should have never been designated a historic district. The individual houses should have been landmarked. For the past 50 years ther area was industrial, then an induatrial waste land. These people need to get there heads out of their asses because the tightness is cutting off the blood supply and oxygen to their brains. They're talking about needing sewer upgrades: that's not the developers job, the city should have done that before any redevelopment in the area happened.

Those on this forum who live in the 2nd Ward and have had to deal with construction projects in the past, wasn were basically un-phased by it need to write a response to either the Chicago Journal or Near West Gazette when these articles come out. You could also write to the alderman showing your annoyance towards these idiots as well as to her for the back pedaling.

It looks like AMLI is going to set up a second crane. Perhaps the townhouses will be constructed in real time with the tower. I asked the guys delivering the sections what project it was for, and all they knew was that is was for Walsh. I badly wanted to believe that "the Curve" was underway, but I've never heard of a crane going up before groundwork is finished.
http://img117.imageshack.us/img117/3343/p1010032uj9.jpg

Loopy - is AMLI building townhomes too? If so, where will they be - directly west of the tower?

Also, does anyone know all of the details of the 9th street extension? I think that a RC salesperson told me that it would go underneath the Metra tracks too, and continue all the way to Wells...is this true? Also, this may be wishful thinking and I think I know the answer to this, but will they connect the 9th street extension to the portion of 9th street that is in Dearborn Park? If they were to do that, it would go a long way to help make the east and west sides of the South Loop a little bit more connected.

Besides the Curve, what ever happened to Lennar's project? I mean, I know they decided not to go ahead with it, but were they planning on bringing it back in the future or selling the land or something else? It would have been an amazing sight to see new towers from the Target north (Curve, AMLI, Lennar (3), and Burnham Pointe).

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I've heard nothing about the Lennar parcel, but they would have had to own it (not just have it optioned) to get the PD.

But here's an Easter Morning factoid: the Lennar parcel was previously home to St Peter's Catholic Church, which in 1865 dominated the cottages around it but eventually became incongruous among the railyards and freight houses. Many of the worshipers in later years were actually priests changing trains in Chicago. St Peter's built a new sanctuary on Madison near Clark in the mid 1950s. Here's what Clark and Polk looked like a century ago:

http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/1796/stpeterscg2.jpg

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It looks like AMLI is going to set up a second crane. Perhaps the townhouses will be constructed in real time with the tower. I asked the guys delivering the sections what project it was for, and all they knew was that is was for Walsh. I badly wanted to believe that "the Curve" was underway, but I've never heard of a crane going up before groundwork is finished.
http://img117.imageshack.us/img117/3343/p1010032uj9.jpg

More parts of the red crane were just delivered to the site of the Curve, this morning. While it could very well be for AMLI, I am also hoping that this crane is for the Curve. The crane parts are lying on the Curve site - far away from the AMLI site, not to mention, there were articles last fall stating that construction for the Curve would start in early 2007...so you can't completely rule this possibility out! :banana:

Wow, very cool. Thanks.

Some old maps indicate an "R.C." church at 9th and Wabash. Do you have any documentation of that structure?

That was the fourth home of Old St. Mary's (now in its sixth home at 1500 South Michigan). The building on the southeast corner of Ninth (Eldredge Ct) and Wabash was built in 1865 as Plymouth Congregational Church, one of several large churches interspersed with the mansions on that part of Wabash before the Chicago Fire. St. Mary's home near Madison and Wabash was destroyed in the 1871 Fire and they relocated to the 9th/Wabash building, which was temporarily the city's cathedral.

Here's the building about 1868:
http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/6548/plymouthcongchurch1868xg5.jpg

In case you haven't seen it, the 1886 Robinson's fire insurance maps of the city are available online:
http://encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/11479.html

As the surrounding area became commercial rather than residential, Old St. Mary's opened a "downtown mission" at 21 E. Van Buren in 1954, and in 1961 Belli and Belli converted a former office building into the fifth Old St. Mary's at Wabash and Van Buren.

The 9th/Wabash church was designated a Chicago Landmark in 1964, but the old landmark ordinance offered only recognition rather than protection. The church property was purchased in 1970 by Standard Oil; the last Mass was celebrated in Sept. 1970 and the church building and rectory were demolished a month later.

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Boyington?

Architect was someone named Gurdon P. Randall. Though apparently it was a fine example of Joliet limestone.

Guys, I hope I'll see a SSC team at Wednesday night's South Loop Jeopardy! game, 7 pm at Grace Place. (If you don't know where Grace Place is, you're probably not going to score very high). It's just a fun game of neighborhood trivia, done in my favorite game-show format, most of it based on simple observation of the neighborhood. I'm pretty sure one category Wednesday night will be "CHURCHES."

This is the April no-yelling meeting of South Loop Neighbors, just a fun thing we've done annually the last several years. Having been some days in preparation, a splendid time is guaranteed for all.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/classified/realestate/realestate/chi-0704050440apr08,0,2539871.story?coll=chi-classifiedrealestate-hed

Prairie District group objects to tower plan

By Jeanette Almada
Special to the Tribune
Published April 8, 2007

Near South Side residents who constitute the Prairie District Neighborhood Alliance say that they are pro-development, but they expect to bring a new level of scrutiny to projects planned for their historic district.

More important, they assert, they will intensify their fight for developer accountability on construction defects.

At its March meeting, local developer Rokas International presented a plan to build a 40-story tower on the northwest corner of 21st Street and Prairie Avenue. The plan was not well received, according to Jeff Ayersman, the group's treasurer.

"Its height is clearly not consistent with the city's Near South Community Plan for Prairie Avenue," Ayersman said. That plan, formed by the Chicago Department of Planning and Development with input from area residents, allows buildings of four to six stories for Prairie Avenue. "That is the scale of existing mansions and townhouses in the area," Ayersman said.

"We are focused on issues that affect the quality of life in our community such as education and schools; proposed residential and commercial developments; zoning regulations; traffic improvements and protecting the architectural integrity of the Prairie District," Ayersman said.

High on the group's list of priorities is quality in development projects, backed by assurances from developers.

"Developers need to be more accountable," Ayersman said of developers who build projects under limited liability companies that they form for individual projects. Those entities are often dissolved after each project's unit is sold, leaving condo associations and condo buyers with huge bills for defect repairs.

"We are just beginning to get an idea of how extensive the problem is and are starting to pull together statistics regarding how many buyers are suing developers," Ayersman said.

"A lot of associations don't want to talk about the problem, fearing that they won't sell their units."

Alerted by media reports of lawsuits against developers for defective construction, Mayor Richard Daley on April 4 invited an alliance board member to a private meeting to discuss defect-motivated special assessments, and to ask for recommendations concerning the city's role in addressing quality assurance problems.

"We want developers to provide escrow protection for buyers and want the city to consider looking at the developer's history, to see if past projects have required special assessments after the development was completed," Ayersman said.

Chicago Department of Planning and Development staff members attended the group's March meeting.

While the group recommended a smaller building in response to Rokas International's 40-story tower pitch last month, other high-rises have been slated for construction in the district that are taller than the city's Near South Community Plan allows. The alliance is attempting to halt issuance of a city construction permit for one of them.

"Under that plan, 20-story buildings are allowed on streets just off of Prairie Avenue, such as Cullerton Avenue and 18th Street; and high-rise buildings taller than 20-stories are allowed on the Prairie District's periphery -- on Cermak Road, Indiana Avenue, Michigan Avenue and Calumet Avenue," Ayersman said.

"The city went through all of that expense to form the Near South Plan, and then they say it is just a guide and allow a high-rise building in a district not zoned for high-rises," he said.

Formed in October 2006, the group's influence will depend on the support it receives from Ald. Madeline Haithcock (2nd), who will now subject all developers who want to build in the Prairie District to the alliance's review process.

Haha! This is pathetic and worthless. These people will accomplish little to nothing, and it's because there's just too much damn incentive and upside to prevent these developments from occurring. I laugh at these delusional attempts to stop the big development machine that is currently chicago, and the baller of a mayor who wholeheartedly supports it. Let them have their fun and play their games- their efforts will only hit dead ends, and amount to nothing! This is simply a glorified laugh riot for us development supporters.

Burnham Pointe is in the middle of putting up their crain....and I think I think the parts that they are assembling are the same parts that were on the Curve lot, that Loopy took a picture of.

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I snooped around the AMLI site to look for a pad for the new crane, and I didn't see one.

I can probably confirm that it was for BP. Pad and first couple stories of the crane were up by last night, I didn't see it this morning. Supposedly they still have some piles to pound on the north side of the lot, so I wonder if they're going to go all the way up with it right away.

A lot of the staging for Burnham Pointe has been happening at the AMLI site and then they drive stuff up Clark, I assume because the Burnham site is so tight and Walsh is doing it all anyway. I think they're also dumping excavated material at AMLI (north of it actually, right where the new 9th St. will be).

Does anybody know what the perspective is supposed to be on that rendering of the AMLI building? Is it from the northeast? It seems like the curved wall it shows is actually going up along Clark.

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http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l221/Mansmith_2006/900sclarktq9.jpg

I agree with Loopy, the rendering lines right up with what you see driving southbound on Clark Street. The set back in the diagram is very prominent now that the building is past the first floor.

^Thanks for the report.

I snooped around the AMLI site to look for a pad for the new crane, and I didn't see one.

I am very curious about this.

That crane was for Burnham Point. They just used the site for staging.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/classified/realestate/realestate/chi-0704050440apr08,0,2539871.story?coll=chi-classifiedrealestate-hed

Prairie District group objects to tower plan

By Jeanette Almada
Special to the Tribune
Published April 8, 2007

Near South Side residents who constitute the Prairie District Neighborhood Alliance say that they are pro-development, but they expect to bring a new level of scrutiny to projects planned for their historic district.

More important, they assert, they will intensify their fight for developer accountability on construction defects.

At its March meeting, local developer Rokas International presented a plan to build a 40-story tower on the northwest corner of 21st Street and Prairie Avenue. The plan was not well received, according to Jeff Ayersman, the group's treasurer.

"Its height is clearly not consistent with the city's Near South Community Plan for Prairie Avenue," Ayersman said. That plan, formed by the Chicago Department of Planning and Development with input from area residents, allows buildings of four to six stories for Prairie Avenue. "That is the scale of existing mansions and townhouses in the area," Ayersman said.

"We are focused on issues that affect the quality of life in our community such as education and schools; proposed residential and commercial developments; zoning regulations; traffic improvements and protecting the architectural integrity of the Prairie District," Ayersman said.

High on the group's list of priorities is quality in development projects, backed by assurances from developers.

"Developers need to be more accountable," Ayersman said of developers who build projects under limited liability companies that they form for individual projects. Those entities are often dissolved after each project's unit is sold, leaving condo associations and condo buyers with huge bills for defect repairs.

"We are just beginning to get an idea of how extensive the problem is and are starting to pull together statistics regarding how many buyers are suing developers," Ayersman said.

"A lot of associations don't want to talk about the problem, fearing that they won't sell their units."

Alerted by media reports of lawsuits against developers for defective construction, Mayor Richard Daley on April 4 invited an alliance board member to a private meeting to discuss defect-motivated special assessments, and to ask for recommendations concerning the city's role in addressing quality assurance problems.

"We want developers to provide escrow protection for buyers and want the city to consider looking at the developer's history, to see if past projects have required special assessments after the development was completed," Ayersman said.

Chicago Department of Planning and Development staff members attended the group's March meeting.

While the group recommended a smaller building in response to Rokas International's 40-story tower pitch last month, other high-rises have been slated for construction in the district that are taller than the city's Near South Community Plan allows. The alliance is attempting to halt issuance of a city construction permit for one of them.

"Under that plan, 20-story buildings are allowed on streets just off of Prairie Avenue, such as Cullerton Avenue and 18th Street; and high-rise buildings taller than 20-stories are allowed on the Prairie District's periphery -- on Cermak Road, Indiana Avenue, Michigan Avenue and Calumet Avenue," Ayersman said.

"The city went through all of that expense to form the Near South Plan, and then they say it is just a guide and allow a high-rise building in a district not zoned for high-rises," he said.

Formed in October 2006, the group's influence will depend on the support it receives from Ald. Madeline Haithcock (2nd), who will now subject all developers who want to build in the Prairie District to the alliance's review process.


Funny!!!

Their historic neighborhood huh!!! Little piss-ants have been there less than 5 minutes and now their claiming is as their own. i hope they bump up that 40 story building to 60 and I hope the developers of X/O have to drive steel piles rather than use caissons.

The south loop plan and it's die hard followers can go jump in the lake, but you know they'll probably drive into it because heaven-for-bit they actually use their legs to walk anywhere.

Besides the Curve, what ever happened to Lennar's project? I mean, I know they decided not to go ahead with it, but were they planning on bringing it back in the future or selling the land or something else? It would have been an amazing sight to see new towers from the Target north (Curve, AMLI, Lennar (3), and Burnham Pointe).

I recently heard a rumor that Lennar will be doing something on this site soon, but it won't look anything like the original plan--perhaps more in line with Lennar's core business of suburban-style lowrise stuff. Total rumor at this point, though. I personally find it hard to believe, since that's such a valuable parcel and is zoned DX-12 or -16, I think.

In the Sun Times today Chicago Legends was listed as applying for a liquor license at 2109 - 2111 S. Wabash. So add Buddy Guys, Velvet Room and the Chicago Jazz Showcase to the list of clubs that are positioning themselves for the New McCormick Place Entertain District. If the market proves itself the owners of Kuma's Corner, a heavy metal burger joint currently at 2900 W. Belmont is also considering a expansion to this future hopping district.

In the Sun Times today Chicago Legends was listed as applying for a liquor license at 2109 - 2111 S. Wabash. So add Buddy Guys, Velvet Room and the Chicago Jazz Showcase to the list of clubs that are positioning themselves for the New McCormick Place Entertain District. If the market proves itself the owners of Kuma's Corner, a heavy metal burger joint currently at 2900 W. Belmont is also considering a expansion to this future hopping district.

Wow, that's great news for Buddy Guy...as well as for the Near South Side!

A few other plans for the area, include Hilton redoing one of the Landmark buildings for a botique hotel, a coffee shop on Indiana & 23rd or 24th, a wine shop in the same vicinity, and the restrauraunt & HAll at the old Chicago Defender building (not sure if this is Kleiner or Daley's buddy who has Fire Station Restaraunt).

The street scape along Indiana and the new McCormick expansion turned out better than I had hopped...will be a prime restaraunt space soon for events.

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I recently heard a rumor that Lennar will be doing something on this site soon, but it won't look anything like the original plan--perhaps more in line with Lennar's core business of suburban-style lowrise stuff. Total rumor at this point, though. I personally find it hard to believe, since that's such a valuable parcel and is zoned DX-12 or -16, I think.

If they were to build townhomes, that would be such a waste of such a large, prime city location!

:lol: You're the leader of a big-ass neighborhood organization, and thats all you have to throw down with! Come on, out with it.

More later, I am looking there myself. What's funny is that area is probably the most protected in the city, with the Landmark Buildings, while there are no residents to review or comment on anything. Go figure. I think the window is still open for a decent buy; if the Olympics happen, 'FREGETABOUTIT', that place will boom. The problem is timing of the current market versus when it will be decided if Chicago would be the international winner. But the nice thing is that with the Landmark buildings, your initial holding costs for 7-8 years would be about $2500-$3000 per year less than the rest of the market with the Tax Freeze incentive offered on certain buildings.

I heard an ad on the radio today for 1555 South Wabash. In it, they mentioned the groundbreaking date....I think I remember the date they gave was April 21st.

^^ I have seen the renderings for the church across the street from 1555. True Rock Ministries purchased the lot at the corner of 16th and Wabash, currently a gravel parking lot. A 4 story building with a 2 story below ground parking level and a green roof. 1000 seat sanctuary and 4th floor community gym a complete makeover of the existing building's facade to match the new building. I'll see if I can get some electronic copies

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Loopy,

Your the man! I did'nt think to check there before I posted. That is a very rough draft of what I saw. I'll still check to see if there is more.

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True Rock presented this project at Near South Planning Board Tuesday. They envision it as more of a community center, with workout facilities and a gym and meeting rooms, so that it would be used for most of the day every day. The demographics of a church like this are a little different from how most of us see the South Loop, so I'm not sure exactly how that will work out.

They're providing parking in the basement, as Chicagotom said, though the project is too small for that to be required in their zoning district. They also have a shared parking arrangement with St. Agnes.

The existing building, a timber-frame loft that True Rock renovated in the early 90s, will be refaced with new brick to match the new building. I guess there's water-infiltration and efflorescence problems with the existing face brick, which is the outermost of three layers.

I suggested the architect consider more closely spacing the mullions, so the corner curve would be smoother, and choose carefully the reflective glass there so it wouldn't be Houston-style schlock.

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Im usually cool with churches in neighborhoods, (unless its the scientology people, dont want Tom Cruise walking around) but especially if they have a community center type atmosphere and are accessible to people in the area.

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what's on 650 S. Clark? Google sucks at pin pointing the address. Is it the empty lot on the east side of the street south of Harrison?

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Scary, so Tom cruise is going to be sneaking around the south loop. That guy is :nuts: Thanks for the warning loopy, I did miss that

Chicago Legends reapplied for an existing liquor license at 2109 S. Wabash. Buddy Guys Legends is looking for a south of Cermak location and an employee told me that the papers are signed but their not going public. Look for a move before the end of the year. MY BAD on the previous post.

what's on 650 S. Clark? Google sucks at pin pointing the address. Is it the empty lot on the east side of the street south of Harrison?

650 being an even number would have to be on the west side of the street. It is just south of Harrison but north of the Burnham Pointe site at 730 S Clark.

I have been told that Google isn't allowed to be precise in locating those little pin pointer things. They can only be close...

I have been told that Google isn't allowed to be precise in locating those little pin pointer things. They can only be close...

Isn't allowed by whom? The Tri-Lateral Commission?

It's a technical problem. The underlying GIS data just isn't accurate enough for geocoding to match up with orthophotos that may have been rectified and rubber-sheeted in some other slightly inaccurate way. I understand that Cook County has fairly accurate centerline files, which they paid lots of money to conflate to orthophotos, but as with all Cook County GIS data, they refuse to allow any use or sale.

In addition, Google, like all GISs, interpolates 650 as being halfway between 600 and 700. But in Chicago's addressing scheme (in which blocks normally have only 66 numbers), 650 is 2/3 of the way between Harrison and Balbo.

Thanks Mr Downtown... Interesting to know about the blocks having only 66 addresses.

How is the number 66 to be understood? Are there 33 on one side of the street and 33 on the other? Do all 66 run along just one face of the block or is it the total number for all four sides? You can see from this question that I suffer from a lack of common sense. :)

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How is the number 66 to be understood? Are there 33 on one side of the street and 33 on the other? Do all 66 run along just one face of the block or is it the total number for all four sides? You can see from this question that I suffer from a lack of common sense. :)

I am guessing it has soemthing to do with the fact that there is 660' in a block (100) since one block is 1/8th of a mile and 5280' / 8 = 660'. Therefore, every 20' would be a number (since only half the numbers are on each side of the street).

I am guessing it has soemthing to do with the fact that there is 660' in a block (100) since one block is 1/8th of a mile and 5280' / 8 = 660'. Therefore, every 20' would be a number (since only half the numbers are on each side of the street).
That computes. Running with the 20' distance and subtracting a 3' walkway with each house sharing a foot and half of it, you are left with a house frontage of 17'. That's squeezing them in. Of course, we never actually find a full complement of house numbers on any street for just that reason is my guess. Thanks for crunching the numbers.

I can't stop laughing from that watercolor of Metra's Roosevelt Station.
Is that how they enter the 21st century?!!!
OMG! It looks like the 80's crack junkie's vision of a 21st century.

I would recommend few trips abroad as a reality check.

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Other than that I just found out about this forum and I really enjoy it.
I've been a big fan of the area from Roosevelt to Canal since '96. Although the neighborhood is loosing it's charm lately due to the overflow of athletic yuppies and meaningless architecture.

I can't stop laughing from that watercolor of Metra's Roosevelt Station.
Is that how they enter the 21st century?!!!
OMG! It looks like the 80's crack junkie's vision of a 21st century.

I would recommend few trips abroad as a reality check.

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Other than that I just found out about this forum and I really enjoy it.
I've been a big fan of the area from Roosevelt to Canal since '96. Although the neighborhood is loosing it's charm lately due to the overflow of athletic yuppies and meaningless architecture.

You're right....because we all know that non-athletic people create an immeasurable amount of charm in a neighborhood and athletic people completely suck out all the charm of a neighborhood. They've even done studies to prove this. It's science.

You're right....because we all know that non-athletic people create an immeasurable amount of charm in a neighborhood and athletic people completely suck out all the charm of a neighborhood. They've even done studies to prove this. It's science.

Yes Sir, they've done studies in Paris.

How is the number 66 to be understood? Are there 33 on one side of the street and 33 on the other?

Yes, one number for each 20 feet of frontage, usually.

Diagonal streets such as Archer and Milwaukee sometimes require numbers higher than 66 along the hypotenuse of a block. In addition, "vanity" addresses have sometimes been granted, such as 680 Lake Shore Drive, 899 South Plymouth, or 888 South Michigan.

I can't stop laughing from that watercolor of Metra's Roosevelt Station.
Is that how they enter the 21st century?!!!
OMG! It looks like the 80's crack junkie's vision of a 21st century.

I would recommend few trips abroad as a reality check.

WTF? ANYTHING would be an improvement over the current station. I'm not sure how many people would actually wait for an IC train just to ride it from Randolph to Roosevelt, but many suburbanites ride to this station to visit the museums or a game at Soldier Field. Additionally, it's right across from the field where Lollapalooza is held, as well as Taste.

I'll admit, the renderings are not photorealistic, but they give a reasonable idea of what the station would look like.

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I'm not certain from your post whether you are complaining about the station design or the poor quality renderings.

They are designed to reference the beaux-arts (Paris!) details of the rest of Grant Parks infrastructure.

http://img182.imageshack.us/img182/1875/n070883py3.jpg

http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/1136/metrastationat11thstreesx5.jpg

Beaux-arts is not 21st century!

WTF? ANYTHING would be an improvement over the current station.


"ANYTHING would be an improvement..."
We hear that a lot in Chicago, don't we?
It's nothing but justification of mediocrity.

Beaux-arts is not 21st century!

And neither is Grant Park.

I am a huge modernist at heart, but even my concrete, steel and glass heart thinks a historically referenced station is appropriate on this specific site. Most any other place, I would be arguing for a contemporary design as well.

Does anybody know anything about the banners that have appeared recently on Cullerton Street advertising the HOM Chicago development? The ads and website don't give a location, so I thought I'd see if the gurus over here could enlighten me.

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Does anybody know the plans for 1925 S. Michigan?
It's across the street from the Second Presbyterian Church.
Beautiful facade, I hope it's going to stay here with us.

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No idea. You could look at the last few months Plan Commission Agendas to see if any Cullerton addresses have come up for review.

http://egov.cityofchicago.org/city/webportal/portalContentItemAction.do?BV_SessionID=@@@@1948868643.1176824709@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccceaddkjhmihegcefecelldffhdfhg.0&contentOID=536896827&contenTypeName=COC_EDITORIAL&topChannelName=Dept&entityName=Planning+And+Development&deptMainCategoryOID=-536884772&blockName=Planning+And+Development/Content&context=dept

Welcome to the forum.
Seems Warman has scrapped his original project Aristocrat Tower. Does he he needs money to pay off his pending lawsuits and building quality problems?I do not know if Aristocrat ever went to Plan Commission or Council, and if he will have to get a new project approved, or try and change the design under the guise of the Aristocrat Ordinance (if approved). He may be trying to capitalize on his buddy Frankel & Giles's idea to go higher where he should not. With the serious quality problems on his projects still pending litigation, he could likely be the one developer to bring out wrath worse than X/O.:banana:

Does anybody know anything about the banners that have appeared recently on Cullerton Street advertising the HOM Chicago development? The ads and website don't give a location, so I thought I'd see if the gurus over here could enlighten me.

HOM Chicago is the new marketing for the former Aristocrat Tower which was pulled of the market. The soon to be released tower is the same height and exterior design. Existing condo contracts with the Aristocrat are still in place. I'm sure there is more to this story but I don't know it.

The redevlopment of the 2-story building on the NE corner of wabash and roosevelt has begun. Not a highrise obviously, but an interesting retail development in the area.

No idea. You could look at the last few months Plan Commission Agendas to see if any Cullerton addresses have come up for review.

http://egov.cityofchicago.org/city/webportal/portalContentItemAction.do?BV_SessionID=@@@@1948868643.1176824709@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccceaddkjhmihegcefecelldffhdfhg.0&contentOID=536896827&contenTypeName=COC_EDITORIAL&topChannelName=Dept&entityName=Planning+And+Development&deptMainCategoryOID=-536884772&blockName=Planning+And+Development/Content&context=dept

Welcome to the forum.

HOM Chicago is the new marketing for the former Aristocrat Tower which was pulled of the market. The soon to be released tower is the same height and exterior design. Existing condo contracts with the Aristocrat are still in place. I'm sure there is more to this story but I don't know it.

Chicago Tom, Where are you getting your information about the existing contract? The folks I know who bought original units in Aristocrat had their money returned and contracts voided.

^^ I talked to 2 sales agents that I know at Prairie Station.

The redevlopment of the 2-story building on the NE corner of wabash and roosevelt has begun. Not a highrise obviously, but an interesting retail development in the area.

Any clue what it's going to be? I had vaguely heard that this was going to be a Sunflower Market (organic-like, nearishly grown produce and stuff, kinda the fresh half that Trader Joe's is missing).

By the way, can Mr. Downtown or anybody else tell us what this building was originally? I have read that it was once a Trailways Bus depot, but it doesn't seem anywhere near large enough unless there was a lot more to it at one time.

Any clue what it's going to be? I had vaguely heard that this was going to be a Sunflower Market (organic-like, nearishly grown produce and stuff, kinda the fresh half that Trader Joe's is missing).

By the way, can Mr. Downtown or anybody else tell us what this building was originally? I have read that it was once a Trailways Bus depot, but it doesn't seem anywhere near large enough unless there was a lot more to it at one time.

Yes, it was a Bus Station up until mid 80's. Surprised they protected it relative to the stuff the are letting go. They Did a decent job on the renovation thus far. Originally in 2000 it was to be an Art Gallary, but that fell through.

what this building was originally?

http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/6059/picture9tk6.png

It was the Union Bus Depot, which served Greyhound and a number of smaller bus companies. That included a number of bus lines from the mid-South, and the station was the port of entry to Chicago for many African-Americans during the Great Northern Migration.

Today we forget how central that location was for local transportation. Heavy South Side streetcar lines ran down Wabash or State, the Roosevelt carline zipped across the railyards to the West Side, Boulevard Buses ran on Michigan Avenue, the L station had a train every couple of minutes, and the interurbans to Milwaukee, and the Illinois Central station east of Michigan had suburban trains every few minutes, plus South Shore trains.

I've seen pictures from the 20s with a Walgreen's on the corner. There was a small waiting room and ticketing area, and buses came in through the alley and loaded on the north side of the building. In the early 90s Walgreen's wanted to tear down the building and construct a modern one-level store with drive-thrus. Insisting they had to have drive-thrus, they backed out rather than use the existing building. Only a couple years later they settled for no drive-thru at State Place.

Instead, the site was folded into the Museum Park Place (Columbian) PD, and Lewis Manilow was on tap to develop gallery incubator space there, but it took so long to get the Columbian started that he backed out. The PD specified "arts-related" uses. Apparently that was amended at some point, as Crain's published an article in December saying Sunflower Market had signed a lease for 40,000 square feet.

Thanks for the info on the HOM development.
Any updates on the proposed hotel/condo/retail/movie theatre development that has been mentioned for the vicinity in the block bordered by Prairie, Calumet, 21st, and Cermak? This area seems like it could support some restaurant/hotel from the McCormick Place crowd, but seems a little isolated for any major retail.

Thanks for the info on the HOM development.
Any updates on the proposed hotel/condo/retail/movie theatre development that has been mentioned for the vicinity in the block bordered by Prairie, Calumet, 21st, and Cermak? This area seems like it could support some restaurant/hotel from the McCormick Place crowd, but seems a little isolated for any major retail.

The original project was supposed to be called Prairie Blocks, a mixed retail, hotel, foot, condo developent for the entire block, with only the ABC Book Building on Cermak remaining. It was supposed to have a feel similar to the redone Maxwell Street, with more retail and entertainment.
http://www.ddg-usa.com/projects/Prairie_Blocks/Project.html

Orginally the property owners, think the name is Pam Gleichman, was trying to develop, but then Warman and Thor Industries tried to step in and buy the property. Project status is unknown, as the owner wanted a good bundle.
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4155/is_20051109/ai_n15911536

Frankly, with Warman's problems in development quality, (Legacy, WOW, etc.), I hope someone else develops the property that will do a first class job, good design, and quality materials.

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I saw some demolition contractors entering the old flophouse "New Ritz" hotel at 1007 South State this morning. The City condemned this property and the adjacent surface lot at 9th and State. The last proposal that was discussed was a mixed use project headed By Northern Realty and Canyon-Johnson, the developers of State Place.

Let's hope they dont hire J-Loew again for this one.

Great News Loopy, This was a big gap in the string of new developments from Congress to 16th street. I wonder if their going to take the lot, the old SRO and parking garage. Did you see any city permits on the building?

I think the building with the Vet office and the lounge is staying. I think I remember a plan that was going to mirror what they did at State Place with a tower and 2 midrises.

Great News Loopy, This was a big gap in the string of new developments from Congress to 16th street. I wonder if their going to take the lot, the old SRO and parking garage. Did you see any city permits on the building?

I think the building with the Vet office and the lounge is staying. I think I remember a plan that was going to mirror what they did at State Place with a tower and 2 midrises.

I had heard State Place had some structural problems - what is the story with that?

eco18 - 1818 South Wabash

http://www.eco18.com/

eco18 is the result of uncompromising enthusiasm for green building by Dynaprop Development Corporation. eco18 will be one of Chicago’s most technologically advanced residential green projects. eco18 consists of two tastefully designed towers composed of 186 units being built in two phases. Unlike most other condominiums in Chicago, eco18 will be pursuing LEED Gold Certification. eco18 will include an accessible green rooftop, recycled materials, water conserving technology, and both energy conserving solar thermal and geothermal technology. Located in the South Loop of Chicago, eco18 invites you to visit the on-site sales center and furnished model (1832 S. Wabash), representing this forward thinking project!

I saw some demolition contractors entering the old flophouse "New Ritz" hotel at 1007 South State this morning. The City condemned this property and the adjacent surface lot at 9th and State. The last proposal that was discussed was a mixed use project headed By Northern Realty and Canyon-Johnson, the developers of State Place.

Let's hope they dont hire J-Loew again for this one.

Great news! My wife and I were walking past there today and commenting on
how we wished that something would be done with that parcel! :banana:

Great news! My wife and I were walking past there today and commenting on
how we wished that something would be done with that parcel! :banana:

Definately needed there; if they every put CTA stop at 18th, would be good. Of course you have a nice SRO Hotel out your front door - not the best streetscape. I hope they will counter that with a good entry and lobby space.

It seems, especially in the last two years, the developers are putting product out with no design earlier and earlier. It may be that they are trying to reduce the window of availability for community comment..., especially the marginal developers. Even if you look at X/O, their videos, photos, etc. nothing is close to final, and the shots they do have are generic or quick overs so you really still do not know what the final product will look at. Not the case at Museum Park/Central Station developments.

Definately needed there; if they every put CTA stop at 18th, would be good. Of course you have a nice SRO Hotel out your front door - not the best streetscape. I hope they will counter that with a good entry and lobby space.

It seems, especially in the last two years, the developers are putting product out with no design earlier and earlier. It may be that they are trying to reduce the window of availability for community comment..., especially the marginal developers. Even if you look at X/O, their videos, photos, etc. nothing is close to final, and the shots they do have are generic or quick overs so you really still do not know what the final product will look at. Not the case at Museum Park/Central Station developments.

Agree with you about an el stop at 18th - would definitely be well served as there is a large growing population within a few blocks of that spot.

As for X/O - they came out with renderings almost a year ago. And if you go to their sales office and take a look at the building model, you will have a very good and clear idea as to what the final product will look like.

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It might still be a while. My sense was that they were bidding demolition rather than preparing for it.

Well it is a start none the less!

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It was the Union Bus Depot. . .

Wow, thanks for the very complete info.

Anyone stop by there?

eco18 - 1818 South Wabash

http://www.eco18.com/

eco18 is the result of uncompromising enthusiasm for green building by Dynaprop Development Corporation. eco18 will be one of Chicago’s most technologically advanced residential green projects. eco18 consists of two tastefully designed towers composed of 186 units being built in two phases. Unlike most other condominiums in Chicago, eco18 will be pursuing LEED Gold Certification. eco18 will include an accessible green rooftop, recycled materials, water conserving technology, and both energy conserving solar thermal and geothermal technology. Located in the South Loop of Chicago, eco18 invites you to visit the on-site sales center and furnished model (1832 S. Wabash), representing this forward thinking project!
New Sales Office
http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l221/Mansmith_2006/DSCN2693.jpg

This was the first that I had heard of ECO18. Hopefully this sparks development from 16th to 18. I was surpised to find this as far along as it was.

^ Oh, great. Now we just need somebody to step in there and find out what this thing will look like

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^Thanks, but no thanks. More crap that should never see the light of day. I was hoping that with all the tech advances they were promising there might be a chance that this would come out decent. Guess not.

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Nooooo (>_<). Not in my neighborhood!
The SRO across the street looks better.

Can we take one of the X/O towers over here?

I dunno about you guys, but I'm willing to take a few architectural bullets like this one if it means the South Loop densifies faster.

At the very least, it gives the image of being very pedestrian friendly and having a lot of ground-floor retail.

2 cents: we don't have the luxury of being this picky in the south loop. We already have a lot of quality projects u/c or proposed, and future projects that will certainly be of high quality. This thing is an immense upgrade from what is there, and that small area of the south loop is somewhat lifeless at the moment, so this project will be great for the area. Look at pictures of the south loop from 6 or 7 years ago, and i'm sure your attitudes will change about this project. We've come a long way down here, and anything that brings in more residents, more retail, and enhances street life is welcome in my book.

it gives the image of being very pedestrian friendly and having a lot of ground-floor retail.

I was amused to see that even the renderer gave up on the chances of attracting real retail and put in a sign for a realty office.

2 We already have a lot of quality projects u/c or proposed, and future projects that will certainly be of high quality. This thing is an immense upgrade from what is there, and that small area of the south loop is somewhat lifeless at the moment, so this project will be great for the area. Look at pictures of the south loop from 6 or 7 years ago, and i'm sure your attitudes will change about this project. We've come a long way down here, and anything that brings in more residents, more retail, and enhances street life is welcome in my book.

i don't need to look at the photos of south loop from 7 years ago, i still have vivid memories. .... all that crazy parties at the photo studios.... good times...
sure it was a rough neighborhood, but it had a unique character and a great potential to turn into something hot, where the residential buildings would coexist with printshops, art studios, and upscale restaurants or boutiques.

i was excited to watch the development of the area, but now i'm just disappointed...

there are maybe 4 new buildings, which would be worth photographing and sending to friends in eastern europe to show off. and i don't know if even that would do it. warsaw is building really nice high-rises lately.

time for me to move out to the city with smaller shoulders but bigger imagination... and less greedy developers. what was the ratio of chicago developers' profit versus new york developers per SF?
anyone remembers that?

Eco18 1818 South Wabash.

http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/9678/eco181002ci5dt4.jpg

Not bad for the location. Agree with Chitowner 245. We could put up more of the cheap CMK stuff so you can get a look at your neighbors $200 Target bedroom set, and clothes piled up in the window with the bedsheets covering the sun.

I take it the lower two floors are facade, and the upper is more painted concrete...cripes throw some red stripes to make it an architectural wonder; oh, that has been done :)

Is CMK really cheap construction? I happen to like their designs a lot but I guess to each their own.

I think its fine. Not great, but south loop used to be a lot worse off. Hopefully with this type of design the units are also less expensive. There should be some more affordable places in the south loop so its not all the same yuppies demographic etc.

http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/9678/eco181002ci5dt4.jpg
Meh.

Is CMK really cheap construction? I happen to like their designs a lot but I guess to each their own.

Their design and materials on the South Loop projects, are inferior to their other projects. The developers seem to lower their standards on highrises in the South Loop. The streetscape wall they created on Michigan Ave. with 1712 and 1620 projects is a sterile and uninspiring gray mass of ribbed aluminum siding. In total, their designs have been predictable, tired, and worn. Now, in some cases there were a lower initial price per square foot, and that is their demographic target. http://www.cmkcompanies.com/site/epage/26401_532.htm

It's Michigan Avenue for cripes sale, and that is the best you can do? When you are installing pre-cast celing/floor panels for a condo development, it is a clue you are ultimately not thinking about custom quality. Reminds me of a Days Inn

^^ ^^ Ahh another uplifting post from our resident nay sayer. I mean god I feel so good about what’s happened to the South Loop after reading his divisive slop everyday.

I would argue that diversity in style and price point are what make the area sustainable.

CMK provides a no frills housing stock that has serves the market. It may not be the Elysian or Streeterville but with 3 buildings South of 14th and more to come, their doing something right.

Options like 1720 or Vision may not be up to Erms standards (because boy that Legacy crap that he is so hot to protect has added so much to Prairie and Calumet Ave), but it does serve the neighborhood.

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Their design and materials on the South Loop projects, are inferior to their other projects. The developers seem to lower their standards on highrises in the South Loop. The streetscape wall they created on Michigan Ave. with 1712 and 1620 projects is a sterile and uninspiring gray mass of ribbed aluminum siding. In total, their designs have been predictable, tired, and worn. Now, in some cases there were a lower initial price per square foot, and that is their demographic target. http://www.cmkcompanies.com/site/epage/26401_532.htm

It's Michigan Avenue for cripes sale, and that is the best you can do? When you are installing pre-cast celing/floor panels for a condo development, it is a clue you are ultimately not thinking about custom quality. Reminds me of a Days Inn

That's a little too simplistic and your ignorance belies the fact that you don't know much about their projects or the architects they use. CMK has won many awards for their buildings, the Contemporaine was given and AIA Honor award in 2005, the highest honor given by the American Institute of Architects for individual works of architecture, and they are again working with Ralph Johnson/Perkins + Will for their new high-rise at 235 Van Buren. Their South Loop projects (specifically 1620 and 1720 S. Michigan) were designed by Brinninstool and Lynch, again, well know, well respected and award-winning architects in Chicago. The reason CMK designs might look cheap to you (and trust me, price-wise, they ain't cheap) is because they take a simpler approach to residential high-rise development, where the materials, concrete, steel, glass, metal finishes speak for themselves, instead of creating tacky, faux-old world, incorrect beaux-arts, or art-nouveau monstrosities (read: the butchers at Lucein LaGrange). As for the "sterile" enviroment along the S. Michigan streetscape, they've left room deliberately for retail, commercial developement (and even a school, which was rumored to be interested in the first floor of 1720) which that part of the South Loop desperately needs if it wants to be a lively part of the City.
Basically, even if you don't have the cranial capacity to understand modernism, or rather 21st century interpretations of Miesian Moderism, and the simple elegance that arises from it, don't knock it so easily, especially considering that CMK is doing what many other highrise developers should be doing in the City - as far as I'm concerned, CMK is doing it right, others are doing it wrong.

That's a little too simplistic and your ignorance belies the fact that you don't know much about their projects or the architects they use. CMK has won many awards for their buildings, the Contemporaine was given and AIA Honor award in 2005, the highest honor given by the American Institute of Architects for individual works of architecture, and they are again working with Ralph Johnson/Perkins + Will for their new high-rise at 235 Van Buren. Their South Loop projects (specifically 1620 and 1720 S. Michigan) were designed by Brinninstool and Lynch, again, well know, well respected and award-winning architects in Chicago. The reason CMK designs might look cheap to you (and trust me, price-wise, they ain't cheap) is because they take a simpler approach to residential high-rise development, where the materials, concrete, steel, glass, metal finishes speak for themselves, instead of creating tacky, faux-old world, incorrect beaux-arts, or art-nouveau monstrosities (read: the butchers at Lucein LaGrange). As for the "sterile" enviroment along the S. Michigan streetscape, they've left room deliberately for retail, commercial developement (and even a school, which was rumored to be interested in the first floor of 1720) which that part of the South Loop desperately needs if it wants to be a lively part of the City.
Basically, even if you don't have the cranial capacity to understand modernism, or rather 21st century interpretations of Miesian Moderism, and the simple elegance that arises from it, don't knock it so easily, especially considering that CMK is doing what many other highrise developers should be doing in the City - as far as I'm concerned, CMK is doing it right, others are doing it wrong.

Thurstin, get me a drink!