Northerly Island Development News

[Azn_chi_boi]

I think chicago will be the first in bui;ding one right at downtown of a US major city.

[geoff_diamond]

I think it would make us the laughing-stock of the United States... and rightfully so. Talk about perpetuating talk of Chicago as the "flyover!"

[Chi_Coruscant]

City expects windfall from amphitheater
Take from Meigs site should eclipse goal, park officials say

By Hal Dardick
Tribune staff reporter
Published May 12, 2005


The Chicago Park District's annual take from a temporary amphitheater at Northerly Island--site of the former Meigs Field--could near $1.4 million in its first season, easily topping the district's goal, officials said Wednesday.

"The expected revenue here will far exceed $1 million a year," said Jim Chronis, district chief operating officer.

Chronis made that projection at a meeting of the district's board of commissioners, which approved a nearly complete draft of the contract with a Chicago subsidiary of San Antonio-based Clear Channel Entertainment.

Commissioners in February approved contract negotiations with Clear Channel, which is building the amphitheater and will operate it. The contract is for three years, with two options for one-year extensions.

When district Gen. Supt. Timothy Mitchell announced the amphitheater, he set a minimum revenue goal of $800,000. That amount, he said, would cover the cost of maintaining Northerly and planning to convert the 78-acre peninsula into a nature park long advocated by Mayor Richard Daley.

Twenty or 21 concerts--including a June 24 amphitheater debut featuring Chicago and Earth, Wind & Fire--and family events are expected to be held this year at the venue, Chronis said.

The bulk of the revenue, about $800,000, will come from parking at the underground garage at Soldier Field. Parking, which would include a trolley ride from Soldier Field to Northerly, would cost about $18, Chronis said.

The district also will receive a $225,000 guaranteed annual payment and 75 cents on every ticket sold, which would top $113,000 if 21 events this year were 90 percent sold out. Starting in 2007, the district will receive $1 for every ticket sold.

And the district will get about $252,000 for its 60 percent share of the annual net profit from naming rights. The venue is expected to sport the name of "a financial institution," Chronis said.

Should Clear Channel's gross revenue exceed its expectations--which have yet to be projected--the district would receive 10 percent of any gross revenue above those expectations, he added.

A $25,000 bonus also would be paid each year to the district starting in 2007 if annual attendance tops 200,000, Chronis said. If attendance tops 225,000, the district would receive an additional $25,000, he said.

The amphitheater, conceived to raise money for the nature park, would cover about 4.6 acres. It will be removed at the end of each season and eliminated within five years, officials said.

In March 2003, Daley ordered the destruction of the sole runway at Meigs Field, citing safety concerns in a terrorist age.

[wickedestcity]

http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?C...dd3ba4021f0e#d

Listen To Chicago's Plans For Meigs Land... And Have Lunch
Wed, 01 Mar '06

City To Offer Its Plans To The Public
Aero-News has learned that Wednesday, March 1, is the date of the first public discussion of the Chicago Park District's plans for Northerly Island. The event is part of a weekly lunch lecture series conducted by the Chicago Architecture Foundation.



The free event will be held from 12:15 pm until 1 pm, at The John Buck Company Lecture Hall Gallery in downtown Chicago. Arnold Randall, Director of Planning & Development, Chicago Park District, will present the Park District's plans in a lecture entitled "Northerly Island: Planning Chicago’s Next Great Open Space"

Of course, Northerly Island once was home to a lovely little airport called Meigs Field (above) -- until -- cough-- Mayor Richard Daley ordered bulldozers to rip its runways to shreds under the cover of darkness in March 2003 (below, right).

"We encourage all nearby Meigs supporters to attend to show support for our Parks and Planes proposal, combining a new lakefront park with an aviation museum and operating Meigs Field," the Friends of Meigs stated in a news release.

The lecture will be the first time the city has put its plans for the former Meigs Field up for public discussion since the final "public planning session" in March 2005 -- during which approximately 2/3 of the participants walked out in protest of the city's plans.

Participants are encouraged to bring a bag lunch for Wednesday's event. Aero-News also suggests appropriate headache and heartburn medication.



by Aero-News Network, Inc.

[mohammed wong]

there is still a black angus farm at the very northern edge of lake bluff on sheridan on the lake!
its pretty amazing to see it, you can see the lake from sheridan with the cows grazing and the farmhouse, its just south of the navy complex and its hospital,
pretty cool neck of the woods, as well as the lake bluff beach is pretty cool, and very lesser known, i never get any hassle going there, cuz my license has lake bluff, il on it
but its worth checking out when its cold out cuz no one will give you grief in going there, i think its so bogus the whole semi private beach thing,

[wickedestcity]

huh?

[mohammed wong]

i just brought up because of the talk of bison,
sorry i didnt see that there was another page of discussion,
just something i found interesting, that there is indeed cattle grazing on grass in lake county on the lake, not something you would think is around anymore,

[PrintersRowBoiler]

Did anyone go to this?

[Azn_chi_boi]

Off topic, but now, I think since Chicago is into the Olympics... why not put some of the Olympics things there with a Giant forest. Extend and Expand the Island too...

[wickedestcity]

http://www.wbbm780.com/pages/11159.php

Debate Continues Over Future of Northerly Island

Bob Roberts Reporting

CHICAGO (WBBM Newsradio 780) -- Nearly three years have passed since Mayor Daley ordered the bulldozers in, to destroy Meigs Field in the middle of the night. The war of words continues between open-space advocates and those who want to see the airport rebuilt.

Park District Planning and Development Chief Arnold Randall is firm about the future of Northerly Island -- and about plans for an "airport in a park" developed by the group Friends of Meigs Field.

"We respectfully disagree," he told those attending a lecture at the Chicago Architecture Foundation as he placed a slide showing 1930s teens at the 12th Street beach engaging in a tug-of-war to nervous giggles.

"The struggle will go on, I\'m sure, because they\'re very committed and we respect that," he said. "But ultimately, no, we\'re not considering any aviation-related ideas at Northerly Island."

He said that there is no shortage of ideas for Northerly Island, including a second access road.

Already, there are walking paths, wildflowers and a concert pavilion on the island, but the only "permanent" structures on Northerly Island are those left over from Meigs --the former terminal building, hangar and tower. The Friends of Meigs Fields\' Josh Levy said he sees the same problems with Northerly Island that the Daley administration has on State Street --only supersized.

"This is essentially a Block 37." Levy said. "It will be a vacant piece of land, an underused piece of land until the Park District comes up with funds to develop it -- and I don\'t see that happening."

Levy said he believes most, if not all, of the proposals that have been put forward for the Northerly Island park can be accommodated in Grant Park.

He claims that if the city were to purchase Northerly Island from the Park District with Federal Aviation Administration Airport Improvement Funds, it would leave the parks with well in excess of $100 million after development were complete.

Randall disagreed, calling Grant Park "very busy every day," and saying that the Friends\' "airport in the park" plan has been considered and rejected.

Looking ahead, Randall said an outside design team may be in place by mid-summer. He said the temporary concert pavilion adjacent to the 12th Street Beach is helping to underwrite maintenance and development costs.

[Chicagotom]

The Associated Press
Published March 22, 2006, 7:39 AM CST


Part of the old Miegs field airport terminal at Northerly Island in Chicago will be converted into a bird hospital.

The Chicago Park District says the new hospital will treat wild birds injured in accidents including running into high-rise building windows.

The hospital will be run by the Flint Creek Wildlife Rehabilitation Center.

Dawn Keller, founder and executive director of the nonprofit center, says the city hospital on Lake Michigan will provide a close relaunch location for the birds.

The most common bird injury is head trauma, and the most injured urban bird species are warblers and sparrows.

The park district is donating the space to the center, which plans to open the office early next month.

[Chicagotom]

These are from last summer.

[skybuzz]

My only question is what can be done to make sure that Northerly Island becomes the sickest piece of lakefront/park land that Chicago has?

[skybuzz]

"Chicago's famous architect and planner Daniel H. Burnham imagined Northerly Island as one of the northernmost points in a series of manmade islands stretching between Grant and Jackson Parks. His vision for this park included lagoons, harbors, beaches, recreation areas, a scenic drive and grand stretches of green space that would provide breathtaking views of the lake and City skyline." (from Chicago Park District's website)

[spyguy]

I assume everything planned for Northerly Island is on hold because of the Olympic bid. Regardless of whether or not that happens, I'd like to see that cool concept structure Jahn proposed a few years back.

[skybuzz]

Yeah, I guess you're right that the Olympics potential is likely to put everything on hold. I'm not familiar with what Jahn proposed. Do you have any links or more info? I'd love to see...

[bnk]

Originally Posted by skybuzz

"Chicago's famous architect and planner Daniel H. Burnham imagined Northerly Island as one of the northernmost points in a series of manmade islands stretching between Grant and Jackson Parks. His vision for this park included lagoons, harbors, beaches, recreation areas, a scenic drive and grand stretches of green space that would provide breathtaking views of the lake and City skyline." (from Chicago Park District's website)

Thanks for mentioning a favorite topic of mine.










.

Welcome to SSC skybuzz!

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by skybuzz

I'm not familiar with what Jahn proposed. Do you have any links or more info? I'd love to see...

Well, most of the renderings and things were part of the Visionary Chicago Architecture exhibit a few years ago. A companion book was published with many images of the proposals. Prairie Avenue has it for $35.

All I could find on the web was this:

[Chicagotom]

I was out on the Tower 3 roof top and noticed that those 3 fairy scuptures that use to be at Roosevelt and Michigan in Grant Park have been moved out to Northerly Island. I was planning to ride out their this weekend but didn't get around to it. I was glad to see that they have a home.

[nomarandlee]

http://www.suntimes.com/news/politic...park07.article

Parks may lease island assets
MEIGS FIELD SITE | It would raise cash to turn site of airstrip into nature park
April 7, 2008Recommend

BY FRAN SPIELMAN AND ANDREW HERRMANN Staff Reporters

The Chicago Park District board president is hinting the agency might lease assets to help pay for the transformation of the former Meigs Field into a nature park.

In the coming days, the park district is expecting to sign an agreement with the the urban and landscape design firm JJR LLC to formulate redevelopment plans of the 91-acre Northerly Island peninsula just east of Soldier Field, park officials say.

............The idea is to make the south end of Northerly more natural with trees and other plantings with the north end focused more on active use, Biagi said.

"We're not being that prescriptive [to LLC]. There will be a way to move through the park on bicycle and on foot. Do we need to have some sort of intermodal form of transportation? . . . Those are the kind of ideas we want them to look at,'' she said.

..........She suggested the volleyball facility might have a post-Games life as a music venue.

..