How would you redesign/program Navy Pier ?

[edsg25]

Originally Posted by Chitowner245

Nobody really knows what the hell it really is. I like the stained glass art museum. I like the cruises and the imax, and there are some good restaurants. It just needs more and needs to offer more along the lines of incorpoating a "lake michigan experience."

What it is is a cash cow for tourism. It also, for better or worse, is one of those places that plants Chicago in people's minds and adds to our visibility.

how does it serve Chicagoans? You're absolutely correct on the limitations and the whole "it doesn't know what it wants to be" thing. here's what i think the role may be: the lakefront is dedicated to the soft edge of beach and park, of being away to get out of the city at the city's very door step. It's about nature, it is dedicated to nature, and the city has more than held its own in keeping the vision (for whatever compromises have been made).

Navy Pier serves as the diversion, the break in the lakefront wall, the hard edge of the pier contrasting the soft of the beaches and the parks. It adds a relatively small zone of pizzaz to add a little seasoning to the more extensive and more wonderfully bucolic elements of the lakefront.

Navy Pier's greatest contribution may be how small a part of the whole it is when one travels from Hollywood on the north to Jackson Park on the south.

[Mr Downtown]

Originally Posted by Chitowner245

taking a cruise to saugatuk, or upper peninsula somwhere, or just plain cruising around the lake for a few days. That's a trip I would love to take in the good weather months! I don't see why that wouldn't work. I've always wondered "why hasn't this happened?"

Have you ever looked into why such cruises died out? Milwaukee and Michigan City daytrip cruises were big business in the 1920s, but I don't know when they ended.

[Chicago3rd]

Originally Posted by Mr Downtown

Have you ever looked into why such cruises died out? Milwaukee and Michigan City daytrip cruises were big business in the 1920s, but I don't know when they ended.

Dependency on the car...lol.

Would be cool to have a high speed passenger ferry going over to Saugetuck in the summer...pulling into that beautiful harbor and letting us walk to our nice little bed and breaksfast establishments when we get there.

I never figured out why there aren't high speed ferries from south and north Chicago areas up and up the river into the core of the city.

[edsg25]

Originally Posted by Chicago3rd

Dependency on the car...lol.

Would be cool to have a high speed passenger ferry going over to Saugetuck in the summer...pulling into that beautiful harbor and letting us walk to our nice little bed and breaksfast establishments when we get there.

I never figured out why there aren't high speed ferries from south and north Chicago areas up and up the river into the core of the city.

another possibility: a highly scaled down version of the DT Chgo tourist trolly system, but this one geared to taking day trippers from Chicago to (for example) a series of stops in DT Mil (i.e. Summerfest, the Domes, Milw Public Museum, Old 3rd Ward, etc.)

[MWR]

Originally Posted by MWR

I'd move all of the commercial boat ports to the opposite (north) side. It definitely needs more restaurant vitality and variety (Who goes there for McDonald's?). All the existing restaurant leases should be canceled and new ones brought in; with only two year lease maximums. Once the Children's Museum is gone, there should be a Casino with a Hotel!

I would also add a Chicago Movie Museum which would have artifacts and memorabilia of movies filmed in the City, and I would enhance nearby Olive Park with water fountains that would rival the Belagio in Las Vegas.

[urbanpln]

I'm surprised no one would create a large outdoor/indoor market similar to the La Boqueria located in Barcelona (it could have a retractable roof). This has got to be one of the most colorful and lively markets that I have seen anywhere. Although it is a tourist mecca it aslo attracts locals. All of the restaurants located inside of this markets would be classified as joints or greasy spoons in Chicago but tthey serve quality cheap seafood which is plentiful in that city. Chicago could serve pastrami, pizza, gyros, polish sausage and have a year round super farmers market. It could also have lettuce entertain you, levy group and jerry klienert restaurants. There could be art shops that feature work from local atrist. All of this would happen under an newly design pier that has way more open landscayped space.

[nomarandlee]

Was looking for the 2006 thread when that trainwreck of a plan was released for the Navy Pier redevelopment but to no avail.

http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune....y-pier.html#tp


November 15, 2010

A heroic, if unlikely, vision for Navy Pier; Helmut Jahn's pier plan is over the top, but it still floats ideas that could uplift the lakefront icon

Let the Navy Pier architecture derby begin. First out of the gate: Helmut Jahn.

The German-American, Chicago-based architect has a bold vision for redeveloping the pier, which couldn't be more timely in light of Wednesday's announcement that the lakefront icon will get a major overhaul by its 100th anniversary in 2016.

Yes, it's over the top and, in all likelihood, ridiculously expensive. But it's full of creative sparks — precisely what was missing from the largely predictable list of recommendations made by a visiting panel of developers in conjunction with the news about the pier's revamp.

Think of it as a conversation starter, one that kick-starts the civic debate over Chicago's first signature public work of the post-Daley era. So what if the twisting, 2,000-foot Chicago Spire is dead? Now, Chicago can channel every ounce of its civic energy into rebuilding and reconceiving the ramrod straight, 3,300-foot-long pier.

The plan, which Jahn showed privately to pier executives in 2008, addresses several of the pier's nagging problems: its hodgepodge of historic and contemporary buildings; its mazelike corridors; the poor traffic planning that puts pedestrians at risk; and its Ferris wheel.

Here are the proposal's most intriguing features:

•An enormous curving canopy, made of red steel arches and topped with a taut fabric roof, that would be bracketed by the classically-inspired buildings at the pier's head and foot. The canopy would join the pier's disparate structures into a single, overarching image, comparable to a sail or a wave.

•An undulating, two-story retail addition, built to the south of the pier's claustrophobic corridors, that would follow the canopy's curve and be brightened by a long skylight.

•A southward expansion of the pier's "Dock Street" pedestrian promenade that would accommodate the canopy and shops. Smaller, angled piers would jut out from new promenade, offering docking space for pleasure boats and shifting cumbersome, view-blocking tour boats off the main part of pier.

•A new Ferris wheel, 500 feet tall, that would be turned east-west, a break in both height and orientation from the present wheel, which is oriented north-south and is 150 feet tall. Jahn favors the east-west alignment because it reinforces the pier's linear, nautical quality, with the Ferris wheel suggesting a riverboat's paddle wheel. The new wheel would cantilever off a geometrically-skewed building, 300 feet tall, housing entertainment venues and theaters.

•An expanded park at the pier's west end that would have a 1,300-space garage below it, along with ramps allowing CTA buses to come and go. Visitors would emerge from elevators in front of the pier's western facade. Cars could still use the service drive on the pier's north end to get to the pier's existing 1,600 parking spaces. .

Jahn has no cost estimate for his proposal, which surely would overrun the estimated $50 million to $100 million renovation budget that pier officials have set. Nor does his plan accommodate changes suggested by the visiting panels of developers, such as a proposed 950-seat theater for the pier's Chicago Shakespeare Theatre.

Other aspects of the plan are sure non-starters. No one wants to build 750,000 square feet of new retail space in today's weak economy. And why spend buckets of money to cover Dock Street with that big canopy when the street works perfectly well as a sun-splashed promenade, open to the Midwestern sky? Besides, the canopy, as designed, is too tall and too wavy, usurping the visual primacy of the historic structures that serve as the pier's architectural bookends.

"This is a dream," Jahn says, at once defending the plan's lack of pragmatism and evoking Daniel Burnham's exhortation to make no small plans and dream big dreams.

Yet the architect is on target when he argues that the limited means of today should not limit our visions for tomorrow. Even if his plan is a relic from the Age of Excess that's seeing the light of day in the Age of Austerity, it sets the architectural agenda, raising design issues that other architects who vie for this plum job will invariably have to address.

What also must be addressed is the way pier officials go about picking an architect. James Reilly, the pier's chief, has said he'd like to have a master plan for the pier in place by January. But given the high stakes of this project, Reilly and other pier officials would be well-advised to slow things down and get their architect selection process right.

A big design competition might yield fascinating ideas, yet it also might prove time-consuming and unwieldy. If, as expected, pier officials issue a request for proposals, it will be essential that they look not only for a powerful design but also an architect who can meld the practical and the visionary. Jahn's heroic, imperfect plan is but a first step down that road.

...


Phonto in article

[nomarandlee]

Video

http://news.yahoo.com/video/chicagoc...-pier-25690204

Changes Expected At Navy Pier
Mon Jun 20, 4:56PM PT - CBS 2 Chicago 2:34 | 1437 views
Navy Pier is turning into a not-for-profit next month. CBS 2's Vince Gerasole reports on what's in store for the popular tourist attraction.

[urbanpln]

No disrespect but, I hope the decision makers don't listen to the woman from Kansas or visitors with low expectations. Most Chicagoans, especially neighborhood types, the well travelled and singles, don't go there after one or two visits. I only go there for special events.

I've always believed that some type of food and artisan product market would perform well there if done right. It could be modeled after the Granville Market in Vancouver, Milwaukee's public market or the one in Barcelona. Tourist and visitors love market places especially those with wine shops and produce. They can take wine home as a gift and buy fresh fruit for the kids. I ride my bike through out Streeterville several times a month.

The path to Navy Pier is always busy even during the winter months. It would simply perform better than the current French Market because most of the pedestrian traffic passing through is leisure not suburban commuters running to go home.

[MWR]

I would hope that the City would somehow incorporate enhancements to the Pier with updates to Milton Lee Olive Park. it is extremely scenic and could have better landscape and the water fountains fixed (or enhanced).

[nomarandlee]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/busine...,4991296.story


Navy Pier releases plans for improving top tourist attraction

By Kathy Bergen and Blair Kamin

Tribune reporters

10:30 a.m. CDT, June 30, 2011
Navy Pier officials released a framework plan Thursday morning for refreshing Chicago's top tourist attraction, envisioning that the Chicago Children's Museum not only will stay put as an anchor, but also expand there.

"As the pier and the museum have explored their respective missions in recent months, they have come to recognize that each institutions strengthens the other. They are working together on a plan to locate an expanded Chicago Children's Museum in the family pavilion" of the Pier, according to an executive summary of the plan. "If finalized this new permanent home for the museum would occupy nearly 100,000 square feet," it said.

The projected cost for the redevelopment of the public elements of Navy Pier will be about $155 million, according to the plan. The figure does not include private investments that would come from partner cultural institutions, the Chicago Shakespeare Theater and the Children's Museum, or from commercial partners such as hotel developments.

The plan envisions a boutique hotel on the east side of the pier, a proposal that could prove controversial to lakefront advocates who would fight any commercial building east of Lake Shore Drive.

The plan foresees a major expansion of the Chicago Shakespeare Theater, with construction of a distinctively-shaped new building. The proposal also calls for increased green space and upgraded landscaping, more restaurants, and improved retail offerings at Navy Pier.

The theater expansion could include adding a 950-seat facility to its existing 500-seat and 200-seat theaters, potentially taking over the neighboring space occupied by the pier's underused Skyline Stage, home to "Cirque Shanghai" in the summer.

In addition, pier officials said Thursday that they would conduct an international search for a firm that would provide a new design for the pier's outdoor spaces. To illustrate the changes they have in mind, they showed renderings that revealed a transformed east end of the pier with landscaping and water features, rather than concrete and other pavement...........

....

[skyduster]

Since this old thread was resurrected, here's my 2 cents on how I would redesign Navy Pier:

Firstly, the article posted by nomarandlee talks about some positive changes that I would like to see. Expanding Shakespeare Theater, increased green space, improved landscaping...all of those are excellent ideas.

I'm not so sure about a hotel on Navy Pier, though. Sounds awful, to be honest. There's [still] plenty open space just west of Navy Pier on the Streeterville mainland, in case Chicago really does need an additional hotel.

I also don't like the idea of expanding retail. In fact I would get rid of most of the retail at Navy Pier. The shopping mall inside of Navy Pier is just horrid, and completely unnecessary. Navy Pier isn't -nor should it be- a shopping district.

And the same goes for the food court inside Navy Pier's mall with all the same horrid fast-food chains you'd expect to find in any mall food court in Anytown, USA...not in central Chicago. Get rid of ALL of it.

In fact, gut the mall (without tearing down the original parts of the structure), and create an open space for trees, landscaping, as well as limited toned-down entertainment like quality restaurants (which will have outdoor alfresco tables in the warmer months), beer gardens, small-concert venues, small theaters (open-air theaters would be great)...I would change Navy Pier in this way.

Get rid of all the tacky carnival-like stores, and the tacky cotton candy, and all that tacky shit that makes Navy Pier look like Coney Island meets Mall-of-America. Okay, maybe one cotton candy stand by the Ferris wheel, but the rest should go.

Navy Pier has always been one disappointing zit in an otherwise gorgeous/amazing waterfront, better then most other world cities that are located on major bodies of water (Toronto, Los Angeles, Tokyo, New York, Buenos Aires, Boston, Miami...Chicago's waterfront beats all these cities...I love Rio's though, but that waterfront suits Rio, not Chicago ). the sad thing is, that Navy Pier has so much more potential.

As for the east end of NP...I like the proposals that they have, but I would like to keep this area restaurant-free and concert-free. I love the peacefulness and serenity of the eastern end of NP, and I might make some cosmetic changes, but I'd keep it quiet as it is now.

Another thing: I would also utilize the north side of Navy Pier. I know there's not much to see on the northern side (you're staring at the water-treatment plant), but they can turn this area into a more nature/trees/birds/landscaping-focused area, similar to the native-vegetation area inside Millennium Park that also has a lovely stream running through it....I would do something similar for the north side of NP instead of the car-centric wasteland that it currently is. The alfresco restaurants, beer gardens, etc, will be concentrated on the south side of Navy Pier, where you have a nice view; the north side can be a nature/park area. Maybe they can find a way to redevelop the northern side of NP while still allowing cars to come in and park...or hell, they can get rid of the car park, since people (who need to drive) can now park underneath Millennium Park...

..which takes me to my next point. This is a bit of a pipe dream, but I would redevelop Navy Pier as part of an overall strategy of all sorts of things I would correct in the city: I would add a lakefront subway line that runs along Lake Shore Drive from Lawrence until Old Town where it would run underneath Clark, then underneath Michigan Avenue through Streeterville and terminate at Millennium Station. For the South Side, it's a pretty easy fix: I would make the Metra Electric Line into the lakefront rapid transit line that many South Siders have been demanding, called the Gold Line, and run jointly by CTA and Metra. Trains will run the same frequencies as CTA trains, and it will terminate at Millennium Station. I would also create a light rail line (or, more than one light rail lines) in central Chicago that would connect several points of interest, especially connecting Navy Pier to the Red and Blue Lines, which are a bit of a walk from NP.

[netgeek77]

I am with you. We shouldn't fill Navy Pier with chain restaurants and more tacky retail. I like the idea of having more trees, landscaping, nice/upscale restaurants (indoor or outdoor) and more entertainment for locals as well. I wouldn't mind replacing the current Ferris Wheel with a bigger and taller (500+ ft) one that is in par with London Eye and Singapore Flyer. It was originally invented in Chicago after all.

I also love the idea of creating a lakefront line. But instead of subway, I would make it an elevated monorail or light rail (for great view of our gorgeous lakefront), connecting Navy Pier, Millennium Park, Museum Campus as well as McCormick Place!

I wonder if anyone from urban planning is reading these posts...

[Northsider]

Originally Posted by netgeek77

I also love the idea of creating a lakefront line. But instead of subway, I would make it an elevated monorail or light rail

I wonder if anyone from urban planning is reading these posts...

Surface rail all the way!

Doesn't matter if urban planners want this. The mayor, alderman, and residents need to be on board (pun intended), and I seriously doubt that will ever happen. The Central Area Circulator was the closest we'll ever get. Now everybody is bonkers about BRT

[urbanpln]

Originally Posted by Northsider

Surface rail all the way!

Doesn't matter if urban planners want this. The mayor, alderman, and residents need to be on board (pun intended), and I seriously doubt that will ever happen. The Central Area Circulator was the closest we'll ever get. Now everybody is bonkers about BRT

The only reason decision makers are bonkers about BRT is that its a short term solution to improve our mass transit needs during this national financial crisis. In some cases BRT can be converted to rail, especially when there are fixed guide ways with high ridership (also when fiscally possible).

[Northsider]

Originally Posted by urbanpln

The only reason decision makers are bonkers about BRT is that its a short term solution to improve our mass transit needs during this national financial crisis. In some cases BRT can be converted to rail, especially when there are fixed guide ways with high ridership (also when fiscally possible).

BRT was gaining popularity well before the crisis. The bottom line is it's cheaper than rail. If implemented properly I suppose it can work well (it seems our BRT ship has sailed though, dammit Daley! That's the biggest thing I hated about him, he never gave two shits about transit, though somehow magically wanted our system to be modern and effective like Beijing).

[Liberater444]

On the matter of a lakefront Elevated _whatever_ line, I would rather advise against it. Sure, it would give riders a better view of the area, but I'm sure residents in IL Center and Grant/Millenium Park strollers would rather not see an elevated line where one isn't needed. (after all, we aren't at Busch Gardens or Disney)

A better idea that's already (albeit a little lightly) implemented is the expansion of the trolley system. Sure, it may not be ideal for mass transit, but it gets the job done without disturbing the natural views of the area.

For this there would be 5 lines, with the routes mapped out here:
image hosted on flickr

From my PS, Flickr
Green= Park/Green Line
Red= Pier Express-North Line
Purple= Park/Purple Line
Gold= Pier Express-South Line
Blue= Lakefront Line
Orange= Metra Connection Line

[skyduster4]

You're right an elevated would be hideous.

BTW, I'm not so sure of those "trolleys" merit the word...they're just silly buses made to look like those iconic trolleys from 100 years ago.

A surface-level light-rail system, however, would be a great idea. If it connected all the right things, it would get heavy usage, IMO, and not just light usage by tourists or suburban weekenders. In other words, don't just connect McCormick Place, Grant Park, Museum Campus, and Navy Pier. It should also include several CTA/Metra hubs as stops (Millenium Station, Metra Randolph, Ogilvie, Union Station, CTA Lake hub etc), as well as West Loop, Streeterville and River North (growing residential/business areas that are currently underserved by fixed-rail transit in proportion to their density), and even expand the network to Little Italy, UIC, China Town, and up Clark St through Old Town.

[skyduster]

BTW, That's me. I logged in with the wrong username. I have two, long story, but I only use skyduster.

[nomarandlee]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/l...,2770977.story

Design competition next step in Navy Pier revamp

Winning team will be asked to redesign outdoor spaces

By Blair Kamin, Tribune critic

September 2, 2011

Hoping to lure top talent to remake Navy Pier, officials on Thursday began an international search for a team of architects and designers who will reimagine the pier's outdoor public spaces as part of a broader revamp of the facility.

The multistage process, which will include a public exhibition of five finalist proposals, will culminate in the selection of a winning team on Feb. 14.

"It's an incredible opportunity for a design team to have an impact on the urban landscape of Chicago," said Steve Haemmerle, the pier's executive vice president.

The chosen team will be asked to redesign outdoor spaces including the park on the pier's west end, the outdoor space around the Ferris wheel, the promenade known as the South Dock and the outdoor space on the pier's east end. The indoor Crystal Garden, a glass-enclosed pavilion that contains arcing fountains, will also get a redo.

The preliminary cost estimate for the work is $85 million, Haemmerle said. How it will be paid for is uncertain.

The pier's owner, the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, is expected to contribute $60 million to the remake of the pier, yet some of those funds will likely go toward other upgrades, such as improvements to the Family Pavilion or a proposed expansion of the Chicago Shakespeare Theater.

The schedule made public Thursday calls for teams — which could include architects, landscape architects, urban designers, graphic designers, lighting designers, art curators and engineers — to submit qualifications by Oct. 6.

Pier officials expect to make a first cut to roughly 10 teams by Oct. 20. The field will be narrowed to around five finalists by Nov. 22, based on additional information from the teams.......MORE

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