CHICAGO | General Developments - Page 1161

Vlajos · #**23201** Posted **Mar 28, 2014, 8:54 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by killaviews

I know some people had doubts that a suburban Indiana residential developer could do a Chicago historic renovation right, but looking at this website gives me hope.

Somerset Place in Uptown:
http://www.somersetplace-apartments.com/news.aspx

Its nice to see that some original details can be restored.

Wow, maybe they will pull this off. I was concerned when I read about the asbestos issue. They certainly came off amateurish.

marothisu · #**23202** Posted **Mar 28, 2014, 9:31 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vlajos

Wow, maybe they will pull this off. I was concerned when I read about the asbestos issue. They certainly came off amateurish.

The amenities sound pretty decent. Nest thermostat, stainless steel everything, granite countertops, central air and heat, USB outlets in the kitchen, fitness center, skydecks, 9 foot ceilings, bike racks, etc. Not bad if they do it well

Vlajos · #**23203** Posted **Mar 28, 2014, 9:53 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by marothisu

The amenities sound pretty decent. Nest thermostat, stainless steel everything, granite countertops, central air and heat, USB outlets in the kitchen, fitness center, skydecks, 9 foot ceilings, bike racks, etc. Not bad if they do it well

I agree, and a huge turn for the area from essentially a prison for old poor people to a new and refreshed building at market rents.

Kenmore · #**23204** Posted **Mar 28, 2014, 9:57 PM**

As a resident of this far north portion of Uptown, this is great news. If Somerset and Lawrence House turn out as advertised it will be HUGE.

marothisu · #**23205** Posted **Mar 28, 2014, 10:08 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vlajos

I agree, and a huge turn for the area from essentially a prison for old poor people to a new and refreshed building at market rents.

That is one area of Uptown I would live in, especially if there were nice housing options (there are some). I love SE Asia - cheap markets with cheap Asian food and cheap Asian restaurants next to a 24 hour train stop? Yes please.

emathias · #**23206** Posted **Mar 29, 2014, 2:26 AM**

I got two developer letters in the mail today, and one last week.

The one last week was for the development on Wells just north of Huron.

The two today include the one for the former Ginos East in River North for 450 units plus 6,700 square feet of retail, also on Wells, and a new one for what appears to be the Howard Johnson on LaSalle, for 298 residential units plus 10,000 square feet of retail.

harryc · #**23207** Posted **Mar 29, 2014, 3:43 PM**

untitledreality · #**23208** Posted **Mar 29, 2014, 4:58 PM**

Interesting tool on Metropolitan Planning Council's website, it shows individual lots available for TOD ordinance application, which can receive density bonuses and parking reductions, and which are parking reduction only. It is handy to see such detail on a citywide scale.

MPC: Equitable TOD

MPC TOD Ordinance Map

Note: Check out the potential for North Broadway from Montrose to Granville.

ardecila · #**23209** Posted **Mar 29, 2014, 5:02 PM**

Imagine what this map would look like if all those Metra stations weren't in the midst of Planned Manufacturing Districts.

As a next step, they should add a layer for planned/proposed stations. Cermak(Green), Peterson/Ridge, Auburn Park, Washington/Wabash, Division(Brown). It does look like the mapmakers already took the new LaSalle entrance into account at Clark/Division.

harryc · #**23210** Posted **Mar 29, 2014, 6:57 PM**

Feb 28

Mar 27

the urban politician · #**23211** Posted **Mar 29, 2014, 7:50 PM**

Interesting article in this week's Crains about the West Loop/Fulton Market district and the issues regarding its dramatic transformation. Robert DeNiro's Nobu hotel was highlighted.

the urban politician · #**23212** Posted **Mar 29, 2014, 7:56 PM**

^ Along the lines of this topic, if I were one of the meat processors in that area I would be reaching out to other businesses to co-invest in a giant meat producer/distributor in vacant land elsewhere, perhaps one of the PMD's on the southwest side. Imagine a giant facility near the highway with
all of these businesses, with separate stalls, under one roof. In turn, they can sell off their West Loop facilities to developers for huge profits, this area being so hot lately.

streetline · #**23213** Posted **Mar 29, 2014, 10:58 PM**

In terms of high volume wholesale-only businesses, the neighborhood may be shifting away from them. I wish them well, and agree that coordinating on a new location might be a good idea, but keeping them happy doesn't seem worth sacrificing a whole neighborhood full of new hotels (it's not just Nobu and Brooklyn Bowl, Sterling Bay was thinking of putting one in across Morgan from Google's new offices as well).

On the other hand, there are a several old neighborhood businesses with retail sides that it'd be a shame to lose going forward. These types of businesses could potentially thrive in a more business/hotel/residential oriented west loop, I just hope they stick it out through the transition:

N & G Produce (We're losing this in favor of the new Rick Bayless restaurant, which leaves us without a greengrocer beyond the big chain grocery stores),
Olympia Meats,
Columbus Meat Market,
Nicholas Quality Meats,
J.P. Graziano,
Isaacson & Stein (It looks like Rubino’s Seafood is leaving soon to make way for apartments, so this will now be the neighborhood's only fish market.),
B A Florist & Nursery,
etc...

untitledreality · #**23214** Posted **Mar 30, 2014, 3:52 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ardecila

Imagine what this map would look like if all those Metra stations weren't in the midst of Planned Manufacturing Districts.

What is more disappointing, to me anyways, is that so few lots qualify for immediate density bonuses. I mean, isn't that one of the driving principles behind transit oriented design?

ardecila · #**23215** Posted **Mar 30, 2014, 4:40 AM**

Yeah R lots don't qualify so many stations have little to no TOD potential. Look at Harlem (O'Hare) on the Blue Line... it's a transit hub for several bus lines as well as rail, like a mini-Jeff. Park, but there's almost no allowance for TOD because the surroundings are zoned for single-family.

denizen467 · #**23216** Posted **Mar 30, 2014, 9:48 AM**

Tiny bit of news that snuck by, that's actually long-awaited, dancing fruit news:

The Franklin/Randolph Walgreen's is finally getting a visit from the grim reaper -- they just leased replacement space in the Thompson Center, street level along Randolph.
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/reale...hompson-center

Hopefully, the old store will be replaced by a parking lot (rather than some store with a short-term lease?) until such time as Buck can finally get a tower going there. I've never cheered for a surface lot before -- but I am now because that hideous Walgreen's structure absolutely has got to go.

Kenmore · #**23217** Posted **Mar 30, 2014, 12:51 PM**

More positive N. Broadway news

http://edgevillebuzz.com/news/new-lo...-redevelopment

Quote:

Construction is underway ... of the mixed-use building located at 5427-37 N. Broadway.

The remodeling includes “preserving a portion of the façade to maintain the character of the existing 3 story building. That said, a great deal of the front will be rebuilt at each floor level with new windows & balconies to create a modern yet classical end result,” added Gold.

So glad this wasn't demo'd to make way for a strip mall as it has a major presence on what remains of the street wall.