CHICAGO | General Developments

[Chi-Sky21]

Ashland/Ogden/Madison is a pretty jacked up intersection...not very friendly in my opinion i would not want to live on it. HOWEVER.....the lot with the old Salvation Army building is intriguing....hope they save the building fronting Ashland.

[ardecila]

^ no, I think that intersection has the potential to be something awesome, like Verdi Square in NY, or the Polish Triangle here.

That whole area would be on track for redevelopment if United Center parking wasn't such a reliable cash cow. Right next to the new apartment building is a triangular lot that Billy Goat uses for event parking. It's not even paved... smh.

[James Bond Agent 007]

Holy moly.

World’s largest Starbucks to open in Chicago

Coffee-lovers, hold on to your hats. A gigantic, four-story Starbucks is coming to the Windy City in just two years.

On Wednesday, the coffee giant announced plans to open a 43,000 square-foot Starbucks Roastery on Chicago’s Magnificent Mile in 2019.

The high-end coffee shop will be the ultimate destination for Starbucks fans, as it will offer multiple brewing methods, specialty beverages and mixology.

[ChiHi]

I'm not sure if I've seen this rendering of this project posted but apparently they're working on presales for the building. I like the original design a little better but his isn't so bad. And obviously they're pricey as hell...

https://www.atproperties.com/9609421...nois-60611-nei

[marothisu]

So I've been in China for the last week in a few cities and I have to say that I really wish somewhere like Chicago could emulate some of what they have especially with the old pedestrian alleys full of shops and food they have in a bunch of cities. I'm not talking about the touristy, flashy light wide pedestrian streets, but the more narrow, nice alleys. Maybe I'm optimistic but it would probably work in Chicago with the right shops, bars, etc.

Also, parts of Chengdu is quite amazing in regards to the amount of shops they have in a mixed use type of way. So much. My first time in china, but from an urban perspective in some parts...pretty great.

[Busy Bee]

^ Are you talking exclusively about the ancient city alleyways that predated the 20th or even 19th century or are you including new developments as well?

As everyone here knows, Chicago was never a city with intimate pathway blocks or alleyways of any kind. Chicago is an alleyway city absolutely, but our alleyways are for garage doors, garbage cans and dumpsters, puking, pissing, fornicating rats, and for those begging for trouble -- strictly utility, not for charming strolls. Can a few be retrofitted, sure. Can some new developments introduce ped "alleyways" or arcades, sure. I'm just ssaying in this town, there really is no precedent for it.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by Busy Bee

^ Are you talking exclusively about the ancient city alleyways that predated the 20th or even 19th century or are you including new developments as well?

As everyone here knows, Chicago was never a city with intimate pathway blocks or alleyways of any kind. Chicago is an alleyway city absolutely, but our alleyways are for garage doors, garbage cans and dumpsters, puking, pissing, fornicating rats, and for those begging for trouble -- strictly utility, not for charming strolls. Can a few be retrofitted, sure. Can some new developments introduce ped "alleyways" or arcades, sure. I'm just ssaying in this town, there really is no precedent for it.

Not exclusively. Some yes, but there are a few areas I went to which were built in the last 10 or 15 years on semi large pieces of land. They look old but aren't at all. Some developer just bought the land and thought to make some old looking alley areas. Totally fooled me until my girlfriend let me know this all. There's no reason why a developer in Chicago couldn't do something similar somewhere. Would be pretty cool, but then again Chicago seems too conservative to take it on. It's one of those things that NIMBYs would totally oppose for.whatever reason.

[emathias]

Originally Posted by marothisu

So I've been in China for the last week in a few cities and I have to say that I really wish somewhere like Chicago could emulate some of what they have especially with the old pedestrian alleys full of shops and food they have in a bunch of cities. I'm not talking about the touristy, flashy light wide pedestrian streets, but the more narrow, nice alleys. Maybe I'm optimistic but it would probably work in Chicago with the right shops, bars, etc.

Also, parts of Chengdu is quite amazing in regards to the amount of shops they have in a mixed use type of way. So much. My first time in china, but from an urban perspective in some parts...pretty great.

I've thought that pays off River North would work well for activating alleyways. You have a little bit already, but it could open up more.

[the urban politician]

What you are proposing just isn't common in American cities anyhow. We just don't have many examples of retail alley arcades. I would love to see it, of course, but I'm not sure what would entice a developer to create such a thing. Would retailers follow suit? Retailers would probably prefer a more prominent streetfront address.

We have urban malls, which in a sense are just modified retail arcades on steroids. We also have the pedway which kind of counts.

A rare example of what you are describing is Nickel Arcade in Ann Arbor, which I believe was built in the 1920's. As you can see, the world wasn't gushing to repeat such a development all over the place. Maybe Americans don't feel safe shopping in such secluded spaces? There has been ample discussion about how much safer Chinese cities are than ours.

[PKDickman]

Originally Posted by marothisu

There's no reason why a developer in Chicago couldn't do something similar somewhere. Would be pretty cool, but then again Chicago seems too conservative to take it on. It's one of those things that NIMBYs would totally oppose for.whatever reason.

The first iteration of the "Wicker Connection" was pretty much this. The pedestrian reconnection of Mautene Ct to Division was to be lined with shops.
We thought it was a swell idea, but when Centrum shopped it around to retail tenants, they got no takers. The only ones who showed any interest wanted concessions the made it unprofitable.

[harryc]

Apr 12






Apr 26

[harryc]

Apr 25




Apr 26

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by emathias

I've thought that pays off River North would work well for activating alleyways. You have a little bit already, but it could open up more.

Right. Just get a few pieces of land and develop further like in the west part

Originally Posted by the urban politician

What you are proposing just isn't common in American cities anyhow. We just don't have many examples of retail alley arcades. I would love to see it, of course, but I'm not sure what would entice a developer to create such a thing. Would retailers follow suit? Retailers would probably prefer a more prominent streetfront address.

We have urban malls, which in a sense are just modified retail arcades on steroids. We also have the pedway which kind of counts.

A rare example of what you are describing is Nickel Arcade in Ann Arbor, which I believe was built in the 1920's. As you can see, the world wasn't gushing to repeat such a development all over the place. Maybe Americans don't feel safe shopping in such secluded spaces? There has been ample discussion about how much safer Chinese cities are than ours.

Yep, but nothing has to last forever. One of the artificial ones created in shanghai, ya yuan which is very touristy, makes I think a few billion per year.

I don't think safety has to do with it. I think that many Americans haven't grown up in true urban environments, so they maybe have more trouble than others imagining this stuff. It takes experiencing it to get the lightbulb turned on.

I guess that one part of Chinatown is the closest we have to it.. It's not bad but needs something more.

We also went to a mountain outside of Chengdu and I was really amazed. They built up these little walkable towns that looked old, in places where you'd be like "I can't believe they built all of this here." Pretty much all for tourists, but very, very walkable. The nature was awesome too

Originally Posted by PKDickman

The first iteration of the "Wicker Connection" was pretty much this. The pedestrian reconnection of Mautene Ct to Division was to be lined with shops.
We thought it was a swell idea, but when Centrum shopped it around to retail tenants, they got no takers. The only ones who showed any interest wanted concessions the made it unprofitable.

Oh yeah. They would have been a perfect place for it. That's sad as hell... I can't believe nobody thought it would be good. Why would they think that?

[PKDickman]

Originally Posted by marothisu

Oh yeah. They would have been a perfect place for it. That's sad as hell... I can't believe nobody thought it would be good. Why would they think that?

Retail tenants are screwy. They all seem to have some standard model for success and convincing them of anything different requires a lot of stroking.
I don't think Walgreens would have taken on the Noel State Bank at Milw & Damen if they didn't feel CVS was getting too much press for the Manufacturers Bank Bldg on Division. Even then, I think Wilson threatened to lease it to CVS just to close the deal.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by PKDickman

Retail tenants are screwy. They all seem to have some standard model for success and convincing them of anything different requires a lot of stroking.
I don't think Walgreens would have taken on the Noel State Bank at Milw & Damen if they didn't feel CVS was getting too much press for the Manufacturers Bank Bldg on Division. Even then, I think Wilson threatened to lease it to CVS just to close the deal.

Not surprising, but about this one I am. The area already has a good amount of foot traffic and is walkable. The "hip" people who hang out in wicker park would no doubt find it cool as would many others. What type of tenants were being solicited for it? When I was in DC last summer, there was a development downtown which was pretty new that had a pedestrian area with a bunch of high end retail in it and some restaurants as coffee shops. It was pretty nice and got a good amount of foot traffic it seemed.

[harryc]

Apr 25

[harryc]

Apr 25

From Morgan sta.

[J_M_Tungsten]

Last week
351 W Huron

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by emathias

I've thought that pays off River North would work well for activating alleyways. You have a little bit already, but it could open up more.

This is exactly how the laneways in Melbourne are. Basically service alleys with a similar width to Chicago's, and over time they got pressed into service as retail streets.

[ithakas]

Not sure if we've seen these updated renderings from 620 W. Diversey yet (the older low-rise Walgreens at Broadway/Diversey), but interestingly, they were updated on Tunney's website on March 13, 2017. Maybe it's close to moving?

http://www.44thward.org/site/files/1...2016-02-18.pdf