CHICAGO | General Developments

[LouisVanDerWright]

^^^LOL

Originally Posted by SamInTheLoop

As it turns out, debate of the merits would appear to be moot. Reilly, as laid out in his most recent newsletter, is in no uncertain terms very much against the project - at least for a lakeshore location that would be adjacent to his ward.....and since this would presumably need a city council sign-off, I don't think it will happen off the shore of the 42nd.....

What authority does Reilly have over federally administrated navigable waters? From what I've read there really isn't much the city could do to stop this short of some sort of ordinance specifically targeting this project. They technically don't need a liquor license if they are serving aboard a private vessel and could theoretically go so far as to base the ship in some other port on the Lake so they can avoid any sort of docking regulation from the City.

This project is much more likely not to happen because it is kinda impractical than because the politicians kill it.

[r18tdi]

Reilly appears to have no authority over the party barge proposal.
That's why he opposes it.

[wierdaaron]

Reilly had two main oppositions to putting the thing off of Streeterville:

1) Sound carries over water, so drunken DJ partying would disturb residents near the shore.

2) If the only way to get there is via boat, there'd invariably a lot of drunk boating, which is dangerous.

They might have more luck putting it further down south where groups would be more desperate for attention.

[munchymunch]

Simple solution railings which is difficult for a drunk person to climb on. Anyways I still think the idea is pretty stupid.

[denizen467]

Or they could just find some disused ocean liner and run multiday cruises around Lake Michigan. I wonder why nobody's done that yet.

[Skyguy_7]

I think LVDW will appreciate this: Culver's to open in Wrigleyville
NO drive-through window! Instead, they will have a walk-up. I like the idea.

[MultiModal]

It appears that the Riverside Plaza between Adams and Monroe is reopening. It has looked finished for weeks but this morning I saw workers taking apart the fence.

[Via Chicago]

Originally Posted by wierdaaron

West Loop Community meeting tonight about Real World filming there. I bet that'll be exciting.



They could just film that and put it on TV.

still cant get over that this is somehow still a viable franchise. anyway i doubt most people will care or even notice...the whole thing is a decade past being relevant and the W Loop is hyper gentrified anyway, theyll fit right in. im sure thered be more opposition if they went to some more up-coming neighborhood like Pilsen or Logan. i guess they learned their lesson from the W.P. debacle.

[wierdaaron]

I didn't know Real World was even still on. Might be a revival, but I don't care enough to spend 15 seconds googling it.

Apparently something people brought up at the meeting is that parents are worried their kids will be filmed walking to school without their permission. Wat.

It seems like the West Loop doesn't realize how much that neighborhood is about to change. Did they miss the memo about Nobu, Soho House, Google, and even Banksy? They're 1 and a half Pinkberrys away from being Brooklyn but they act like they're a cottage community.

[the urban politician]

Originally Posted by wierdaaron

It seems like the West Loop doesn't realize how much that neighborhood is about to change. Did they miss the memo about Nobu, Soho House, Google, and even Banksy? They're 1 and a half Pinkberrys away from being Brooklyn but they act like they're a cottage community.

Well put.

Every once in a while, immense market forces far, far away culminate to completely transform a neighborhood of a city, and little can (or should) be done to stop them. It happens in NYC far more often, but at least in the case of Chicago, the near West Loop is about to get ratcheted up into hyperspace, and people either need to get the fuck out of the way or get rolled over.

Okay, perhaps some hyperbole there but I don't see any other future for this area than rapidly upward from here.

[harryc]

Originally Posted by wierdaaron

I didn't know Real World was even still on. Might be a revival, but I don't care enough to spend 15 seconds googling it.

Apparently something people brought up at the meeting is that parents are worried their kids will be filmed walking to school without their permission. Wat.

It seems like the West Loop doesn't realize how much that neighborhood is about to change. Did they miss the memo about Nobu, Soho House, Google, and even Banksy? They're 1 and a half Pinkberrys away from being Brooklyn but they act like they're a cottage community.

The price of letting your kids walk around in public - no expectation of privacy -and if the kid is incidental to the shot - they have no recourse.

[Chi-Sky21]

Looks like Eddie Bauer's old location got a new tenant...

http://www.chicagotribune.com/busine...,5131380.story

[LouisVanDerWright]

Originally Posted by Skyguy_7

I think LVDW will appreciate this: Culver's to open in Wrigleyville
NO drive-through window! Instead, they will have a walk-up. I like the idea.

Lol, not why you singled me out in particular, but it's good to see that some restaurants are learning that you don't have to rape the built environment to make big $$$. Culvers is freaking delicious though, it's about time they start to set up shop in the city.

Originally Posted by the urban politician

Well put.

Every once in a while, immense market forces far, far away culminate to completely transform a neighborhood of a city, and little can (or should) be done to stop them. It happens in NYC far more often, but at least in the case of Chicago, the near West Loop is about to get ratcheted up into hyperspace, and people either need to get the fuck out of the way or get rolled over.

Okay, perhaps some hyperbole there but I don't see any other future for this area than rapidly upward from here.

Yeah, the fire's been lit in the West Loop and there's no putting it out now. I just walked all the way to Damen and Division from Jackson and Canal last night and man is there a lot of fuel out to the West along the Green Line. I can see the West Loop eventually developing all the way to Damen and beyond in short order.

[Skyguy_7]

^ha correct me if I'm wrong, but it's because it is known here that you despise car culture and anything that comes with it.

[LouisVanDerWright]

Cross posting this with the Finance and Economy thread:

Here's A First Look At Goose Island's Newest High-Tech Hub



Developer South Street Capital is moving forward with its plan to convert a vacant 285,000 square foot industrial facility into high-tech office space and retail in the heart of Goose Island. The development, along with UI Labs new Digital Manufacturing and Design Innovation Institute, are more indicators that the man-made island is transforming into one of the city's most important technology hubs. Dubbed 909 West Bliss, the complex will have room for around 500 tech employees and also feature roughly 10-15,000 square feet of commercial/retail space. Designed by Hartsthorne Plunkard Architecture, the new facility will offer a number of amenities aimed at attracting a high profile tech tenant, including large green roofs, indoor bike parking, a fitness center and LEED certification. Once the facility has secured an anchor tenant, South Street Capital hopes to proceed with the buildout at a fast clip.

Tons more including additional renderings at Curbed:

http://chicago.curbed.com/archives/2...ghtech-hub.php

The changes occurring downtown are really exciting. The tech boom is really getting big and it seems developers are now copying Sterling Bay's Fulton Cold Storage model as well as the Montgomery Ward Warehouse model. Pretty soon we could have three massive business nodes in three historically significant mega-buildings (M. Ward, Merch Mart, Post Office) and a handful of smaller nodes (Goose Island, Fulton Market, etc). This is also looking like it might shape up to be the downfall of the PMD as it is becoming increasingly clear that Goose Island will gradually be turned into a tech hub. The half dozen or so tech institutes that are being proposed right now are only going to add fuel to this fire as they come online (Advanced Manufacturing on GI, IIT's engineering hub, U of I Tech Hub, etc). That's not to mention the incubators like 1871 which just announced they are adding 50% more space by the end of the year.

It might seem embryonic right now, but the sheer volume of early stage startups here is incredibly encouraging especially since we are finally building the business infrastructure necessary to retain these companies as they grow. 1871 has created 1,000 jobs so far spread over dozens of small companies, it is only a matter of time before a handful of those companies blow up and start growing into bigger companies that employ 1,000's of people instead of 10's of people.

[harryc]

Full set here at Curbed Chicago

[marothisu]

GK Development wants to build 192,000 sq ft of retail space at the corner of Halsted & Division in some existing buildings. Looks like a smaller New City without the residential(?) almost

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/reale...ail-mojo-south

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After:

[DonMendigo]

Originally Posted by marothisu

GK Development wants to build 192,000 sq ft of retail space at the corner of Halsted & Division in some existing buildings. Looks like a smaller New City without the residential(?) almost

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/reale...ail-mojo-south

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After:

Noooooooo!!!!! Jesus, this is at the corner of two major bus routes and not so far from the north/clybourn stop and the future Divison Brown. Could we plan (clearly nobody is) the north/clybourn - former Cabrini area any worse? There needs to be moratorium on surface parking.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by DonMendigo

Noooooooo!!!!! Jesus, this is at the corner of two major bus routes and not so far from the north/clybourn stop and the future Diversey Brown. Could we plan (clearly nobody is) the north/clybourn - former Cabrini area any worse? There needs to be moratorium on surface parking.

EH, it's really not that close to either of those stops (I think you meant Division). It's 1/2 mile from North/Clybourn and 1 mile from the Sedgewick stop. Also 1/2 mile away from the Division stop that doesn't exist yet. Not like it's that far away but it's not like this is directly next to stops.

I think they should at least try to add residential there and scale down the retail part, I do agree. That corner is super weird though.

[Chi-Sky21]

Not that i like the suburban look , but i dont mind this too much. That area backs up to a large power substation, not sure i would want to live over looking that. And yes...i know....there are residential townhomes on the other side already.