CHICAGO | General Discussions

[bnk]

Originally Posted by Vlajos

Wow, this is impressive.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/artic...s-wallets-hard

It certainly is.

So much so it was already posted the same day several posts [ < than 4 hours ] before above your post.


Not to be an ass but yes it is impressive. And I am glad more people are getting the wave feeling that's going on with the hotel situation right now.

Before the Crash of 2007 we had multi high end hotels in the pipeline like the shangri la hotel Chicago going down with the now changed waterview tower. Others on Michigan Ave died too at that point to than if I recall. The recovery from the Bush depression has been improving since 2012 but the hotel end of the deal has been delayed enough that at least 3 speculative high rise office buildings are already under deep construction and high rise condo/rental on wolf point.


We have seen a lot of new hotels on line in the last year like Virgin and other similar small boutique ~ 200 room higher end hotels open in the last year or so.

But to really grab and absorb the new massive market share as we have already seen 3 times this year by now, I would like to know when and when, yes I meant when and when, don't even really care location if it is at least in the loop, river north, lakeshore east, I don't care.When is The next hotel grand opening going to take place.

When will the next golden shovel move some earth for a camera to send to the next hotelier blog?

I don't care if it is low star rated or upper crust hotel. But with all of this supposed hotel construction going on and coming on line at some point could someone create a hotel construction, photo, info link to keep this issue addressed.

With all of the office high-rises going on line I think most of all of these 10's of thousands of rooms supposedly being built are hard to follow and track and their timelines.


I suggest a Chicago construction Hotel building thread, if I could do so.



The numbers are fascinating but it seems like either the capital was very cautious or foreign enough not to be one of the first to capitalize on this new wave of tourism



I would appreciate any info on why the hotels are so far behind the other buildings going up, yes I know several have already, but still there should be more on line now and not a just a few years down the line [ like 2-3 ] anyone gets my drift.


Kudos to all thinking about this and goodnight.

[emathias]

Originally Posted by Vlajos

Wow, this is impressive.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/artic...s-wallets-hard

Damn, my Airbnb guests are only paying $90 per night. Even including the Airbnb fees and taxes, I'm sure they're paying no more than $120 per night for that weekend. I should have charged $200 - I'm sure I'd still have gotten takers from the looks of it.

[LouisVanDerWright]

Originally Posted by emathias

Damn, my Airbnb guests are only paying $90 per night. Even including the Airbnb fees and taxes, I'm sure they're paying no more than $120 per night for that weekend. I should have charged $200 - I'm sure I'd still have gotten takers from the looks of it.

Yeah, makes me think I should put my 1 Bedroom apt in Logan Square up on Airbnb just for that week. Maybe make a cool $1k...

[the urban politician]

Didn't Chicago pass a law about vacation rentals? Are we allowed to do this?

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by bnk

By the time the Pasadena, California, television-show editor got back to his computer, the cost for his four-night hotel stay -- $1,200 before spousal negotiations began -- had gone up by about $240, and all rooms that allowed him to use his customer-loyalty points had been booked.

...

if you compare that to Manhattan, it's not that bad at least at decent hotels (Like a normal Hilton Brand) on a week where something is going on. I gave a post before, but it's been very rare for my hotels to be under $300/night in Manhattan for a normal Hilton at pretty much any time of the year in the last 9-10 months. When a lot of stuff is going on and you try and book just a few weeks before, it goes up over $400/night before taxes.

[emathias]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

Didn't Chicago pass a law about vacation rentals? Are we allowed to do this?

The vacation rental ordinance covers unoccupied units. I occupy my unit and rent out the guestroom. I was featured in Crains for it.

[bnk]

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/artic...of-the-revenue

May 28, 2015

Senate bill would give Chicago a casino and 7 years of the revenue
(AP) — Chicago would get a city-owned casino and be allowed to keep all revenue for seven years to help make ballooning pension payments, and new casinos would be added throughout the state under legislation expected to be introduced Thursday in the Illinois Senate.

Democratic Sen. Terry Link plans to present a gambling expansion bill before the Senate executive committee, said Rikeesha Phelon, spokeswoman for Senate President John Cullerton.

In addition to a new Chicago casino, the legislation would add casinos in Chicago's south suburbs, Rockford, Vermilion County and Lake County. It also calls for smaller "satellite" casinos, with between 400 and 600 slot machines that could be located in Decatur and far southern Illinois.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has pushed for a Chicago-owned casino as a way to address a multibillion-dollar public-pension shortfall. The state sees new gambling as a source of much-needed revenue.


...

[bnk]

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/artic...stert-indicted


Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert indicted




In a stunning development, former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert today was indicted on federal financial misconduct and perjury charges.

A federal indictment released this afternoon accuses the Plano Republican of disguising the withdrawal of nearly $1 million from various financial accounts to avoid federal disclosure requirements, and of lying to the FBI about the matter.

The federal charges allege that the money was part of $3.5 million that Hastert was paying an unnamed “Individual A” in order “to compensate for and conceal his prior misconduct” against that individual.

Details about exactly why Hastert would be paying someone $3.5 million were not immediately available. But the indictment strongly suggests Hastert needed the money because he was being blackmailed.

"In or about 2010, Individual A met with (Hastert) multiple times. During at least one of the meetings, Individual A and defendant discussed past misconduct by defendant against Individual A that had occurred years earlier," the indictment states. "Shortly thereafter, defendant began providing Individual A cash payments."

The indictment says the FBI questioned Hastert about, among other things, whether he "was the victim of criminal extortion related to among other matters, his prior positions in government."

News of the charges against a man who long has been one of the better-liked politicians in the state appeared to catch close friends and longtime associates by surprise.

According to the indictment, Hastert agreed to pay the money beginning in 2010. From 2010 to 2014 he allegedly withdrew $1.7 million in cash from various accounts.

...

[bnk]

Id like to see more of this... Too bad Navy Pier does not have a deep enough draft to take this one aside. They had to shuttle passengers via a scuttle boats, or better stated dingy dinghy tenders. We should be better than that. Its past time to dredge around the pier for these cruise ships. Milwaukee's port took them in, we couldn't and it cut the time for the visitors to spend in Chicago many hours....



http://www.fox32chicago.com/news/local/20322036-story

German cruise ship touring the Great Lakes stops in Chicago







If you were anywhere near the Lake Shore on Tueday, you probably asked yourself the same question that others were asking: Is that a cruise ship anchored off Navy Pier?



By: Jeff Herndon


Updated:Sep 16 2015 07:46AM CDT


CHICAGO (FOX 32 News) - If you were anywhere near the Lake Shore on Tuesday, you probably asked yourself the same question that others were asking: Is that a cruise ship anchored off Navy Pier?

Well, it was a cruise ship, and it was full of passengers from Germany. Many of whom got a Chicago experience for the first time.



"We are very amazed about the buildings, and everything," said Anna Leaf.

Leaf and her husband, Gunter, are first time visitors to the United States and Chicago. They are touring the Great Lakes on the MS Hamburg, which is a giant cruise ship full of German tourists.

"370 passengers, about 99 percent are from Germany, and 170 crew," said Aaron Bensinger.

....

But the big X-factor is the Chicago weather.

"One of the big challenges is weather, you hope it works in your favor, and it did today," Bensinger said.

As for Gunter and Anna Leaf, they had a blast.

"We talked together, and it's very nice here. It’s very clean everywhere, and it's fantastic!" they said.

The two said Chicago is definitely worth seeing again.

"If we visit America again, then we would come to Chicago. It’s very nice," they added.

...

The 16 night cruise started in Montreal, Canada, made a stop in Milwaukee Monday, and Wednesday it sets a course for Traverse City, Michigan, and Mackinac Island.





http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/l...htmlstory.html

[Kngkyle]

I too would like to see cruise ships become more frequent visitors to Chicago and the Great Lakes. There are a lot of potential ports of call and places to visit, so I don't see why they aren't more popular. The couple options that are out there are extremely expensive. I heard part of the reason is you can't have cheap foreign workers staff the ships since they do not enter international waters.w

I wouldn't support spending millions dredging in order to allow larger ships to dock at navy pier though, not until those larger cruise ships actually exist on the Great Lakes regularly instead of this 1-off occurrence.

[rgolch]

Chicago will host its own New Year's Eve celebration this year

[rgolch]

Executives associated with the prestigious America's Cup will convene on Chicago's Navy Pier on Tuesday to annouce that the city has been selected to host an exclusive sailboat competition in June of next year.

[munchymunch]

Originally Posted by rgolch

Executives associated with the prestigious America's Cup will convene on Chicago's Navy Pier on Tuesday to annouce that the city has been selected to host an exclusive sailboat competition in June of next year.

Maybe Helmut Jahn will win.

[bnk]

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/20...-chicago/?_r=0


American Writers Museum Finds a Nice Address in Chicago


By Jennifer Schuessler

October 27, 2015 1:31 pm October 27, 2015 1:31 pm







The American Writers Museum, set to open in Chicago in early 2017, announced on Tuesday that it would be leasing a location on North Michigan Avenue, the city’s premier shopping strip, a short walk from attractions like Millennium Park and the Art Institute of Chicago.

...

The 11,000-square-foot space will feature permanent and temporary exhibits, some with a strong interactive component, like a “Visitors’ Favorites” section where visitors can nominate favorite quotes, books and authors. In addition to a broad overview of the development of American literature and displays dedicated to classic authors, there will be sections dedicated to children’s literature and to westerns, mysteries and other genre fiction, as well as an exhibition about Chicago writers.

...
















http://www.theguardian.com/books/201...hicago-in-2017

The first and only national museum celebrating American writers has announced it will open in the “most American of American cities” after signing a 10-year lease in the centre of Chicago.

The American Writers Museum will officially start calling the midwestern city home in early 2017. The opening will follow five years of planning, fundraising and searching for a space that could host interactive exhibits, educational programs and themed galleries celebrating America’s most influential writers.

Situated on Michigan Avenue, the museum will neighbour institutions including the Chicago Cultural Center and the Arts Institute of Chicago. The latter was recently named the top museum in the world by TripAdvisor.

“An institution that celebrates the written word is certainly one I want to celebrate,” Toni Periwinkle, president of the Cook County Board, said on Tuesday morning. “It’s especially significant that this institution is located in Chicago, the home over decades for so many great writers.”




At an official announcement ceremony held at the Chicago Cultural Center, an array of public officials, donors and museum leadership spoke about Chicago’s most important literary figures, including author Richard Wright and poets Gwendolyn Brooks and Carl Sandburg.

“I am absolutely thrilled to be here today for this milestone occasion,” said Michelle Boone, commissioner of cultural affairs and special events. “The American Writers Museum will be a wonderful addition to the city’s cultural landscape that will bring many, many visitors to Chicago.”


The museum expects over 120,000 people to visit annually, putting it on par with other museums of similar size in the city including the National Museum of Mexican Art (131,000 in 2014) and the Illinois Holocaust museum (100,000 in 2014).

The museum will focus on using new media and technology in exhibitions, not only to differentiate it from a library, but also to engage in contemporary forms of writing from social media to digital journalism.

...


The Poetry Foundation is one of the affiliates and is, said its media director Elizabeth Burke-Dain

...

[bnk]

http://www.bizjournals.com/chicago/n...urants-in.html



Alinea, Grace top Michelin-starred restaurants in Chicago

Oct 28, 2015, 2:20pm CDT

Industries & Tags Retailing & Restaurants, Food



Twenty-two restaurants in Chicago earned at least one Michelin star, a major recognition from the international restaurant guide, topped by a pair of three-star establishments, Alinea and Grace.

Alinea is perhaps the better-known of the two, having received multiple high-level awards, including the 2008 Outstanding Chef James Beard award for chef Grant Achatz, and has received three stars each year since 2011, Eater noted last year. Last year, Grace joined the exclusive list of three-star Michelin restaurants in the city.

The Chicago Tribune listed all the Michelin-starred restaurants in the city. The three two-star eateries are Acadia, 42 Grams, and Sixteen. Acadia was awarded one star last year, while 42 Grams and Sixteen had previously attained two-star recognition, the report said.

That leaves 17 total one-star restaurants, including such notables as Blackbird, Moto, and Spiaggia. Two restaurants received their first Michelin stars: Parachute and Dusek’s Board & Beer, the Tribune said.

[Kumdogmillionaire]

^ We have lots of snobs here who pick apart every design to death and forget that the sum of the parts tend to be better than each individual piece. We have people here who still like the Thompson center due to the atrium but that thing is a disgusting waste of space and when viewed as a whole is so out of place and offensive to such a beautiful cityscape. I agree that OMP isn't offensive to me, though the massing on this building seems to be less graceful than I'd hoped. I think once the Viñoly towers and Jahn go in the South Loop OMP will fit in better

[Via Chicago]

Thompson Center is not a waste of space. It has more kinetic energy, both mechanical and human powered, than just about anywhere else in the city. Its indoor space is also public and democratic, a rarity as well. Ill take it over 95% of the buildings we've gotten in the past 20 years. And yes, the atrium is sacred. The fact that so much space was handed over to inspiring awe, playfulness and architectural expression rather than cramming in as many offices as possible speaks to just what a rarity the design is. It has more in common with medieval cathedrals than our modern econo shit boxes. Its a complete shame its purposely being neglected and allowed to fall into disrepair to by default create a case for its lack of relevance.

Not to say its without flaws. But offensive? Thompson center is FUN. Walking inside is like entering a scene from Jacque Tati's "Playtime". We have enough buttoned down self serious buildings in this city that have riffed on the same boring Miesan design for the past 60 years. I find that lack of creativity far more offensive. Give me something that makes me FEEL something. Apparently thats too much to ask from most architects and bean counters today.

[Kumdogmillionaire]

Originally Posted by Via Chicago

Thompson Center is not a waste of space. It has more kinetic energy, both mechanical and human powered, than just about anywhere else in the city. Its indoor space is also public and democratic, a rarity as well. Ill take it over 95% of the buildings we've gotten in the past 20 years. And yes, the atrium is sacred. The fact that so much space was handed over to inspiring awe, playfulness and architectural expression rather than cramming in as many offices as possible speaks to just what a rarity the design is. It has more in common with medieval cathedrals than our modern econo shit boxes. Its a complete shame its purposely being neglected and allowed to fall into disrepair to by default create a case for its lack of relevance.

Not to say its without flaws. But offensive? Thompson center is FUN. Walking inside is like entering a scene from Jacque Tati's "Playtime". We have enough buttoned down self serious buildings in this city that have riffed on the same boring Miesan design for the past 60 years. I find that lack of creativity far more offensive. Give me something that makes me FEEL something. Apparently thats too much to ask from most architects and bean counters today.

Couldn't really disagree with you more. The building is out of date already, and is horribly inefficient when it comes to energy. The entire atrium is a bitch to keep warm in once we reach late October and until mid April. The building is blocky, the glass is foggy, and overall it just hasn't aged well. The office space is clunky on top of all of this. If you think it has anything in common with a cathedral then you've visited very different churches than I. The only similarity is there is an atrium, so if that is the case then I guess the Embassy Suites in Streeterville might as well be a modern interpretation of St. Peter's Basilica

[Via Chicago]

harping about heating efficiency is valid, but not particularly useful when talking about reasons to save or demolish it. we have all sorts of buildings in this city that are inefficient by modern standards, from bungalows with original stained glass windows, to old movie palaces like the Patio and the Music Box, to churches to, hell, even brand new modern office buildings that offer multi-story lobbies. and even the newest buildings of today will be "outdated" by the standards that exist 20-30 years from now. that dosent mean by default they should all meet the wrecking ball.

if youre really comparing this to the embassy suites, im not sure what to say, other than i dont take your criticism of architecture seriously... mister "kumdogmillionaire"



Ironically, Sony Center in Berlin is a similar design concept and widely praised. Buildings can be rehabbed, improvements can be made, and Thompson center could find new life as any number of things should the state of IL decide to leave. Yet somehow this city and its inhabitants will expend endless amounts of energy trying to manufacture rationale to demolish the gems it already has. we deserve every boring beige square box we get.

[jpIllInoIs]

The Reader Posted By Aimee Levitt on 10.05.16 at 02:30 PM

I love this guys photo and name.....Sir Fraser Stoddart.
"I don't always win Nobel Prizes, but when I do I prefer Chemistry"


Stoddart is the sixth Northwestern faculty member to win a Nobel Prize and the second to win the prize for chemistry. University of Chicago faculty have won a combined 48 prizes. (These numbers don't include graduates, attendees, or researchers.) But, as Stoddart noted today, science is a long game.