CHICAGO | Marquee at Block 37 | 400 FT | 38 FLOORS - Page 8

Steely Dan · #**141** Posted **Dec 18, 2014, 5:39 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom Servo

This city becomes more and more sterile and suburban every damn day.

says the guy who complains about the city not widening streets so that he can drive his truck everywhere he wants to go without the hassle of traffic.

the irony! oh you better believe it's delicious.

george · #**142** Posted **Dec 19, 2014, 10:29 PM**

12/19

UrbanLibertine · #**143** Posted **Dec 20, 2014, 5:07 AM**

Damn they're moving really fast on this project.

Quote:

Originally Posted by george

12/19

UPChicago · #**144** Posted **Dec 24, 2014, 9:27 PM**

Probably not many care about this project but I thought I'd snap a pic on my Iphone. The building on the northeast corner of Dearborn and Randolph always reminds me of San Francisco... I'm weird I know.

Skyguy_7 · #**145** Posted **Dec 24, 2014, 11:03 PM**

^I was just admiring that very building, walking past it last night. Unique for the area. Very ornate facade, which could use a restoration soon. Hope the building itself endures a few more decades!

SamInTheLoop · #**146** Posted **Dec 29, 2014, 8:17 PM**

^^ That is an awesome photo - thanks for posting it!

I mentioned in the high-rise thread, but given this photo, and possible connection to the Block 37 apartment tower, I'll mention here as well: A Crain's article last week mentioned that John Murphy, who bought the Oriental Theater office tower (brown building in photo directly across Randolph from B37 apartment tower core) is now considering a conversion of it to hotel, or potentially keeping it as office space, instead of focusing on a conversion to apartment units. I'm now rooting for a hotel conversion, it would work well for a boutique hotel for sure. The photo makes it quite easy to see why the Block 37 tower (and its ~700 rental units) may have made an apartment conversion somewhat less desirable.....

SamInTheLoop · #**147** Posted **Dec 29, 2014, 8:19 PM**

Noticed in the last week or so that it appears Latinicity has finally gotten permits for its build-out......

ardecila · #**148** Posted **Dec 30, 2014, 2:08 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skyguy_7

^I was just admiring that very building, walking past it last night. Unique for the area. Very ornate facade, which could use a restoration soon. Hope the building itself endures a few more decades!

It is an official Chicago Landmark... will not be coming down anytime soon unless there is some kind of disaster.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delaware_Building

Tom Servo · #**149** Posted **Dec 30, 2014, 4:48 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ch.G, Ch.G

Latinicity is being marketed as a Latino Eataly. If Richard Sandoval delivers on that promise, it alone will make Block 37 home to a service that will be distinctively, uniquely Chicago, pretty much the antithesis of what you're describing. Also, who complains about having more movie theaters? Then this screed about Mariano's? Mariano's is a local chain of supermarkets. A bunch (most?) of their Chicago locations replaced Dominick's, (formerly) also a local chain of supermarkets. As far as I can tell, the only difference between the two is that Mariano's is a bit nicer, but I fail to see how that makes the city more "sterile and suburban."

Sure, Dave & Buster's and bowling strike (hey-o!) me as a little low-brow, but, considering that I engage in my own low-brow pursuits, I'm not about to begrudge others theirs. The truth is, the Loop is big enough for it to serve a variety of people, and there's a certain kind of egalitarianism in a place where you can find a ballet down the street from an arcade.

Don't get me wrong: I detest the entire concept of "urban" shopping malls and think Block 37 was a huge miscalculation; I just don't think these tenants make it any worse.

Yeah, a bit knee-jerk of a reaction I guess. I honestly don't really give a shit about B37; I never go downtown. Haha... I really wished they'd just go all in and plaster LED signage all over the damn thing. Full Times Square and all. Fuck it, throw in an Olive Garden too!

Incidentally, I thought Mariano's was a Wisconsin based chain. Doesn't matter. My issue isn't about it's Chicago or non-Chicago origin; it's about price and convenience. I'm really just bitter this Whole Foods/Trader Jones/(and now) Mariano's fad is sweeping through the city so fiercely because it all seems so pretentious. I really only like shopping at Jewel. It's cheap, easy, and decidedly non-pretentious. I guess I wish, if we were going to get an influx of new grocery chains, we'd get a Kroger. They're super cheap too, and it'd help keep the prices at Jewel in check. Best to just ignore my comments (probably all of them haha) about Mariano's; I just don't understand this upscale grocery thing!

UPChicago · #**150** Posted **Dec 30, 2014, 4:55 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom Servo

Yeah, a bit knee-jerk of a reaction I guess. I honestly don't really give a shit about B37; I never go downtown. Haha... I really wished they'd just go all in and plaster LED signage all over the damn thing. Full Times Square and all. Fuck it, throw in an Olive Garden too!

Incidentally, I thought Mariano's was a Wisconsin based chain. Doesn't matter. My issue isn't about it's Chicago or non-Chicago origin; it's about price and convenience. I'm really just bitter this Whole Foods/Trader Jones/(and now) Mariano's fad is sweeping through the city so fiercely because it all seems so pretentious. I really only like shopping at Jewel. It's cheap, easy, and decidedly non-pretentious. I guess I wish, if we were going to get an influx of new grocery chains, we'd get a Kroger. They're super cheap too, and it'd help keep the prices at Jewel in check. Best to just ignore my comments (probably all of them haha) about Mariano's; I just don't understand this upscale grocery thing!

LMAO I doubt many care about this project but I think the area around Ohio and LaSalle would be perfect for redevelopment into some sort of Union, Yonge-Dundas, Time Square hybrid. I don't think we need a Time Square but some type of entertainment square would be nice.

ChiTownWonder · #**151** Posted **Dec 30, 2014, 5:32 PM**

a different poster mentioned the idea of putting electronic advertisements on the large blank walls of the water tower place. that little square with the water tower in it would make a good times square sorta thing imo

UPChicago · #**152** Posted **Dec 30, 2014, 5:37 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChiTownWonder

a different poster mentioned the idea of putting electronic advertisements on the large blank walls of the water tower place. that little square with the water tower in it would make a good times square sorta thing imo

Michigan Avenue is so formal though I don't think a "Time Square" there would work, I actually think it would deminish the area. Ohio and LaSalle could be developed from scratch and all the cheap chain restaurants are already there. lol Sorry for getting a little off topic.

Ryanrule · #**153** Posted **Dec 30, 2014, 7:13 PM**

the state street shopping area would actually make a great chicago version of times. plus there are the broadcast channels with windows at street level there already, and the theater district, and the old school department stores.

bcp · #**154** Posted **Dec 30, 2014, 11:27 PM**

does chicago need a version of times square? i'd vote no...it's the worst part of NYC

SamInTheLoop · #**155** Posted **Dec 30, 2014, 11:44 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by UPChicago

LMAO I doubt many care about this project

Huh?

It's hard to think of a more critical project, nor one that has garnered as much attention over the last 15-20 years. It's at the very center of the Chicagoland universe......

SamInTheLoop · #**156** Posted **Dec 30, 2014, 11:46 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bcp

does chicago need a version of times square? i'd vote no...it's the worst part of NYC

I'd definitely also vote no that it doesn't NEED one. However, in a contained area, I also think it wouldn't hurt....

HomrQT · #**157** Posted **Dec 31, 2014, 2:39 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bcp

does chicago need a version of times square? i'd vote no...it's the worst part of NYC

I vote yes. Every significant global alpha city in the world has one or more grand plazas. Right now ours is Daley plaza which is fairly versatile but it's not exactly grand when you look at some of the other big time plazas of the world. It has a Picasso statue and a decent amount of space surrounded by office skyscrapers which is impressive if you're coming from a smaller town but it's not enough to draw people from across the globe just to be there. We need our own Times Square, Trafalgar Square, Duomo di Milano. Something that makes people feel small and inspired just being there. It has to be large in scale yet simultaneously feels established and flows well with the rest of the city.

UPChicago · #**158** Posted **Dec 31, 2014, 2:43 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SamInTheLoop

Huh?

It's hard to think of a more critical project, nor one that has garnered as much attention over the last 15-20 years. It's at the very center of the Chicagoland universe......

This post doesn't generate a lot of traffic which is why I said what I said.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bcp

does chicago need a version of times square? i'd vote no...it's the worst part of NYC

Yes Chicago has NO nice public squares and I don't mean parks.

rlw777 · #**159** Posted **Dec 31, 2014, 4:55 PM**

^ I suggest the plaza in front of 401 N Michigan for a grand public square. I always thought that plaza has been way under utilized for the location. To be clear a grand public square doesn't require Times Square kitsch.

LouisVanDerWright · #**160** Posted **Dec 31, 2014, 9:57 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by UPChicago

This post doesn't generate a lot of traffic which is why I said what I said.

Yes Chicago has NO nice public squares and I don't mean parks.

Well I think it's a bit extreme to say there are no nice public squares. All three of the Clark/Dearborn public squares (Federal, Chase, Daley) are very "nice", they just don't serve the same purpose as some of the other notable world class public square.

I would say that you have to include the plaza around the Bean in Millennium Park in this discussion because it very much functions as a public meeting space. Millennium Park is one of the greatest public spaces in the world and I certainly don't think it can be removed from a conversation on plazas simply because it comes with the "park" suffix. With the exception of the Lurie Gardens, none of Millennium Park is very park like, it's almost entirely public meeting spaces like the Crown Fountain, The Bean, and Pritzker Pavilion. I would also say that Buckingham Fountain is another great plaza in Chicago, but it can't serve the same role as say a Trafalgar Square because it is so removed from the hustle and bustle of the city.