CHICAGO | General Developments

[wierdaaron]

I walk by Pritzker Pavilion daily and the lawn is only open on days where there are events on stage. The rest of the time it's roped off, even in the summer. I think it's to let the grass re-grow. It would be nice if people could frisbee/sunbathe/picnic there any day, but I don't know enough about landscaping sciences to know if it'd be possible to keep the field green that way.

[the urban politician]

^ I usually observe it roped off at well.

It bugs me because that is a very suburban approach to a park. It become less of a park and more of a private lawn (ie "do not walk on the grass").

Defeats the whole point.

[Remy_Bork]

Originally Posted by george

6/14

28 East Jackson - Steger Building Cornice Recreation

Hey everybody, I wanted to ask about this sort of thing. I've often wondered why most older buildings in the city are missing their decorative upper cornice, but can have most of their other detailing in tact. Is it just because the cornices are more vulnerable to weather, being at the top of the building?

Maybe the answer is obvious, but it's something I've thought about.

Great pictures by the way!

Thanks!

[spyguy]

4027 N Broadway
Preliminary proposal is 20 units, that might change to accommodate retail
Developer is Akara, designed by Studio Dwell

[BWChicago]

Originally Posted by Remy_Bork

Hey everybody, I wanted to ask about this sort of thing. I've often wondered why most older buildings in the city are missing their decorative upper cornice, but can have most of their other detailing in tact. Is it just because the cornices are more vulnerable to weather, being at the top of the building?

Maybe the answer is obvious, but it's something I've thought about.

Great pictures by the way!

Thanks!

A lot of them started failing and had to be removed. More vulnerable by being at the top, yes, but also on parapets and bigger and heavier. Plus the modernists liked the 'cleaner' look anyway and it was cheaper to maintain. It's almost surprising to see them being put back, since there's not much economic incentive to spend money on that.

[streetline]

Originally Posted by wierdaaron

I walk by Pritzker Pavilion daily and the lawn is only open on days where there are events on stage. The rest of the time it's roped off, even in the summer. I think it's to let the grass re-grow. It would be nice if people could frisbee/sunbathe/picnic there any day, but I don't know enough about landscaping sciences to know if it'd be possible to keep the field green that way.

I'm not a landscaping expert myself, but just looking at the grass in the Pritzker Pavilion vs the rest of Grant Park, it seems obvious that whatever they're doing is working well.

I suppose I get the arguments that it should be open in principle, but as a practical matter I'd rather have that one corner of the park pristine for events (which are daily in warmer months anyway) than torn up every day of the year from sunrise to sunset. It's not like there aren't a ton of other lawns throughout Grant Park that are open all the time and have the packed-dirt bald spots to prove it.

[wierdaaron]

MDP will have lots of open lawn areas. I guess we'll see how the grass holds up. I've heard there have been some good advancements in artificial turf lately, but it'd be hard to imagine it in a park this scale.

[ardecila]

Lawns can handle occasional picnicking and frisbee, even sports no problem. It's large events like concerts and rallies that really destroy lawns - hundreds or thousands of people trampling the grass, cutting off sunlight, and dumping their beer/wine/water everywhere. Thankfully it looks like Maggie Daley is designed purposefully to avoid this kind of event; it has poor sight lines and the lawn is more of a twisty clearing than a wide open parade ground.

[LouisVanDerWright]

Originally Posted by spyguy

4027 N Broadway
Preliminary proposal is 20 units, that might change to accommodate retail
Developer is Akara, designed by Studio Dwell

This building is nice, I always welcome a new Studio Dwell. The only shame is that it is replacing a very nice single story retail building with red brick and terra cotta. It seems that nice single story storefronts are inevitably going to be lost so at least we can make sure the replacements are of equal architectural value and bring more density so we get a net win. I'm glad that a few of these old single story buildings like The Boundary on Division are saved and put to good use.

Originally Posted by marothisu

Anybody have more info on 2760-74 N Milwaukee in Logan Square renovating and also adding 24 more units (49 total now) and more retail?

Yes, there were actually zero units in those buildings before. The same team that renovated the GAP building on the corner is working their way south through that block of beautiful terra cotta buildings. This is well underway already and looking good. They've been evicting those tenants for months now and already have a completely new storefront system in. I talked with one of the owners and they are doing all the retail SPEC! That's a particularly interesting sign of how hot the Logan Square retail market is right now. They are evicting long time, paying, tenants and investing large sums of money modernizing these buildings and they don't even have tenants signed on yet.

I just noticed this weekend that they are actually adding another floor to the roof that will be set back from the front facade. Looks like there will be some pretty generous roof top decks for each apartment, should offer some killer views of downtown and Milwaukee Ave.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by LouisVanDerWright

Yes, there were actually zero units in those buildings before. The same team that renovated the GAP building on the corner is working their way south through that block of beautiful terra cotta buildings. This is well underway already and looking good. They've been evicting those tenants for months now and already have a completely new storefront system in. I talked with one of the owners and they are doing all the retail SPEC! That's a particularly interesting sign of how hot the Logan Square retail market is right now. They are evicting long time, paying, tenants and investing large sums of money modernizing these buildings and they don't even have tenants signed on yet.

I just noticed this weekend that they are actually adding another floor to the roof that will be set back from the front facade. Looks like there will be some pretty generous roof top decks for each apartment, should offer some killer views of downtown and Milwaukee Ave.

That's what I thought as it didn't look like there was anything other than retail/commercial there but the building permit was confusing for it. That's very interesting about the tenants, especially the paying ones. The estimated cost of the project is $2M, so my guess is those people are being priced out.

Here's the verbiage from the building permit (issued on 3/12). Yeah, adding another floor:
"**CERTIFIED PLAN CORRECTIONS** - ALTERATION OF 2760+2774'S 1ST+BSMT FLRS TO 6+2 COMMERCIAL UNITS RESPECTIVELY, CONSTRUCTION OF 3RD FLR ADDITIONS, CONVERSION OF 2760+2774'S 2ND+3RD FLRS TO RESIDENTIAL USE, 18+6 DU'S RESPECTIVELY AND LINKING 2ND FLR CIRCULATION W/2778 N MILWAUKEE'S FOR ACCESSIBILITY IN ATTACHED, 2-STORY+BSMT BLDGS, 2760-TYPE 1B AND 2774-TYPE 3B CONST (Subject to field inspection) CONVERT RETAIL AND 25 DU'S TO RETAIL AND 49 DU'S"


I just saw this too. Looks like the rents there might not be cheap so I guess it makes sense that some of those prior tenants couldn't afford this anymore:

http://millerchicagorealestate.com/l...are-blue-line/

$1700/month average 1-3 bedroom rental price. What else is this company doing or have they done?

[denizen467]

Originally Posted by wierdaaron

MDP will have lots of open lawn areas. I guess we'll see how the grass holds up. I've heard there have been some good advancements in artificial turf lately, but it'd be hard to imagine it in a park this scale.

That park map includes "The Green at Grant Park" along Monroe Street - that's roughly the name previously used for the minigolf course and beer garden at that location; does anyone know if those are going to return? It may sound hokey, but I think minigolf could work out as a pretty nice, popular programmed use for Grant Park.

[LouisVanDerWright]

Originally Posted by marothisu

That's what I thought as it didn't look like there was anything other than retail/commercial there but the building permit was confusing for it. That's very interesting about the tenants, especially the paying ones. The estimated cost of the project is $2M, so my guess is those people are being priced out.

Here's the verbiage from the building permit (issued on 3/12). Yeah, adding another floor:
"**CERTIFIED PLAN CORRECTIONS** - ALTERATION OF 2760+2774'S 1ST+BSMT FLRS TO 6+2 COMMERCIAL UNITS RESPECTIVELY, CONSTRUCTION OF 3RD FLR ADDITIONS, CONVERSION OF 2760+2774'S 2ND+3RD FLRS TO RESIDENTIAL USE, 18+6 DU'S RESPECTIVELY AND LINKING 2ND FLR CIRCULATION W/2778 N MILWAUKEE'S FOR ACCESSIBILITY IN ATTACHED, 2-STORY+BSMT BLDGS, 2760-TYPE 1B AND 2774-TYPE 3B CONST (Subject to field inspection) CONVERT RETAIL AND 25 DU'S TO RETAIL AND 49 DU'S"


I just saw this too. Looks like the rents there might not be cheap so I guess it makes sense that some of those prior tenants couldn't afford this anymore:

http://millerchicagorealestate.com/l...are-blue-line/

$1700/month average 1-3 bedroom rental price. What else is this company doing or have they done?

Cool, looks like they are tying the corridors of the residential floors of the GAP building'(2778 N Milwaukee) in with existing buildings and new expansion. That should save a lot of extraneous corridors and stairwells from having to be built. That also explains why it said going from X units to Y units of residential, they are referring to the units they already finished in 2778.

Those tenants are definitely being priced out, but I doubt the landlord even gave them the option of renewing their leases because they represent the heart of what used to be a bustling district of low-end department stores patronized by the old set of the neighborhood: Latinos and Polish immigrants. They clearly want to cater to the retail that is working it's way up Milwaukee from the square.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by LouisVanDerWright

Cool, looks like they are tying the corridors of the residential floors of the GAP building'(2778 N Milwaukee) in with existing buildings and new expansion. That should save a lot of extraneous corridors and stairwells from having to be built. That also explains why it said going from X units to Y units of residential, they are referring to the units they already finished in 2778.

Those tenants are definitely being priced out, but I doubt the landlord even gave them the option of renewing their leases because they represent the heart of what used to be a bustling district of low-end department stores patronized by the old set of the neighborhood: Latinos and Polish immigrants. They clearly want to cater to the retail that is working it's way up Milwaukee from the square.

Ah okay that makes a lot of sense now. This should be interesting - so basically they're adding 24 units to the main building an a 3rd floor. The rent prices said $10/sq I assume that's per year? It will be interesting to see who they get for tenants and whether they plan on doing other buildings or if it will spur even more development in the area.

The way in which things are moving up Milwaukee Ave are interesting. Any word on that thing at 3618 N Milwaukee that Nick Cave wants to do is coming along?

[LouisVanDerWright]

Originally Posted by marothisu

Ah okay that makes a lot of sense now. This should be interesting - so basically they're adding 24 units to the main building an a 3rd floor. The rent prices said $10/sq I assume that's per year? It will be interesting to see who they get for tenants and whether they plan on doing other buildings or if it will spur even more development in the area.

The way in which things are moving up Milwaukee Ave are interesting. Any word on that thing at 3618 N Milwaukee that Nick Cave wants to do is coming along?

Well, they are adding 24 units on the 2nd and 3rd floors of those two story terra cotta buildings north of the GAP in addition to the 25 they already added in the 2nd and 3rd floors of the GAP building. This should really liven this street up even more since the upper floors of this set of buildings (including the GAP) have been vacant for a very long time.

I heard from the alderman's office that it sounds like the zoning change he wants is a done deal. The local neighborhood association, Avondale Neighborhood Association (ANA), sounds like they support it too. Lot's of interesting stuff going on along that stretch of Milwaukee though, you are right.

Anyone have any updates on that High School? It's looked the same for months every time I pass it. Also, I heard a disturbing rumor that the Polish department store at Ridgeway and Milwaukee has been sold and might be razed for parking for that school. That better not happen, it would completely reverse all the progress that has been made along that stretch. It's a very nice old building with RIDGEWAY engraved on one side and a crest with an "A" for Avondale engraved on the Ridgeway frontage. That's been on preservationist mini watch list lately.

[SamInTheLoop]

That Studio Dwell design for the southern edge of Uptown looks fantastic. At 20 units, this seems to be on the larger side overall for a project of theirs, at least to-date. While I very much appreciate their smaller scale residential infill projects, I would also absolutely love it if they were to expand into more medium-to-larger scale projects as well...

[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.....

[the urban politician]

^ Well if the party barge is "DOA" I'd hate for one of the Aldermen to be the reason.

It's not even on land and these dingleberries are trying to block it. Maybe it should launch from the western shores of Michigan. I'm sure some Chicago politician will still find a way to ban it.

[Jibba]

Originally Posted by ardecila

That perspective is weird... Not saying it's deception but it does make the building look smaller than six stories.

And yeah, those horizontal windows along Milwaukee are anything but "contextual".

I noticed that too. It's not a perspective that attempts to simulate human eyesight--the field of view is much, much wider, and this minimizes the appearance of the building relative to the foreground. It will have much more presence along Milwaukee (which I'm mostly OK with). This is an old trick, of course.

[PKDickman]

Originally Posted by BWChicago

A lot of them started failing and had to be removed. More vulnerable by being at the top, yes, but also on parapets and bigger and heavier. Plus the modernists liked the 'cleaner' look anyway and it was cheaper to maintain. It's almost surprising to see them being put back, since there's not much economic incentive to spend money on that.

Class L tax incentive pretty much cuts a building's assessment in half for 12 years. That can add up to millions on a building this size, but it requires landmark restoration and improvements of 50% of market value.

The individual landmark designation on the Steger building went through pretty fast and may have even been at the request of the owners to take advantage of this incentive.

The prelim designation report specifically mentions that the owners intended to reconstruct the cornice from original drawings.

Frankly, looking at their permit history, landmark status will save them a fortune just in permit fees.

[wierdaaron]

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

MODAY, JUNE 16, 2014
6:30PM
FORMER BON-V SITE, 1100 W. RANDOLPH

The production company for the Real World plans to use the property at 1100 W. Randolph for five months, shooting the show over a 12-week period.

This can be disruptive to our type of neighborhood and we urge you to come out and voice your opinion as the producer of the show will be present.

They could just film that and put it on TV.