CHICAGO | Marriott Marquis McCormick Place | 444' | 40 FLOORS - Page 14

UPChicago · #**261** Posted **Sep 9, 2014, 2:09 PM**

This project has become a POS.....

Ryanrule · #**262** Posted **Sep 9, 2014, 2:39 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by UPChicago

This project has become a POS.....

eh its a convention hotel. its for sales/marketing pukes, and hookers.

UPChicago · #**263** Posted **Sep 9, 2014, 2:55 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ryanrule

eh its a convention hotel. its for sales/marketing pukes, and hookers.

lol I suppose so, they should have just introduced the project as a POS to begin with instead of as something awesome then slowing mending it into a POS just saying....

r18tdi · #**264** Posted **Sep 9, 2014, 4:37 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ryanrule

eh its a convention hotel. its for sales/marketing pukes, and hookers.

*golf clap*

Urbannizer · #**265** Posted **Sep 15, 2014, 2:07 AM**

brian_b · #**266** Posted **Sep 24, 2014, 2:27 PM**

The Rees coach house is on wheels and has already been moved to the northeast corner of the lot. Not sure when they plan to roll it down the street, but the large machinery building the foundations at its future home aren't there any more.

brian_b · #**267** Posted **Oct 17, 2014, 10:42 PM**

Demolition began this morning on the hotel site. Perhaps time to move this into the site prep category.

The Rees house on the arena site is getting much closer to being ready for moving.

spyguy · #**268** Posted **Oct 18, 2014, 5:37 PM**

Well they are considering an L-shaped alternate design that's about 100' shorter although the overall main tower still looks the same. So site prep perhaps, but who knows about actual construction.

BVictor1 · #**269** Posted **Oct 19, 2014, 12:34 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by spyguy

Well they are considering an L-shaped alternate design that's about 100' shorter although the overall main tower still looks the same. So site prep perhaps, but who knows about actual construction.

Damn fidiots...

The Lurker · #**270** Posted **Oct 21, 2014, 9:46 PM**

Oh God no. That sounds awful. I was just about to rally in support of the project as is. I didnt mind the first height reduction because it still eclipsed everything else in the general vicinity but if it loses another hundred feet for a Halsted Flats looking L shape its going to be very underwhelming.

SamInTheLoop · #**271** Posted **Oct 22, 2014, 5:28 PM**

That would be very disappointing indeed. Just look at that first initial rendering that came out, and how this project has been dumbed down (and apparently continues to be) ever since. And, I love how they're still fiddling with the design - actually no - not fiddling, not just tweaks but contemplating major changes to the complete form/massing of the project. WTF? They're what - like 3 months away from caissons?! McPier is acting really amateurish here.........

Regardless of what the final design turns out to be, this overall project (the two hotels, all the retail, the arena) is going to be a major economic/urban catalyst for the near south side and south loop......however, this is a damn shame what this is turning into design-wise.......turning into a huge missed opportunity!

Mr Downtown · #**272** Posted **Oct 22, 2014, 5:57 PM**

^Missed opportunity for whom? Elevator vendors? Exit sign installers? If the number of keys stays the same, why is it a "huge missed opportunity" that the building is 170 feet wide with 30 stories, rather than 140 feet wide with 40 stories? There won't be a public observatory either way.

SamInTheLoop · #**273** Posted **Oct 22, 2014, 6:43 PM**

^ Oh, come on - now you're clearly just trying too hard. It's not necessary....

It was pretty clear that I'm referring to a missed opportunity from a design/architecture standpoint. In terms of making an important design statment and contribution for/to this area. Don't pretend that you do not see or understand the value in such. And further, don't pretend as if the 2nd design was a significant downgrade from the initial one (the rendering still at the top of this page). And don't pretend that - if indeed they are significantly changing the design again (perhaps even a more significant change than the first) - it will likely represent another further downgrade in design......

Mr Downtown · #**274** Posted **Oct 22, 2014, 6:55 PM**

^OK, you got me. I do appreciate a bold, striking design as much as anyone. What I find incomprehensible are the folks on the forum who whine that new blueprints show something at 766 feet, when they could have made it 800 feet. What the hell difference does a round-number measurement in feet make?

the urban politician · #**275** Posted **Oct 22, 2014, 7:03 PM**

^ It matters in pissing matches between cities.

However, the South Loop does need a landmark building, and frankly you kind of have to build something tall to achieve the full effect. Sure, a 500 footer this far south will be very noticeable, but compared with the rest of downtown this building will now just be another among the infill. Certainly a big downgrade from what a lot of people were initially expecting and hoping for.

SamInTheLoop · #**276** Posted **Oct 22, 2014, 7:26 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Downtown

^OK, you got me. I do appreciate a bold, striking design as much as anyone. What I find incomprehensible are the folks on the forum who whine that new blueprints show something at 766 feet, when they could have made it 800 feet. What the hell difference does a round-number measurement in feet make?

Totally with you here. I don't get this type of obsession with height stats either..........

......at the same time, I do agree with the general point TUP is making.......

wierdaaron · #**277** Posted **Oct 22, 2014, 7:30 PM**

The original design render for the hotel was gorgeous. The constant chipping-away at something so pretty over the past few months into a more and more generic product has been depressing, regardless of the height.

Maybe that original "glass bouquet" design can be resurrected as another building somewhere, but part of the beauty of it was that it'd be the tallest building around.

brian_b · #**278** Posted **Oct 22, 2014, 7:51 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by wierdaaron

The original design render for the hotel was gorgeous. The constant chipping-away at something so pretty over the past few months into a more and more generic product has been depressing, regardless of the height.

Maybe that original "glass bouquet" design can be resurrected as another building somewhere, but part of the beauty of it was that it'd be the tallest building around.

At 500 feet it would still be the talled building around, but it would be a lot less noticeable given the number of 300+ footers in the area. 600 feet would definitely make it stand out a lot more. Reducing the height also reduces the number of lake-view hotel rooms that they can charge a lot of money for, so I'm sure that if they are thinking about a reduction they are doing a lot of math and wondering if the reduced construction costs outweigh the reduced revenue.

As a neighborhood resident, I'm a lot more concerned with the street-level amenities that this megaproject is promising (bars, restaurants and retail).

wierdaaron · #**279** Posted **Oct 22, 2014, 8:08 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by brian_b

As a neighborhood resident, I'm a lot more concerned with the street-level amenities that this megaproject is promising (bars, restaurants and retail).

Yeah, and that's what McPier is more interested in too, I'd wager. Between this, the arena, and the McHugh/Antunovich hotel project across the street there should be a dramatic change for the area.

I think that hotel is Antunovich's best work, too.

SamInTheLoop · #**280** Posted **Nov 25, 2014, 7:17 PM**

In Crain's.....apparently McPier just awarded the hotel and arena project to a venture led by Clark (what, Walsh couldn't pull this one off?!). More VE in the arena....for example, the floor won't be a couple stories underground as previously designed, however somehow the roof will be around the same height...not quite sure how that works exactly.......hotel 40 stories, instead of the former 51 (I'm assuming this is what we've known about already....not sure how much more VE we can handle in the hotel.......construction start will now be May-June due to the delays in awarding contract, instead of previously planned Feb-Mar timeframe......