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-   -   CHICAGO | Essex on the Park | 607 FT | 56 FLOORS (https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/showthread.php?t=225358)

Mr Downtown Jan 8, 2017 6:38 PM

^Why would there be neighborhood opposition to that? Was it maybe Astroturf testimony arranged by the owner? I can't find any reference to opposition, only weird speculation by Lynn Becker that "resistance" (from whom? the owner? Landmarks staff? the mayor's office?) was the reason North Federal hadn't previously been landmarked.

BVictor1 Jan 13, 2017 8:21 AM

Essex Landmarking and Historical info:

https://www.cityofchicago.org/conten...Prelim_Sum.pdf

BVictor1 Jan 18, 2017 7:55 AM

Interior demolition of the parking/pool structure has begun.

Rocket49 Jan 18, 2017 8:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BVictor1 (Post 7676661)
Essex Landmarking and Historical info:

https://www.cityofchicago.org/conten...Prelim_Sum.pdf

Very interesting. Love the old advertising literature on the Essex, and the historical background information.

KWILLSKYLINE Jan 19, 2017 10:47 AM

Rahm E. Is breaking ground ceremony this morning on the Essex site. Nbc 5##

Not sure what ground they will break? The roof of the parking garage? Haha

Kippis Jan 19, 2017 1:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KWILLSKYLINE (Post 7682933)
Rahm E. Is breaking ground ceremony this morning on the Essex site. Nbc 5##

Not sure what ground they will break? The roof of the parking garage? Haha

They fill a sandbox with some dirt and hand the important folks a golden shovel. Sounds crazy, but it happens.

Excited to see this tower get off the ground!

KWILLSKYLINE Jan 19, 2017 1:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by denizen467 (Post 7668134)
Is that East-West University building going to continue unchanged as far as we know right now?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kippis (Post 7682984)
They fill a sandbox with some dirt and hand the important folks a golden shovel. Sounds crazy, but it happens.

Excited to see this tower get off the ground!

haha yeah I know thats the routine like they currently did for vista. I just think it would awesome and hillarious to have rahm in a suit/hardhat using a jackhammer on a garage roof. now that would be a picture.

aaron38 Jan 19, 2017 2:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BVictor1 (Post 7676661)
Essex Landmarking and Historical info:

https://www.cityofchicago.org/conten...Prelim_Sum.pdf

They should bring back the red & blue window shades for a nice splash of color.

maru2501 Jan 19, 2017 3:47 PM

mayor's office calling it 57 stories, so I guess that's right

Bombardier Jan 21, 2017 12:26 AM

http://www.chicagotribune.com/busine...119-story.html

Groundbreaking ceremony article with photo

BVictor1 Jan 21, 2017 6:17 AM

Can we change the title of the thread to 'Essex on the Park'?

That's the name mentioned in the Trib article.

ardecila Jan 23, 2017 3:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Downtown (Post 7671417)
^Why would there be neighborhood opposition to that? Was it maybe Astroturf testimony arranged by the owner? I can't find any reference to opposition, only weird speculation by Lynn Becker that "resistance" (from whom? the owner? Landmarks staff? the mayor's office?) was the reason North Federal hadn't previously been landmarked.

So then why wasn't it landmarked? Purely just opposition from the owner?

SolarWind Feb 1, 2017 2:17 AM

January 24, 2017




simon07 Feb 1, 2017 3:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SolarWind (Post 7696639)
January 24, 2017




What is going to happen to the garage behind essex that fronts Wabash? I noticed it is still operating. Is it being demolished also, will it be rebuilt as parking fog the new tower?

KWILLSKYLINE Feb 1, 2017 5:07 AM

I hope they save, restore and somehow incorporate that old vertical Essex sign from the old garage into the new building. If not I hope someone picks them up and puts them into storage or somewhere they wont go to waste.

Bombardier Feb 9, 2017 9:34 PM

Lots of demo activity today... heard they were delayed by some asbestos and just started back today.

Bombardier Feb 10, 2017 12:13 PM

The South Loop Symposium was pretty good last night. During Q&A someone asked how the developer felt about what Landmarks did to change the design. John Rutledge and Jim Plunkard were very diplomatic in their responses and said they were able to achieve additional height as part of the trade off for taking out the cross braces and enclosing the winter garden. I still think the original design was better!

BVictor1 Feb 10, 2017 3:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bombardier (Post 7707647)
The South Loop Symposium was pretty good last night. During Q&A someone asked how the developer felt about what Landmarks did to change the design. John Rutledge and Jim Plunkard were very diplomatic in their responses and said they were able to achieve additional height as part of the trade off for taking out the cross braces and enclosing the winter garden. I still think the original design was better!

That was me who asked that question.

BVictor1 Feb 11, 2017 4:44 AM

So, there were a few interesting things about th Essex mentioned at the CAF lecture.

Again, it was landmarks and the city who caused the design change.

I find it almost hilarious even though it's sad and pathetic that officials in the city renowned for its architecture help with the dumbing down of designs because of fear that the new towers would overshadow and or be too out of scale.

With the removal of the X-bracing, the amount of concrete needed would go up by about 25% according to the architect. I believe he said it was roughly a $10,000,000 cost.

The verticals we see on the north and south facades are actually structural buttresses that thin out (from 5' at the base and then 3', 2', 1' and they disappear at the top) as the tower rises and they will be clad with metal.

https://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a...D720/ry%3D480/

I'm sure you remember hearing that when the Wabash/Madison stop was disassembled, some of those facade pieces were saved. Well guess who has them... the developer, and it seems like they want to install/encase these pieces within the winter garden area.
https://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a...D720/ry%3D480/

https://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a...D720/ry%3D480/

And demo pics from 02/10/17
https://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a...D720/ry%3D480/

https://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a...D720/ry%3D480/

Oh...! BTW, we may have to bump this back to 620'. The architect said this number several times and when I mentioned I'd seen 607', he said with all the screening it's 620'. Hopefully I'll see more drawings in the future.

the urban politician Feb 11, 2017 3:01 PM

Wow, great update BV. So the buttresses actually perform a vital function. Does that mean it's now more "honest"?

Really neat that they are reusing classic L station elements in the Winter Garden. Not sure if I will ever see it in person, but it's still good to know


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