June 14

Chicago | NEMA by Harry Carmichael, on Flickr

June 21



Chicago | NEMA by Harry Carmichael, on Flickr

Chicago | NEMA by Harry Carmichael, on Flickr

An instant classic for the South Loop... arguably the three best towers in the South Loop were built this cycle in fact! Very exciting times indeed

We deserve for the twin to be built ASAP lol

Imagine that same view but with the slightly taller twin :slob:

http://thumbor.forbes.com/thumbor/96...-1200x1545.jpg
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/keithfl.../#23cc49a87ed6

that actually looks really bad

Agreed, Dan Ryan. Please no twin. Gross.

So, I've thought about this for awhile, and the only thing I can think of that might have caused them to install the 'sails' is the fact that the skip goes up to that level and all worker traffic working on all the top mechanical levels exits adjacent to those sails... they must be for wind protection... don't want anyone blowing over the side... I'm sure they will be taken down after the skip come down...

Yeah, I was studying them yesterday and feel they must have something to do with protecting workers on the roof level, or stuff they might be installing there, or with the top mounting for the hoist.

I certainly wouldn't want a twin here, but I wouldn't mind something that uses the same design language--ie, of the same style, but obviously different and taller, and maybe with a different color/shade variety

Not done yet, but I gotta say, those very top floors (mechanical/what not) are not reading well, imo. The continuity isn't there from the res. floors and it looks flat and bland. Not enough detail (oomph) seemingly, for the crown of an otherwise kick-ass building.

again, not done yet.

I think once that bright white gets painted along all of the "borders" to frame in all the glass it will look a lot sharper and cohesive.

I hope so. I took that into consideration. I'm mainly talking of the glass work and separations between levels. The depth has disappeared, which I get because there is a flat wall behind them.

Hope the painted columns makes it a mute point.

I am anxious to see how they will light this thing.

just stating the obvious but looks like they finally removed the tarp.

:runaway:

^confirmed

https://flic.kr/p/2gkCKkA

https://flic.kr/p/2gkCzcc

https://flic.kr/p/2gnzz1Q

https://flic.kr/p/2gnzyUC

https://flic.kr/p/2gnzyQ9

June 28

https://i.imgur.com/3uFLBaih.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/n64E9Tuh.jpg?1

I think you mean "moot" ;)

I too am wondering how it'll light up though... we've had a lot of great ones, and I think this one won't do anything. Probably makes sense for the design though

This one makes me think they should raze Dearborn Park and make it an actual park which will be like a mini central park when the 78 is filled in.

I hope so I hate the suburban gated subdivision that is Dearborn Park

Perhaps after the value of the space in 30 years could do that.


But this is right now a sun non barrier. Giving great views for the buildings to the east and the eventual buildings to the west that will go up.

My main issue is the road network around there. There needs to have the roads with go throughs even if it takes some townhomes down to fix the mess and recreate the Chicago Grid.

Wicked good angle here. :slob::slob::slob:

Yep, the South Loop will be a nightmare traffic wise in the very near future if they don't figure that out.

^^ Dearborn Park is an annoyance to us pro-grid outsiders, but it must be pretty great to live in that suburban oasis. Little crime, no bums. Relative peace and tranquility. And a bustling city just outside the gates.

Amen to that. I completely understand and agree with everyone's comments about how DP kills connectivity ... but it's a great place to live because it's tough to find a quiet place so close to the downtown core.

I just hope they never tear down actual Dearborn Park. Trees are important.

lol, hard pass

OT, but I once rode a divvy down one of the streets in Dearborn park and some woman with little kids said to me "Excuse me, excuse me! what are you doing here? There aren't any stations in this neighborhood!" lol

sweet shots Bone

https://www.chicagobusiness.com/comm...0-million-loan

Is this confirmation that they are preliminarily attempting to finance NEMA II next door? I know this is related to the one up now, but the fact that they are refinancing and not straight up selling feels like the move to make as you progress to the next stage of construction. I'm probably out of my depth here. And maybe trying to come up with I want to hear, but is this a good sign for an upcoming Stage Two???

35% already leased is a damn good sign if you ask me. By the end of the summer they could be half way filled

Can you imagine what this would look like with the 78? Would feel like an urban canyon :worship:

It could be our own Central Park!...except with a pseudo gated community instead of public green space.

Yeah something has to be done about Dearborn Park. You all think it will ever be something better?

Would be nice if it was just park space. Or if all of the homes became affordable housing with some good public space in there for everyone.

I wouldn't expect anything for at least another 50-100 years. Too many large single family homes for it to be removed. Perhaps Dearborn Park one's communist style housing might be removed before then, but DPII is not going anywhere in my lifetime for certain.

https://i.imgur.com/onSoF0e.jpg?1

https://i.imgur.com/5BAN4Uc.jpg?1

I love how Vista lines up in this shot with NEMA's last setback. Great framing!

June 28

Chicago | Essex on the park by Harry Carmichael, on Flickr

https://i.imgur.com/7P5RpzQ.jpg?1

Distant cousins?

https://i.imgur.com/jmYS3ZY.jpg?1

https://i.imgur.com/XZ4WnVy.jpg?1

https://i.imgur.com/wAymLbl.jpg?1

https://i.imgur.com/CcT7zrV.jpg?1

Communist? There's nothing communist about any of those buildings. They have bay windows and wedding-cake setbacks, for crying out loud... and the one I've actually been in (801 S Plymouth) has a beautiful lobby with brick and woodwork.

The site plans leave a lot to be desired, though, and the inward orientation/blank walls along Clark, Polk, State, etc aren't doing them any favors.

I believe you may be confused what part of Dearborn Park I'm referring to:

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.8699...7i16384!8i8192

Do you not agree this gives slight bloc housing vibes (albeit in low-rise format). They are ugly and cheaply built and not densely packed. Hopefully that makes them prime candidates for redevelopment in the coming decades.

Sorry for such an off topic comment...

June 25, 2019

Yeah the stuff east of Plymouth is basically fine (although a street or two needs to be shoehorned in and something should be done about the dead streetwall on State). The stuff west of Plymouth is awful.

^^ fantastic shot, solarwind.

I know the stats say that Nema is only ~170' taller than OMP, but the difference looks larger in real life, for whatever reason.

It's probably the tapering setback massing of Nema that make it soar higher than it is, visually.

Is that Armour Square Park? Is that shot from inside the ballpark? It's a great angle.

The ramps at Comiskey...sorry....the G spot....(Guaranteed Rate Field) have one of my favorite views of the skyline.

^I love this viewpoint. If you showed me this picture 12 years ago I would have asked, What the hell is every building to the right of AON?

^^^ Yes! It's almost weird to wrap my mind around it. So awesome.

Meanwhile, our black beauty friggin holds fort like a champ the whole time.

*I love the trees in Chicago. More please.

Not really, rowhouse/terrace houses were never common in communist places like China or the Eastern Bloc. By their nature they include private yards, which is too bourgeois for the communists to stomach, and frankly too inefficient for state-run housing. The architecture is boxy, but that in itself isn't a communist thing.

If anything, Dearborn Park reminds me of English or at least Anglosphere urban renewal projects, like this council housing or just regular terrace houses around London. Or, closer to home, places like Lafayette Park in Detroit or IM Pei's townhouses in Hyde Park - those are just better quality examples of the same ideas.

Blurry photo from Friday:

https://i.imgur.com/a5qqlJa.jpg?1

When all the painting of the north side is complete this thing is going to stand out in the best way.