^ So you like the fact that University is turning its buildings into rubble? Also, closing streets reduces the connectivity of the city and often creates worse traffic in the areas around it.

And this is a good thing to you?

As a student, it's a good thing for me...

Yes, when the building is an ugly, obsolete old eyesore. I also like the fact that in LA, where I live, they are knocking down ugly old strip malls and buildings and replacing them with more attractive mixed-use developments.

Greenwood and those parts of 58th street weren't exactly the Dan Ryan expressway. The gain in quality of life for pedestrians and the campus and community is much more desirable than maintaining a few blocks of asphalt and concrete.

In Europe often city centers have pedestrian-only zones and I like this sort of thing.

Anyone who questions the closure of the part of 58th St. between University and Woodlawn really needs to take a trip down to see it. Visually stunning landscaping, and it ties together many campus buildings. 58th was a very minor street between 57th and 59th/Midway so likely not much missed by anyone.

Greenwood we need to see when completed, but here you have a secondary one-way street running into another secondary one-way street. Replacing that block of Greenfield with a cul-de-sac that serves the new residence hall and the existing parking garage seems to meet the needs very well. Another good chance to increase green space while doing very little to destroy the street grid.

I go back and forth on street closures. It's really frustrating in certain Chicago neighborhoods where most streets are one-way, where one street closure can force drivers to make long, laborious detours or get lost. The city seems to grant carte blanche for street closures near schools, which I think is a terrible policy.

On the other hand, where I live in Pilsen most streets are two-way, and I love the street closures in my area, especially the plazas at 18th Pl/Paulina and 18th Pl/Leavitt where they are tied in with church buildings (feels very old world). Detours are relatively simple if you're driving and as a pedestrian, you can easily walk through without feeling like you're intruding on private property.

As far as the University of Chicago is concerned, that campus is still very well integrated with the city grid. It's easy to drive through and there is a clear hierarchy of design that helps you navigate. I can pass through that campus, again, without feeling like I'm intruding. The vast majority of urban college campuses are designed like impregnable fortresses, though. UIC comes to mind, where they put in so many damn closures it totally ruins the street grid.

Apparently there will be a Starbucks in the Target Express at Vue53, based on a notice the building posted on its Facebook page on Tuesday. I think that's the 5th Starbucks in Hyde Park.

They have started demolition of Mott to make way for the new conference building.

Cool. Another example of getting rid of a bland building for, we hope, a new, improved building.

Mott Building demolition permit:

http://www.chicagocityscape.com/perm...?pid=100637387

The Maroon is reporting that the Rubenstein Forum is supposed to start construction this year, and that a detailed timeline and renderings will be released in three weeks.

The Maroon article on Mott:

http://chicagomaroon.com/2016/04/29/...enstein-forum/

The 53rd/Dorchester hotel proposal is on the Planning Commission agenda for this month:

More pics of Mott biting the dust:
http://chicago.curbed.com/2016/5/2/1...benstein-forum

Renovation permit issued to put a Target into Harper Court

I think you mèan Vue53:

http://www.chicagocityscape.com/perm...?pid=100633823

Not sure how accurate these are anymore, but came across these that might give an indication of the design:

http://s32.postimg.org/lv38cmm0l/15_...hwest_2000.jpg
http://s32.postimg.org/tp3ty0tth/Chi...es_MR_1800.jpg

Looks like it could be a nice counterpoint to the Logan Center tower.

If you're not already familiar, check out this Columbia University building also designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro.

Hmmmm... It could also serve as an air traffic control tower for planes landing on the Midway.

If that's the design, it does seem to reference the Law School, SSA, and Logan Center...

I see Vue53 has been posting tours of some of the units on its Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/Vue53/videos/1598529560437696/

Planning Commission APPROVED

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ci1fLkKWsAIuGYj.jpg:large

:cheers: :banana: