maybe you guys are missing the point: 9 STORIES.
...and a HOTEL.

^ And maybe by hunching within dark corridors with your nose glued to architecture books you're missing out on anything that resembles reality.

That's what happens to people who have a one track mind--you can't think outside of your world of cool little staircases and insect-shaped buildings.

Perhaps you should get a hold of the basic concept that density is a good thing for cities. Hotel next to Wrigley? How the flying fuck does that not make sense to you? What do you want people to do, stay 5 miles away from their destination?

Lots of condos right next to an L stop? Again, how the hell does that not make sense to you? How is a city supposed to work in your little insect-shaped building world?

Why can't we build all the way to the lot line anymore? What the hell are they supposed to do? Offer an easement of 5 feet to widen the sidewalks? NO, that kind of shit is exactly why streets like Clark St. have been deteriorating and never form from scratch anymore. I thought everyone on here loved buildings that were dense and closely packed so that walking and taking transit makes the most sense???

So you are saying that Wrigleyville is 50% parking lots and 50% bars with almost no residential units? For some reason I don't think that is very demographically representative of the area most people think is Wrigleyville...

Last time I Checked, every building within the city limits was quite literally "part of Chicago". The Starbucks building is nice and all, but A. we have like 10k other buildings just like it and B. That building in particular is not in very good condition and is heavily altered. I mean the parapet wall has clearly been stripped of the original ornamentation in one of those "rip the blocks out and paste over it with cheap cement" hack jobs...

The point is that you have no point.

Neither of these things are inherently dangerous to the character of the neighborhood.

Wish it would have been 11. Any lots around that area on Clark/Addison that are retail should be zoned for denser mixed use....meaning at least 5 stories if not higher. Like the Broadway Bank building in Uptown...denser is better for these transit friendly/dependent "centers".

Sports Corner update: the first floor exterior is being framed up, and pre-cast beige concrete walls are being installed. I'll try and swing by with a camera this afternoon.

Speaking of that McDonald's
 

http://www.chicagorealestatedaily.co...ws.pl?id=33851

Transactions

McDonald’s Corp. franchisee Ernest Cochanis has sold his restaurant across from Wrigley Field for $4.5 million to a real estate investment trust owned by the Oak Brook-based fast-food chain. Mr. Cochanis owned three McDonald’s restaurants in Chicago but recently sold them and plans to retire at the end of the month, says an employee with his company, Chicago-based Ernest Corp. The Wrigleyville restaurant is at 3616 N. Clark St., at the intersection with Addison Street.

:previous:

That seems to be a low ball figure for such a prime spot with its large parking area included. That guy must have really wanted to retire.

^
Well, if he sold it back to a McDonald's-owned real estate company, the company might have helped him purchase the location to begin with.
I wonder what they'll do with the location - will McD's find another franchisee, or will they sell the land for yet another bar?

We had this discussion in another thread... McDonald's is in fact a very shrewd real estate investor. I'm sure they will come up with some more intense use of the site if it makes sense financially.

like they did with their Rock and Roll McDonalds?

:jester:

Laugh if you must, but McDonald's is not stupid. They may be an emblem of suburbia, but they're smart enough to recognize the potential for huge profits to be had by developing land in dense urban areas.

This particular McDonald's was owned by a franchise until recently, so the McDonald's corporation had no control over the disposition of the land. With his decision to exit the business and sell the location back to the company, he has unwittingly opened the land for redevelopment by placing it in the hands of people who can recognize its potential. I doubt McDonald's will develop the land itself, but on such a prominent site I can't imagine that developers haven't made offers; with a new owner, they may come back to make new offers.

I'd be shocked if they don't come to the conclusion that it being a parking lot 81 nights a year is the highest and best use under existing zoning constraints. Oh well.

5-14-09

http://img39.imageshack.us/img39/3902/61545863.jpg

New Sports Corner progress.
http://img39.imageshack.us/img39/5757/sportscorner.jpg

Before there was Wrigley Field.

http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/9...westsidebp.jpg

"Chicago, At the Turn of the Century Photographs" by Larry Viskochil, CHS

Ricketts' Wrigley game plan: rehab on a budget
By: Mike Colias Aug. 25, 2009

(Crain’s) — Among the most closely watched decisions awaiting Thomas Ricketts is what the likely next owner of the Chicago Cubs will do with iconic but rickety Wrigley Field.

Fans shouldn’t expect major changes anytime soon: A major overhaul of the 95-year-old park is probably four or five years out, according to two people familiar with the Ricketts family’s plans. And even then, the job likely wouldn’t exceed $250 million, one source said.

That would be far less ambitious than the $450-million-to-$600-million overhaul once envisioned by state officials when they attempted to buy the stadium from Tribune Co. last year. The apparent five-year horizon signals that the Ricketts clan will take time to digest the $800-million deal it finalized last week with Tribune Co. to buy the team, ball park and a 25% stake in Comcast SportsNet.


The family views as perhaps its biggest new moneymaker the development of the so-called “triangle building” on the stadium’s west side, along Clark Street, one source said. Tribune has had a similar project on the drawing board for years. It would likely include a restaurant, shops, parking and other amenities, but the Ricketts family doesn’t yet have firm plans for the project, the source said.

Other elements are likely to include upgraded skyboxes, a lounge area, widened concourses, better bathrooms and concessions, and some sort of fan-friendly space between the triangle building and the stadium, a source said.

^Wrigley should undergo renovations something akin to Fenway, just enough but nothing more. There is a very fine line. That line was terribly overstepped in 1974 at the original Yankee Stadium and is why the original Yankee Stadium is no more (thank god, it was turned into something impossible to fix and unworthy of being saved). Everyone would hate to see that happen to Wrigley.

9-19

New Sports Corner

http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/8351/sc1ul.jpg

http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/5856/sc2pu.jpg


New Sheffield rooftop facadectomy

http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/4480/shef3.jpg

http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/4831/shef1.jpg

Pleasantly surprising that the new Sports Corner building follows similar overall form as the old one. I guess it'll be a three story bar.



Totally seperate random question: There's a very large steel-frame project going up on Milwaukee Ave just north of Belmont. Any ideas what it is? I rode by too fast to look for any details.

http://www.suntimes.com/business/181...wrig12.article

Wrigley hotel done shrinking
BY FRAN SPIELMAN

Developers of a hotel, retail and residential complex across the street from Wrigley Field are apparently done compromising with area residents concerned about game-day congestion.

...The five-story triangle building promised to Wrigleyville residents in exchange for a bleacher expansion was supposed to house a 400-space garage, upscale restaurants, retail stores and rooftop garden and below-ground batting cages, pitching mounds and player workout facilities.

The $100 million building has since been redesigned to include more retail and office space at the expense of parking, with a stadium club replacing the rooftop garden. A smaller garage could be built on less-valuable land away from Wrigley.
http://img126.imageshack.us/img126/8...2009101116.jpg
---
The new triangle building sounds exciting now that they seem to have eliminated a substantial (all?) amount of parking.

This article actually talks about both the triangle building next to Wrigley and the hotel south of it. I'd really like to see both of them go through, it would do wonders in making the area seem much less desolate and much more pedestrian friendly.

I actually kinda like the design in the above picture, which one of the two buildings is it? Its the hotel to the south right? That crappy little sports store that refused to sell is on the left right?

New billboards in left field.

http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/4...eysignboar.jpg

http://cbs2chicago.com/local/wrigley...2.1328527.html

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?...tnerId=rss_chc

Good! I liked the old Bud ad, but I absolutely hate looking at that Casino ad. Now just bring back TORCO and we're set!

fenway anyone???

oh well, wrigley couldn't stay billboardless for too much longer, right?

and yeah, last season was one of the stranger seasons at wrigley looking at HORSESHOE and not a big red BUDWEISER roof... perhaps if the new ad is bud, then things will seem more visually normal out in left center... :shrug:

plus it'll give Z a new target in bp!! :thrasher:

So the owner of the house got greedy and now it's going to cost him his advertising with Horseshoe... I love it!

Trough Urinals To Remain In New Wrigley Restrooms

http://cbs2chicago.com/watercooler/w...2.1363788.html

http://www.spike.com/video/wrigley-field-urinal/2705621

Shouldn't this thread be renamed New Ownership and Refurbishment?

Good, they are a model of efficancy. Keep enough TP, soap, and running water and I'm set.

Short term I think it's right to assume McDonalds will maintain their site as a drive through and part time parking lot.

But it's such an easy site to redevelop if they ever want a new space/more consistent year round revenue.

Build a new store on the corner with rental above, demolish the existing building once it's done, then you have a large lot for development into whatever monolithic project you like. Much easier than the land aquisition ballet of the proposed hotel south of the stadium.

i'd be funny to have a brand new, fully upgraded restroom with a brand new set of troughs...
:haha:

http://www.school-toilets.co.uk/asse...._Web_Size.jpg

That would be an improvement.

Mmhmm, thems look fancy 'nuff fer Wrigley bathrooms :cheers:

They really are. Just go to Soldier Field and United Center to see how NOT to design a stadium restroom.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/cityhal...n17web.article

Big billboard in left field at Wrigley?
Tunney questions request for 75-foot illuminated sign

March 17, 2010
BY FRAN SPIELMAN

...The Cubs filed a permit application this week for a "projecting, illuminated" billboard rising high above the left-field bleachers that has the potential to rake in big bucks from advertisers at the expense of offending purists.

But, there's a problem. The 75 foot high, 360 square foot billboard has raised the eyebrows of local Ald. Tom Tunney (44th). And it may not pass muster with the Commission on Historical Landmarks, which must decide whether new signage conforms with Wrigley's landmark designation.
---

At least one positive aspect of the renovations is that they're taking out those ugly concrete panels:

http://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2010/...son-rehab-work

nomarandlee also posted this bit of news on the triangle building on SSC:

But they're just being replaced with more chain link fence, spray-painted green...

still an improvement.

also more like the original exterior treatment if my memory of historic photos serves me well.

If i was in Chicago right now, I'd post a photo, but I'm not :( so I can't.

Still hope to see at least one game there this season. Hopefully without a gaudy red light Toyota sign. Although I like it more than the Horseshoe ad.

http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/2...5street.th.jpg
http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/1...ey1932c.th.jpg
http://img534.imageshack.us/img534/8...ronwork.th.jpg

What's up the huge new banners all over the exterior? I hope it's temporary. They're very distracting...

It's almost approved, but won't look like this.

http://img718.imageshack.us/img718/9...tfieldsign.jpg

http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune....r-wrigley.html

Hyatt Clark/Addison proposal
 

I have little use for what is there now other other then the three story stone on Addison but for reasons that Hayward pointed out well I would just appreciate if the street wall would be broken up a bit (and not in a faux manner as is so often done) to reflect a bit of the diversity, not necessarily the style, of the buildings across on the west side of the street. Hopefully the store/restaurant fronts will be built with retractable windows to allow for open air dining like at Red Ivy given this is one of the most positive attributes of the present streetscape.

Whatever one thinks about the team or the yahoos that frequent the ballpark the fact is that I think its the second most visited destination in the city outside of downtown. It would be real nice to get this done right and have it be quality as opposed to at best adequate design. Whether one laments the fact or not this immediate area is perhaps the most routine neighborhood face that is shown to visitors so some thought about what not only neighborhood but the largest city want it to represent should be in consideration. It doesn't have to critically acclaimed or progressive design by any means but hopefully it would be thoughtfully proportioned, non-banal, and balanced.

I would also think it would be much improved when Wrigleyville Sports submits and I assume that they can buy that out to replace it with a courtyard or restaurant. All in all I think the development is a net win even if flawed especially compared to the original proposal.

I think this is possibly the most important statements in this entire discussion.

People forget the fact that this development has changed significantly since the originally proposed design, due largely to opposition from the neighborhood. Then, when the thing is scaled back, dumbed down and PoMo'd for the NIMBYs, people complain about the "malling of Wrigleyville".

So to those hating on the current design: what do you expect when plans are being pulled in 10 different directions due to objections from people who are going to be pissed about any plan that gets proposed?

Before Wrigley there was
West Side Park Cubs vs Sox 1909

http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/5897/csoxcubs21909.jpg

http://img36.imageshack.us/img36/4751/csoxcubs1909.jpg


http://www.hellochicago.com/Photos_Panoramic.Cfm

So I tried searching online for more information on these projects but I had a hard time finding anything. Is there an estimated timeline for these projects? I love the idea of a hotel right across from Wrigley and honestly that is something that has been needed for a long time. I also really love the retail portion of the project located along Clark St. I think both would really enhance the neighborhood and I personally can't see why people are so opposed to it. Yes it is change, but change isn't always a bad thing. And right now Wrigley and the surrounding area is looking very dated, and not in a good way! I also wasnt able to find the renderings for the hotel portion anywhere online? Does anyone have access to it?

9-30

Newly rehabbed Wrigley Rooftops facadectomy on Sheffield

http://img248.imageshack.us/img248/8279/wr2t.jpg

No post on this yet?
 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/busine...0,509385.story

Cubs to state: Let's play bonds
By Ameet Sachdev

The owner of the Chicago Cubs will ask the state to borrow up to $300 million in a bond offering to make extensive renovations at Wrigley Field that would ensure the team can play at the historic ballpark for another 50 years.

...If the legislation is passed, Ricketts and his family have promised to invest about $200 million in redeveloping the Lakeview neighborhood outside the stadium, such as the long-talked-about "triangle building" just west of Wrigley.

I hope Rickett's head falls off his shoulders. Typical GOPer. Doling out wads of cash to crazy people like Sharon Angle and then turning around, expecting a hand-out.

Horrible, horrible human-being.

To be fair, he's not asking for a handout. He's asking the state to use its ability to issue bonds with low interest rates. Should the state do so, the Cubs would be on the hook for any and all payments to bondholders. Not a single tax dollar would flow to the Cubs.

As a businessman, it's his job to pursue the best means of financing an expansion. I don't know all the details of Ricketts' plan, but I do know that private capital is still pretty difficult to get ahold of for companies looking to expand, so I can theorize about the position that Ricketts is working from.

Your knee-jerk political reaction is disappointing, especially because it ignores the massive economic boost that the Cubs provide to the North Side, from the bars, restaurants, and clubs on Clark Street to the high value that many people place on living near the ballpark and the consequent housing boom in the area.

WLS-TV ABC Chicago

Ricketts wants taxpayer money for Wrigley

http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?sec...rts&id=7791463



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