The geometry of the panels and their lack of reflectivity make for a really cool effect. It's like the depth is simulated, like a tromp l'oeil. And the rhythm of the various sizes of the shapes is great. A much different effect than I was expecting from this building, but I like it a lot.

Heh, sorta reminds me of the effect of this building on UIC's medical campus.

^Totally. Last time I was in front of the building, I couldn't tell what was going on.

I won't be able to get to the rest, but I did snap a pic of Vue53:
http://i.imgur.com/VTR7dWal.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/VTR7dWa.jpg

I'll try to take more once I get back to Chicago, I'm in London until next Thursday.

Right?! Glad I'm not the only one.

Nah. The only similarity is that they both incorporate precast panels hoisted by crane. The UIC hospital building uses the ugliest from of exposed aggregate in an ugly shade of muck. The place would sit very well next to soviet buildings.

The UofC version is totally different. Very vertical, almost sinuous when you see it in person, easy on the eyes and a beautiful shade of off-white. How it will age is, of course, another question.

Whoa, I think you were reading way too much into my comment. I was just noting that both facades appear like optical illusions when viewed from certain angles. Otherwise, the buildings are clearly very different.

Topping off ceremony for North Campus Residence Hall:

http://www.mortenson.com/company/new...ff-celebration

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5701/...27a60173_b.jpg
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/645/2...f112bc9c_c.jpg
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5701/...205192ba_c.jpg

City Hyde Park 9/30

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/728/2...c1e00892_c.jpg

Not sure it's been advertised, but this is going to be a Whole Foods, with a Marshall's on 2.

^ Nice shot. Looking good.

Different view of Vue53
http://i58.tinypic.com/33nx9bs.jpg

Wow, what a Vue!...please don't hate me

USATODAY's story on transformation of South Side:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel...ance/73400918/

On a side note, Google Maps has been updated to show the July 2015 street view of Hyde park, so you can do fun things like watch Pierce Tower and other buildings come and go.

North Campus webcam:

http://northresidencehallcam.uchicag...shtml?id=27867

Quite an impact
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5789/...0dbd86ac_c.jpgFlickr

Another hotel for Hyde Park. "Soon" there will be 5:

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/artic...weprin-targets

1) Hyatt
2) Boutique Hotel on 53rd
3) La Quinta
4) Solstice on the Park Hotel
5) Graduate Hotel

There is a meeting tonight October 29th at 6:00PM at Noyes Hall (1212 E. 59th Street) to discuss the 53rd street boutique hotel.

I encourage whomever can make it to go and support the project.

Solstice will probably be rental and not hotel.

If you read the article, Weprin is looking at converting outdated chain hotels, so this may not be a new building. Any candidates for this?

Isn't there a rundown Ramada Inn down there?

Not anymore, it was bought, renovated, and turned into a LaQuinta. Only existing buildings that might be a candidate for conversion might be some of the old dorms that UofC is closing at the end of the year, and I don't know how practical that is (though on second thought, two of the dorms used to be hotels originally...).

I'll be attending the meeting tonight at Ida Noyes,. Hopefully there will be a lot of business owners there like at the first meeting, they were super supportive at the first one. I'll try to take some notes and pictures, there should be a rendering unveiled tonight.

"Some residents remained unimpressed. One woman was worried about the impact the project would have on plans for her wedding anniversary celebration." - From DNA Info

People are the worst.


http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20151...-residents-say

Thanks for the info on the La Quinta – I don't find myself in that little pocket of Hyde Park often, so I wasn't aware the Ramada Inn was gone.

DNAinfo is really turning into the voice of NIMBYs (did anyone see the article they published last summer about the resident concerned about the port-a-potty in the alley for construction workers?) – look at the ridiculous headline on this article. I believe it's bleeding money, so maybe Ricketts will cut off its lifeline soon.

Has anyone been by Vue53 recently?

^ Where will everybody park?!

BAH HUMBUG!

I think the reporter left before the meeting was over. At the end I spoke out that less people are driving and that concerns for parking were overshadowing all of the benefits the project brings to the neighborhood. Some of the NIMBYs there were outright assholes, speaking over everyone and interrupting the representative from GREC while he was discussing the design to ask about parking. I also asked if they were using real brick and was told they were committed to real brick.

Sorry for the picture quality, I only had my iPhone on hand to take pictures.

http://i.imgur.com/dbMPKJZl.jpg

Here is the full album of pictures: http://imgur.com/a/s9PwC

I live a block away :P I'm working from home today and am about to go to lunch, I can snap a pic or two on the way.

Vue53 construction progress

http://i.imgur.com/CPWko8sl.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/CPWko8s.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/9Ec8BTel.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/9Ec8BTe.jpg

Excellent photos! They've made lots of progress.

More renderings of Vue 53. Hadn't seen these before:

https://aiacommitteeondesign.files.w...ubmission6.jpg

https://aiacommitteeondesign.files.w...ubmission7.jpg

^ Wow, those are nice.

This is definitely going to upgrade the 53rd St streetscape, which is badly needed. Too bad there is that one strip mall on that corridor, otherwise it's a wonderful and relatively rare booming pedestrian oriented commercial strip on the south side.

Wow. That kicks ass. :cheers:

A few weeks old, but gives a nice overview of Vue, new dorms, and 53rd Street development as a whole...just look at all that traffic and lack of parking ;)

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5796/...2376feb9_b.jpg
2015/365/296 Over Hyde Park by Alan Levine, on Flickr

I think those might be old renderings. The original design had tan, but i think the current is mostly grey metal

I see the Vue53 Facebook page also has other pictures of the building...

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

Video showing Vue53 progress
https://www.facebook.com/Vue53/videos/1535680353389284/

Glass should start going up soon on Vue53, they are installing the brackets for the curtainwall today

A few UoC renovation projects
 

Laboratory for Astrophysics and Space Research - renovation and expansion
http://s29.postimg.org/emx6k24nb/NW_Uo_C_Brighter.jpg

Harris School of Public Policy
http://s14.postimg.org/88edg4b01/S70..._10_10_web.jpg

^Thanks spyguy. I know what building the Harris School of Public Policy is, but where is that new Astrophysics lab located? Is it near the new Eckhart Lab building?

More photos of City Hyde Park (from its Facebook page):
https://www.facebook.com/cityhydepar...42747005802834

Studio Gang's 2 Hyde Park projects for 2016:

http://www.architectmagazine.com/vid...residence-hall

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5632/...03562e60_b.jpg
Crews work at the site of Vue53 Apartments, once home to Hyde Park's only permission wall. by Emily Moon, on Flickr

Vue53 pic from street level:
http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20151...on-53rd-street

http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20151...ers-complained

Developer Adds 'Flair' to Hotel Design After Hyde Parkers Complained
By Sam Cholke
http://s27.postimg.org/tfnt0ouw3/extralarge.jpg

It could use some flair. They should have modeled it after Vue53 or City Hyde Park or Harper Court, not the Versailles building (unless they meant the palace in France).

The changes are an improvement. I would compare the old design to the Max Palevsky dorm vs. something more exciting like Campus North.

I was looking through Ronan's website and saw this UoC conference center building for Woodlawn and 60th (not sure if the Mott building will be left alone or not).

http://s16.postimg.org/glf1uy6tx/Scr...6_59_01_PM.jpg
http://s16.postimg.org/lmr1a23o5/Scr...6_59_18_PM.jpg
http://s16.postimg.org/itxtq13bp/Scr...6_59_30_PM.jpg
http://s16.postimg.org/xxfege0b9/Scr...7_01_24_PM.jpg
http://s16.postimg.org/8tybwe2ol/Scr...7_00_12_PM.jpg
http://s16.postimg.org/5j9ywicr9/Scr...7_00_41_PM.jpg
http://s16.postimg.org/n4chlm8et/Scr...8_45_56_PM.jpg

Bigger than I expected. Not sure I like the coloring. Would prefer something closer to the Logan Center exterior material. Glad to see the Mott Building doesn't appear in the renderings, which I hope means it will be demolished. That and the Computation Center need to go.

I'm glad UChicago is getting a conference building, but this looks as though it belongs in a zoo.