CHICAGO | Riverline | 8 Towers | 600FT - 500FT(X2) - 380FT(X2) - 242FT(X2) - 300FT~
 

Location: Along south branch of the Chicago River between Harrison and Polk
Developers: Lend Lease and CMK
End of Construction:2023-2025
Architect:Ralph Johnson and Perkins+Will
Floors:17 - 47
Height: 242ft - 600ft
Towers: 8
Website

Phase 1
Residential Units:942
Towers:3
Height:242ft(X2) + 300ft~

http://www.chicagoarchitecture.org/w...1-1024x714.jpg
http://www.evermotion.org/vbulletin/...0&d=1450610513
http://www.evermotion.org/vbulletin/...1&d=1450610514
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/apps/...20150918075709

Phase 2
Residential Units:2700
Towers:5
Height:380-600 FT

http://www.chicagoarchitecture.org/w...al-at-dusk.jpg
http://www.chicagoarchitecture.org/w...h-1024x577.jpg
http://www.chicagoarchitecture.org/w...e-1024x713.jpg

credits: Crains and Chicago Architecture Blog

I'll add more later, any thing else you guys want me to do just give me suggestions.

not sure where that guys planning to kayak to in the middle of february, but otherwise looks good ;)

3/26/2016
 

A few more renderings showing the public space component.

Plans are being finalized to extend the riverwalk through River City somehow such that there is not a gap in the walkway.

https://cdn3.vox-cdn.com/uploads/cho...erline-2.0.jpg

https://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/uploads/cho...erline-3.0.jpg

credit/curbed chicago

This is probably the most exciting project in Chicago due to it's location and what it will do for the South Loop.

What specific buildings are part of Phase 1?

early '90s

Too bad we lost the old Marshall Field warehouse, that would have framed the river quite nicely with this development.

Wasn't this the site of the old Grand Central Station?


July 1963
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/102...924/hjxJ3L.jpg
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_...ation_(Chicago)




http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/128...923/KwuqFC.jpg
https://architecture.desktopnexus.com/wallpaper/586567/

Demolished in 1971.

_

yup, that one hurts

This will be our next Lakeshore East

1/2 the size with shorter buildings and potentially less diverse architecture.

This is nice. I like these mutli phased, large scale developments.

+1


:cheers:

I wonder what the time table is? 5 years? 10?

Better than parking lots :)

10 years.

this could be the spark that ignites the fire... Chicago has an insane amount of un-utilized waterfront property close to downtown. once this is built it could encourage other developers to compete in that area

The 62 acre site further south along the river was bought by Related Midwest. So this is definitely already happening. We don't know what they have in store for it yet - they have their hands full with quite a few other projects in the city at the moment.

Anyone know what is actually happening with Riverline?

ChiArch says the 1st phase is the 47 story tower (sub-area A)

Curbed says the 1st phase is a 30 story tower (sub-area D)

Sloopin says the 1st phase is a 19‐story tower 62 townhomes and a 29‐story tower

^ That's interesting.....I always thought it was slated to be a 19-story tower at the far south end that was slated to start first......but personally, I say why should Lend Lease have to choose....start with a multiple tower bang!

IIRC at the planning commission meeting they mentioned that they are constructing 1 building on both the north and south parcels and the riverwalk for the full length of the site as phase 1. As of this moment they are digging up the north site, while the south site still looks empty from my vantage point.

I think phase one includes buildings both to the north and south of River City:

Riverline also has a Twitter account so you could tweet your questions as they seem to reply back.

Tweet to them that 600' is too short and that the project is deserving of a signature tower...

600 feet in that part of the city is gonna look like a monster still.

I signed up on the website for news. I fully intend to purchase a 2-3 bedroom in one of the condo buildings.

delete

Love this rendering.

If this building at the far south end abutting Roosevelt turns out anything like this (I have this feeling it's going to/has changed in final design, but we'll see), I'm going to be very, very happy. It'll be a stunner.....

True, but RL could definitely be better than LSE, which is most important. LSE is certainly a mixed-bag, even though it's overall impact on the city/downtown/lakefront is clearly a positive.....

LSE is going to be totally transformed by Wanda. That project is going to single handedly eliminate the majority of the planning issues remaining in that neighborhood. It's always been an incomplete place and has thrived despite that. Can't wait to see how it changes in it's final phases. Glad to see new mega projects popping up to keep us entertained.

That's true shouldn't this thread be under construction thread yet?

Not until they start putting in drilling caissons and foundation work. Right now is site prep.

is there another rendering with CFD rescuing that guy after he falls through the ice?

I just realized this is the only view we have of the East side, just peaking down Wells. Shows it's built out to the sidewalk, good street presence with that plaza drawing people in off the street, and an attractive car free path to the river. Lots of promise.

"On tonight's episode of Chicago Fire..." :haha:

I really like the overall design here and the direction Ralph Johnson has taken this. I love the naturalized interface among the river, river walk, and buildings themselves. We really don't see the river treated like this anywhere else in the city and I think it holds promise for future developments further up the North Branch and down the South Branch away from downtown.

I like the designs of the buildings themselves and how they form a cohesive whole speaking a similar design language. With that said I am concerned about a couple of things.

First, I don't like how River City seems to be ignored from a design standpoint and just sandwiched between the two halves of the development. I wish Ralph took more design cues from River City and it's curvatious sculptural forms. I know RJ is a fan of Goldberg's work and it would have been nice to see him reference that here by playing off of River City's design and being more contextual. I do like the jutting angular design and cantilevers in Riverline but I think more transition both to the immediate north and south of River City with the buildings transitioning from more "organic" curving forms to more of the jutting angles we see as you move away from River City would have been a nice touch.

Second, while development as a whole is a bold cohesive statement it would be nice to see at least one truly signature tower here. The most likely candidate would of course be the tallest. It is a handsome design but at 600ft in this location and without any real noticeable design features from a distance it will be lost in the skyline. I think up close it will look very good and blend in with the rest of the development but it won't serve as an architectural gateway for this project from a distance. A taller and bolder design that still relates to the rest of the development would be nice.

My last point isn't really a criticism of this project just a general observation. In general I think these mega developments are better when they develop overtime and with different architects. Lake Shore East is a good example of this. Each building while it is related to the others in the entire development looks unique and it give the development an organic feel and architectural diversity. Even when buildings are designed by the same architect they are very different (Aqua and Vista). Riverline is the opposite as it is being designed by one architect at one time but I really think it works here and other than my two criticisms above I think RJ has done a really good job of pulling off the type of design a mega development at this location needs.

Looks like this project anticipates a Polk Street bridge.

Some photos of early site work over at Sloopin: http://www.sloopin.com/2016/04/looks...-at-600-s.html

Not that I'm personally invested in any way, but one can't help but imagine the folks at River City are very happy about losing their prime view of the city. Maybe I missed it, but was there any commotion about this project from RC residents?

I think a ton of River City residents are renters/investment properties; like, the majority. I didn't hear a lot of commotion from them or from folks across the street on Wells. Most I've heard from want to see more vibrancy in that corner of the neighborhood, and they're happy that it's coming along with good architecture.

^^^ The entitlements for this property have been in place since River City was built as this was all under the same PD as River City. There wouldn't have been anything the residents could have done if they didn't like it. And, as Ithakas said, the majority of the building is renters as this was one of the deals American Invesco blew up in the recession. It was impossible to even get a mortgage on units here for years because of how badly fucked the condo association was. That means a lot of people got absurd deals buying in this building and paid cash and are sitting pretty on the high rents you can get downtown these days.

Good eye. Looks quite enticing as shown. Can't wait to use that path!

April 21, 2016

^ready to go.

WAIT THIS IS ON SITE PREP?! sorry i must have missed something, what is the site prep for? an actual building or just site layout

^ I believe Curbed had an article not too long ago that work on one of the buildings (30 stories) on the site was imminent

Mar 31








April 7


April 21


A few hours after SolarWinds's set, and Lindahl is pulling out

What's the permit situation down there? Marothisu?

Not sure. Can't find anything pending for 600-700 S Wells or 201-251 W Harrison. I remember One Bennett Park though and I couldn't find anything on there then they all of a sudden got a permit. Something like that could happen where in a few weeks they could all of a sudden have some permits .

Window wall has been awarded.

it's insane that's still vacant. Look at the location. It's ridiculous

I'm excited that something is finally going up, well maybe not so excited we're essentially getting a little village of glass blue boxes, but at least the site no longer remains vacant. Will be interesting to see how close they stick to the current plans. Fingers crossed for height increases.