Sorry did read through the whole thread, I feel dumb:koko:

Has anyone been in the area around the Post Office recently? If yes, is there any sign of life at all in the building, or it is completely vacant? Something like 2.4MM sq feet right?

I just ask because the project showed up again in Crain's "construction bid" area this week (along with 1 S. Halsted for the umpteenth time with no dirt moved yet)......and was curious if there were any "official" looking people touring/measuring/doing anything that would signify that Davies was moving forward with rehabbing the building (I agree that the other towers including the 2,000 footer are a vision only).

It just kills me to drive into the city via 290 and see this hulking 1900's building completely devoid of any life in the second largest business district in the country.

I know Ikea chose this as one of two options in 2000 for a city store (250k sq feet I think, crazy to think that Ikea would only fill ~10% of the building). But that was, what, two recessions ago? A lot has changed since then (i.e. new Bolingbrook IKEA opening, St. Louis IKEA future opening, and Schaumburg IKEA expanding).

Is it better to wait around for a mixed use project to follow through, than a low density project like a mega-data center (just throwing that out there, I have no idea the cost to refit a 1900's building into a 2010's data center), but the City has seem intent on growing data centers lately.

Thanks.

^No word

In the General Developments thread, Skyguy mentioned this:
I've been wanting to head over to the site to see what, if any activity is going on but I've been busy recently and it's a bit out of the way from where Payton is.

^^^ Yeah that's an interesting coincidence. Wonder if Davies isn't going to surprise us in some manner. It could also just be work the city is forcing them to do to stay in code compliance.

That's what I was thinking. I can't imagine the cost to keep the place up....millions per year? Why would he buy something like this just to let it sit fallow for years and years, while he tags up multi-million dollar bills (assuming he is paying them actually)......makes little sense....

zI know this isn't a legit proposal but this doesn't look that bad
http://markosun.files.wordpress.com/...1/chicago2.jpg

http://assets.dnainfo.com/generated/...extralarge.jpg

Phase 1 actually looked to be much more realized, as far as renderings go. Remember talk about it starting in September 2013? Man if the Spire goes, this is next on my wish list. Rehab of an Art-Deco gem, 900' mixed-use plus a Casino. If I were da Mayor, I'd throw in 100% worth of TIF.

Well, at least one thing that mock up shows is that its a pretty good location for a significant office tower.

I imagine any project on this site is going to take quite a bit more time to design and implement than most. There are a ton of complicated design problems with this site. It's next to the river, over the metra lines, over the blue line, 290 runs through the center, and it would include modifications to a historic building.

I can see the top of a barge crane from my apartment, but it doesn't appear to have moved an inch all week. Staging, maybe.

^ I thought perhaps it was staging for the Riverwalk project, but why would they erect it there? If it were on it's way to the riverwalk, I'd assume they'd just leave it laying flat. Harry please help.

Any bridges scheduled to be overhauled in the area?

Honestly I think the site would be more attractive with the demolition of the old post office.

Could it be waiting to move to Wolf Point or would Hines float the barge crane at River Point across the confluence now that they're moving onto the tower portion of that project?

Wherever it's going, maybe they're waiting for St. Patty's to be over so they're not further clogging up the main branch/confluence for all the tour boats

http://assets.dnainfo.com/generated/...extralarge.jpg

Looks rather like the base of Trump along the river walk.

Maybe, but that doesn't explain the timing of the recent work bids showing up. I'll be curious to see what the barge starts doing if anything.

Ya the old post office is kinf of a buzz kill, with all the other modern buildings in the project

^ We got plenty of empty lots for modern buildings to go on. We only have one massive art-deco behemoth spanning over a major gateway into downtown. Demolishing it just to make the site easier to work with is just being lazy. A good architect knows how to use an irregular lot to his advantage, and integrate the old with the new in a way that brings out the best of both designs.

I would like to see the Old Post Office saved, considering its of major historical importance (reflected with its designation on the National Register of Historic Places). Now, whether that means remodeling it as it is, partially demolishing it as part of a larger plan, or integrating it into a larger redevelopment plan is entirely up to the developer and the economics of such a plan.

Remember, once its gone, its gone.

^ 1000 times yes. Demolishing the Post Office is NOT an option.