This whole project is really an awful example of the modern version of stimulus-type development via public funds, planned from on high with zero relation to anything under where this flying saucer will land.

The chess lofts gets a token sliver left over as a kind of affirmative action facadectomy. The ABC complex is in danger of being severely altered, ram-rodded, and generally placed completely out of the context it's in now. The little Prairie mansion is likely to be demolished instead of moved.

Everything is going to be covered in glass because, after all, Chicago is a WORLD city, right? And therefore it must look identical to all other contemporary WORLD cities, right? And it's got to cover an entire city block, yeah? Mega-block development!! Boy this has nothing to do with Chicago or Chicagoans...

And on top of all this it's been proved again, and again, and again that sports stadiums show no real return on investment for the public or businesses nearby...

This is just lazy DO-SOMETHING-ism on the part of a city that will not fix the widely known sources of local economic lag.

And the TIF program marches boldly onward while the serfs scream "CORRUPT!" and nobody cares. Shame on Rahm, McPier, and everyone associated with this project.

The emergency power generators for 350 Cermak are wedged into a pie shaped piece of land next to the busway just to the north of the building. IIRC, there is a couple hundred thousand gallons worth of diesel fuel tucked away somewhere on the property too. For the ever escalating price that companies are paying there they most definitely have fully grid independent backup power available.

Mchugh got fucked big time on this.

edit

. . .

While the base in the newer renders is not bad by any means, it would be unfortunate to lose that slick base in the original rendering.

Maybe. Or perhaps they just got lucky, because instead of being forced to sell at quick-take "market value" they can now develop the smaller hotel and participate in the investment.

Some pleasant surprises
 

And then the revised McCormick Marriott hotel by Gensler - this thing is going to be huge compared to everything nearby:
http://i58.tinypic.com/2eywfp1.jpg
http://i61.tinypic.com/2hr0r5j.jpg

Wow. A new 200M+ skyscraper on the south side. I love watching the skyline extend South and West.

LoL.....:righton:

I knew it was going to be up there.

If it maintains this height, it would be only about 20' shorter than One Museum Park.

The McCormick hotel is relatively far south from the tall south loop cluster...this would have a pretty impressive skyline impact

60 some floors == ...700 footer possibly?

It shows 715' on the drawing

I see it now. Thanks and awesome!

Kind of unrelating... but does anybody know anthing about this
http://chicago.curbed.com/archives/2...p?mobile=false

Chess Lofts is across 21st from the arena and it won't be touched by this plan. It will face the truck elevator but the underground turntable in the arena should prevent trucks from having to back up, eliminating the problem that occurs when sleeping yuppies hear backup warning signals.

Whether or not you like what this project will do to hotel occupancies, you've gotta love what this will do to the skyline as well as injecting activity to that part of town

lol

Looks like the design did chang. It was a bouquet, now it's a Wii.

There was some discussion about this in the Chicago highrise projects and construction thread, starting on this page;
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...59437&page=595

There is also a thread on that project on Skyscrapercity:
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1672674