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From DNAInfo:
Crews Begin Work on Navy Pier's New 1 Million-Pound Ferris Wheel https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20160119/streeterville/crews-begin-work-on-navy-piers-new-1-million-pound-ferris-wheel-photos https://assets.dnainfo.com/generated...extralarge.jpg Officials are hoping the new Ferris wheel will be the centerpiece of a completely re-imagined Navy Pier, which could include a hotel, grand fountain and new dining and entertainment options. https://assets.dnainfo.com/generated...extralarge.jpg Officials hope the new wheel will be ready in time for the pier's 100th anniversary this summer. |
There needs to be a non bus transit connection.
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http://chicago.suntimes.com/entertai...xpansion-plan/
CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE THEATER EMBARKS ON MAJOR EXPANSION PLAN HEDY WEISS on March 2, 2016 The Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) has announced grand-scale plans to spread its wings on Navy Pier. On Wednesday, the company’s artistic director, Barbara Gaines, and executive director Criss Henderson, announced a $35 million expansion project that will transfigure the theater’s “neighbor” – the easily identifiable white-tented, open-air Skyline Stage – into The Yard, a uniquely engineered, wholly enclosed, acoustically isolated, year-round performance space of exceptional flexibility. Conceived as an ingenious system of mobile “audience towers” that operate almost like a giant LEGO kit, it will be possible to reconfigure its interior into nine different formations to accommodate seating for from 150 to 850 people. http://s21.postimg.org/4v4r742lz/01_...or_Night_1.jpg http://s29.postimg.org/lftbghujr/03_...Aerial_Day.jpg http://s22.postimg.org/8i9uoq569/04_...d_Interior.jpg |
^this I like.
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Im happy to see renovations like these to the cheesiest place in chicago
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Interesting idea, although I don't know why they're bothering to keep the Skyline Stage tent if it no longer suits their needs. I always thought it looked bloated and ugly anyway with none of the grace of Frei Otto.
A new building could probably suit the needs of Chicago Shakespeare with less brain surgery and maybe at a lower cost. The Trahan-designed addition was beautiful, looks like it's been scrapped. |
Not bad. As long as it is not VE'd to death it could be a very nice addition to the city.
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The Ferris Wheel was lit up early this morning, with LEDs on the outside of each cab. Looks great. It's amazing how fast that thing went up.
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Yesterday they had some kind of waving American Flag animation going on it. Seems like a red Chicago Star would work really well on it. |
This summer, Navy Pier could actually be...cool?
http://www.timeout.com/chicago/blog/...be-cool-031616 |
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^^^ I don't know if it will be "cool" per se, but it certainly sounds like it would be a lot more interesting to me than it is now. Some of the concepts sound like they might make it a place worth visiting on occasion rather than it's current status of "avoid at all costs". The Chicago food experience could be amazing if they drew on the very talented array of local restaurants in the neighborhoods. Could you imagine guest appearances by everyone's favorite foodie joints? Maybe a Hot Dougs shows up again for a few months? Maybe Au Cheval is dishing out burgers?
I also think the alcohol thing being allowed now is a game changer. This could be one of the few parts of the city where you can wander around drinking outdoors as you wish. A permanent festival atmosphere and interesting local operators rather than chains would radically transform the experience. There's no reason the concept of a fun, outdoors, carnival can't be both touristy and appeal to locals. I think the fly over will also make it more interesting to locals as easing the tourist induced gridlock on the path will make the area less claustrophobic which is what I really think drives locals out. I always avoid Michigan Ave or Grant Park during Taste because it's so annoyingly crammed with gapers. I don't live in Chicago to be constantly rubbing against strangers, if I wanted that I'd be in New York. |
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I mean, I dont really see it appealing to people who it dosent already appeal to. The biggest thing Navy Pier offers is a sanitized way to experience Chicago that dosent require any effort or adventurousness. The sort of thing you suggest ("get a Cheval burger, but without actually needing to go to Logan or Fulton Market!") only perpetuates that.
Locals already have their own beaches, parks, restaurants, and bars that dont require descending into a tourist trap clusterf*ck. The only thing I could really see going out of the way for is the Shakespeare performances, which you cant readily get elsewhere. And thats nothing new. |
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I think Navy Pier has great bones to appeal to a much wider group locally. It's the shticky retail, circus-like maximalist design aesthetic that's existed since the early 90s that's repelled people. It will always belong to the tourists, but I think it certainly has the opportunity to be more palatable to locals. |
WBEZ's headquarters has zero bearing on whether I, as a non-employee of WBEZ, have any desire to spend time there.
Yes, the art Expo is interesting but that has no inherent relationship to NP itself. Could just as easily be at McCormick place. |
I might walk around it with a beer on a nice night
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But I digress, the point is not everyone is so repulsed by the idea of a touristy area that they wouldn't be caught dead there. I think most people avoid Navy Pier because there is nothing of value and a lot of annoyances in a relatively uncomfortably designed public space. If you made the space pleasant and provided quality content, then I can totally see locals using it. With the right design and content it just becomes at worst another nice place on the lakefront to locals. |
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