[ardecila]

^ There are certainly big swaths of concrete there, but not any fully-compliant parking lots with landscaping, setbacks, fencing, etc. The city is usually pretty strict with those requirements. If you're putting up a new office tower, they assume you can afford the cost of a fancy parking area as well.

That is what happened at CH Robinson, so apparently not even Sterling Bay is exempt from the Landscape Ordinance. SB also put up a "fancy" temporary parking lot at Green/Kinzie in the West Loop. From a certain perspective, it makes sense to spend the money on a nice parking area even if it's only in effect for a few years - the area looks a lot more presentable, which can help lure and attract tenants. If the development plans fall through, the neighborhood isn't stuck with an eyesore parking lot.