CHICAGO | General Developments

[harryc]

Jan 26

[Klippenstein]

Originally Posted by thegoatman

As an Avondale resident, could you point out any notable projects coming up or under construction right now? Or even just completed, would love to see this area get spruced up.

Maybe check out the Avondale tag on Chicago YIMBY.

[Rizzo]

Originally Posted by Klippenstein

Maybe check out the Avondale tag on Chicago YIMBY.

Just went there and I’m immediately greeted by a 5 story building nowhere near transit and meanwhile it’s a challenge to get that stuff along the brown line.

[thegoatman]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

Shouldn’t you be pointing those out to us, as an “Avondale resident”?

misunderstood what I said lmao, I was speaking to him, I don't live in Avondale but I noticed he did.

[LouisVanDerWright]

Guys, Carlos Rosa is alderman all the way to Central Park. There will be no development East of there. If you go to Reboyras' Ward West of Central Park, there's tons of stuff under construction along Milwaukee despite, as you observed, the fact that it's far from the train.

I've heard that Rosa wants 5 below redeveloped, but this is Rosa we are talking about. His plan is probably for the city to pay $70 million for the site after a lengthy eminent domain battle and then construct 200 affordable housing units for $500k a unit. Of course all funded by the city. The ground floor will be a much needed social justice traning center. That and a Best Buy, Rosa will fulfill his campaign pledge to bring back Best Buy because nothing goes better with police deescalation or anti bias training than new earbuds.

So no, not a fucking chance it's gone until Rosa is gone. The guy is a NIMBY idiot.

[glowrock]

Originally Posted by thegoatman

As an Avondale resident, could you point out any notable projects coming up or under construction right now? Or even just completed, would love to see this area get spruced up.

There are a number of small to mid-scale infill developments along Belmont between Kimball and roughly Keeler (just west of Pulaski.) Several are between Ridgeway and Lawndale, one larger one is at Tripp, a large set of townhomes has just been built due west of the Wendy's at Belmont and Tripp on the north side of the street. A couple more small-scale infill projects are on Karlov just north of Belmont. Of course there's the larger project finishing up at the six points intersection of Belmont/California/Elston as well.

Yes, much of the area directly around the Belmont Blue Line station is pretty pathetic, but this really has to do with the construction of the Kennedy right through the neighborhood and the resulting demolition of the immediate area back in the mid 70's, I believe. The scars are slowly disappearing, but it's still going to take some time to heal.

I do believe the zone bounded by Pulaski, Diversey, Cicero and Belmont is going to see a ton of redevelopment over the next couple of years, especially as a result of the continuing redevelopment of the former Marshall Fields warehouse complex.

The biggest piece of the puzzle for the neighborhood I'm in is what will become of the vast open space created by demolition of a number of structures at Belmont, Pulaski and Milwaukee. There's a desperate need for a large supermarket, probably as the base of a large apartment/condo development.

Edit: That Best Buy is currently being redeveloped into a TJ Maxx, so that ugly ass shopping center is going to be around for a while.

Aaron (Glowrock)

[glowrock]

Originally Posted by thegoatman

misunderstood what I said lmao, I was speaking to him, I don't live in Avondale but I noticed he did.

I guess you could say I'm at the border of Avondale and Belmont Gardens, since I'm just SW of Belmont and Pulaski.

Aaron (Glowrock)

[west-town-brad]

Originally Posted by LouisVanDerWright

Guys, Carlos Rosa is alderman all the way to Central Park. There will be no development East of there. If you go to Reboyras' Ward West of Central Park, there's tons of stuff under construction along Milwaukee despite, as you observed, the fact that it's far from the train.

I've heard that Rosa wants 5 below redeveloped, but this is Rosa we are talking about. His plan is probably for the city to pay $70 million for the site after a lengthy eminent domain battle and then construct 200 affordable housing units for $500k a unit. Of course all funded by the city. The ground floor will be a much needed social justice traning center. That and a Best Buy, Rosa will fulfill his campaign pledge to bring back Best Buy because nothing goes better with police deescalation or anti bias training than new earbuds.

So no, not a fucking chance it's gone until Rosa is gone. The guy is a NIMBY idiot.

give him a break, it's his first real job.

he probably thinks he solved "blue line overcrowding" by downzoning his section of Milwaukee Ave...

[LouisVanDerWright]

Originally Posted by glowrock

There are a number of small to mid-scale infill developments along Belmont between Kimball and roughly Keeler (just west of Pulaski.) Several are between Ridgeway and Lawndale, one larger one is at Tripp, a large set of townhomes has just been built due west of the Wendy's at Belmont and Tripp on the north side of the street. A couple more small-scale infill projects are on Karlov just north of Belmont. Of course there's the larger project finishing up at the six points intersection of Belmont/California/Elston as well.

I was actually a part of the neighborhood input on that Elston and Belmont building. That was pre-Rosanna Rodriguez, she would never allow that today. You should have seen the abomination they originally proposed. The final product has actually been pretty pleasing even if it's a lame throwback style.

Yes, much of the area directly around the Belmont Blue Line station is pretty pathetic, but this really has to do with the construction of the Kennedy right through the neighborhood and the resulting demolition of the immediate area back in the mid 70's, I believe. The scars are slowly disappearing, but it's still going to take some time to heal.

False, the Kennedy was actually intentionally routed around this intersection when it was built. There used to be a sick early modernist loft factory (IS Berlin press) where Five Below is now:

https://chicagolandmuseandviews.com/2018/02/13/i-s-berlin-press-chicagos-industrial-past/

The freeway actually was built around that building because they are just built it in 1949 after being kicked out of printers row by the Congress parkway construction.

The IS Berlin building was not wasted by the barbarians until 1977. It's a shame it's not still standing today and converted to excellent lofts.

[glowrock]

Originally Posted by LouisVanDerWright

I was actually a part of the neighborhood input on that Elston and Belmont building. That was pre-Rosanna Rodriguez, she would never allow that today. You should have seen the abomination they originally proposed. The final product has actually been pretty pleasing even if it's a lame throwback style.



False, the Kennedy was actually intentionally routed around this intersection when it was built. There used to be a sick early modernist loft factory (IS Berlin press) where Five Below is now:

https://chicagolandmuseandviews.com/2018/02/13/i-s-berlin-press-chicagos-industrial-past/

The freeway actually was built around that building because they are just built it in 1949 after being kicked out of printers row by the Congress parkway construction.

The IS Berlin building was not wasted by the barbarians until 1977. It's a shame it's not still standing today and converted to excellent lofts.

I wasn't specifically referring only to the Belmont and Kimball intersection, but rather the area roughly from Kimball to a bit east of Kedzie. I'm aware of what used to stand where the ugly aldi is now.

Regardless, the area is changing for the better at this point, has been for a few years now. Yes, Rosa-Ramirez is a nutcase, yes Milwaukee is better from Central Park to Belmont than diversey to central Park.

Aaron (Glowrock)

[marothisu]

2019 on Belmont near Tripp: https://www.google.com/maps/@41.9390084,...2D3PCPNlJCfa9nvcc6IuA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

2021 on Belmont near Tripp: https://www.google.com/maps/@41.9389776,...4r7IQTiAGa1t5PpE3w8Rw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Not that I like the development (it needs more retail/commercial component) but it does look better than most of what it replaced. Unfortunately it replace some retail/commercial and didn't really put any back. That's not a good thing.

[thegoatman]

Originally Posted by marothisu

2019 on Belmont near Tripp: https://www.google.com/maps/@41.9390084,...2D3PCPNlJCfa9nvcc6IuA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

2021 on Belmont near Tripp: https://www.google.com/maps/@41.9389776,...4r7IQTiAGa1t5PpE3w8Rw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Not that I like the development (it needs more retail/commercial component) but it does look better than most of what it replaced. Unfortunately it replace some retail/commercial and didn't really put any back. That's not a good thing.

Defintely not a fan of the gates right on a commercial road, and of course the lack of mixed use...that whole area should be getting higher quality of development, very meh...

[SIGSEGV]

Originally Posted by thegoatman

Defintely not a fan of the gates right on a commercial road, and of course the lack of mixed use...that whole area should be getting higher quality of development, very meh...

The gates are fine... people want to put their dogs and small children there probably. It's just ugly. Here's an example that looks a lot nicer: https://www.google.com/maps/@41.8636504,...XK_upihUjUpolMBf7KLXA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

But yeah on a major arterial there should definitely be more mixed use.

[Investing In Chicago]

Originally Posted by SIGSEGV

The gates are fine... people want to put their dogs and small children there probably. It's just ugly. Here's an example that looks a lot nicer: https://www.google.com/maps/@41.8636504,...XK_upihUjUpolMBf7KLXA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

But yeah on a major arterial there should definitely be more mixed use.

There is something about having the front door raised above grade, with a proper front stoop that really makes for a much more pleasant experience. I hate grade level front doors. There are quite a few newer townhome developments that went the latter route.

[marothisu]

In general, one of my biggest pet peeves is when people put purely residential buildings on commercial streets. Especially ones that are under 4 stories and especially when they replaced buildings that had a commercial/office/retail component.

It kind of sucks that this can happen. It leads to some really weird areas. Like yes from an urban perspective it can be cohesive, but it would be nice if you didn't have 2 blocks of mixed use with commercial followed by 2 blocks of purely 2 or 3 story residential on a main commercial road ...

Originally Posted by Investing In Chicago

There is something about having the front door raised above grade, with a proper front stoop that really makes for a much more pleasant experience. I hate grade level front doors. There are quite a few newer townhome developments that went the latter route.

Agree - although there's some examples of buildings that are OK with a ground floor entrance. The one we're under contract is an example of it but it's because the architecture of the building itself is semi unique-ish

[Randomguy34]

Originally Posted by marothisu

In general, one of my biggest pet peeves is when people put purely residential buildings on commercial streets. Especially ones that are under 4 stories and especially when they replaced buildings that had a commercial/office/retail component.

This is an example that Chicago and London's urban form share a lot in common. For neighborhoods closer to the core, East Coast and other European cities will go overkill on the amount of commercial space, with corner stores being common on side streets. In Chicago and London however, you'll often seen blocks of residential-only on otherwise busy commercial streets, even for ones next to transit stations. Even some new developments in London exhibit the same problem:

Kensington: https://www.google.com/maps/@51.4940258,...L2iz53cFLOU8A!2e0!7i16384!8i8192!5m1!1e2

Brixton: https://www.google.com/maps/@51.4718423,...5s20080701T000000!7i16384!8i8192!5m1!1e2

Hampstead: https://www.google.com/maps/@51.557435,-...lZwmsExYvfcjA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192!5m1!1e2

[west-town-brad]

where are we in the conversion of the Loop proper from commercial/office to residential neighborhood? there is an article in the tribune talking about the lack of demand for old office space (meaning the non-renovated vintage caliber) and the ability to convert those unloved buildings into residential. I'd imagine this would largely be concentrated to the east since as you go west you start to see the newer trophy office buildings and are still in demand.

it's interesting since the density of built environment is already there (just not in residential usage), so no nimby pushback would not really work. and the transit connections to every part of the city, plus the outdoor recreation and other cultural attractions could make the loop a compelling place to live.

the hard part as I see it in creating a "neighborhood" would be the small time restaurants and bars that make trendy areas so appealing to people. I do not imagine those storefronts are very affordable to anyone but national chains or well funded star chefs...

[SIGSEGV]

I live in the east loop in a converted vintage office building and I highly recommend it. There are plenty of local bars/restaurants around, especially on the streets with the El (which presumably command smaller rents). On Michigan Ave proper, yes, it's probably more expensive.

[ithakas]

Originally Posted by SIGSEGV

I live in the east loop in a converted vintage office building and I highly recommend it. There are plenty of local bars/restaurants around, especially on the streets with the El (which presumably command smaller rents). On Michigan Ave proper, yes, it's probably more expensive.

Yeah Wabash has a good deal of restaurants, and UrbanSpace has been a good new option as well (open until 9 or so for now).

Beyond dining, I was glad to see the news about Five Below and JD Sports. There's been a lot of concern about the state of the Mag Mile, but State Street south of Madison really needs some new energy. It'd be great to see the Beef n Brandy and GSA building renovations move forward.

Ultimately I think the city or World Business Chicago needs some kind of Retail Czar, to create a guiding vision for important commercial corridors and help recruit tenants or launch small businesses in each respective area, perhaps collaborating with local SSAs.

[SIGSEGV]

Originally Posted by ithakas

Yeah Wabash has a good deal of restaurants, and UrbanSpace has been a good new option as well (open until 9 or so for now).

Beyond dining, I was glad to see the news about Five Below and JD Sports. There's been a lot of concern about the state of the Mag Mile, but State Street south of Madison really needs some new energy. It'd be great to see the Beef n Brandy and GSA building renovations move forward.

Ultimately I think the city or World Business Chicago needs some kind of Retail Czar, to create a guiding vision for important commercial corridors and help recruit tenants or launch small businesses in each respective area, perhaps collaborating with local SSAs.

Yes Urbanspace is a treasure. I wish the Revival would take the cue and be open late and on Saturdays too.