CHICAGO | City Casino

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by ithakas

This is a great idea and seems like one of the best stretches the city could invest in upgraded service for, given all the new development nodes it hits. I'm not sure if Halsted is wide enough but BRT could be an option too?

Yeah, this Corridor is going to need new transit else traffic is going to be even more of a nightmare. Back in 2015 I started working near Hudson Yards. Nothing from that development was built yet and our office was across the street. They still extended the 7 line to there in anticipation. A few years later it was already heavily used.

If they anticipate LY having a lot of office and this thing wins for Tribune site plus Onni's development then this is really needed. Can't believe they didn't even consider anything.

[Chi-Sky21]

Some sort of tram or bus rapid transit along the unused track that skirts the the river/tribune site. Punch through somewhere near Ozinga, somehow have to jump the river and get to Cherry street, jump the river again and go down kingsbury to Lincoln yards. See , it is easy! 8)

[nomarandlee]

Originally Posted by HomrQT

How about this one?

[G]

That thing is hideous, and thankfully not real. It looks like a random swiss cheese edifice that has no rhyme or reason.

I agree with Steely, that at least potentially, the observation tower could end up as one of the better ones in the world.

The others shown are composed of either saucer on concrete sticks or rather awkward quasi-sculptural over enlarged art pieces that want to hide their utility. The Tokyo Skytree may be an exception in that group as I think it mixes the proper elements of style, utility, and scale rather well compared to most other towers. It is such a behemoth however, I am glad it is not in Chicago.

This 78 observation strikes a nice balance between industrious and modern with the glass-enclosed elevator banks which look cocooned and protected by the strong steel holding it up on the outside. The glass elevator sheath lit at night has the potential to look very cool. Steel is usually better than exposed concrete IMO and the glass elevators give it a nice sense of verticality. It also has four different platforms at approximate intervening levels which I think is aesthetically compared to one lone platform. The tower essentially looks like it could be a typical Chicago building that has just had all but four of the floors ripped out of it.

As long as it's built as first designed I think it has a strong chance of looking pretty brilliant, and I say that as someone who often has little use for TV/observation towers.

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by nomarandlee

I agree with Steely, that at least potentially the observation tower would be one of the better ones in the world.

The counters are composed of saucers on concrete sticks or what I find to be rather awkward quasi-sculptural over enlarged art pieces that want to hide their utility.

someone else get it!

most observation towers look pretty silly to me with the whole pod/saucer on a pole thing.

but this thing below, it's got this magnificent heavy industrial feel that just seems so damn in-step with the city of big shoulders.





i'm not convinced that chicago necessarily needs an observation tower like this (given the other options available in our existing skyscrapers), but if we ever do end up with one, i pray it's much more along the lines of the above than the more conventional "saucer on a stick" variety.

[bnk]

If it doesn't have an elevator, it will not get used much at all.

[Rizzo]

I like the proposed observation tower. It has the architectural and engineering vocabulary of Chicago’s notable structures. The bascule bridges and cross bracing of the JHC. Plus structural expression can be found everywhere across this city.

Do I think it will be built to this scale? Probably not. But even something half as tall with same expression would be impressive.

[HomrQT]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

someone else get it!

most observation towers look pretty silly to me with the whole pod/saucer on a pole thing.

but this thing below, it's got this magnificent heavy industrial feel that just seems so damn in-step with the city of big shoulders.


i'm not convinced that chicago necessarily needs an observation tower like this (given the other options available in our existing skyscrapers), but if we ever do end up with one, i pray it's much more along the lines of the above than the more conventional "saucer on a stick" variety.

I like the overall appearance, I just don't like how the frame partially obscures the view. Kind of hurts it as an "observation tower".

[Pioneer]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

someone else get it!

most observation towers look pretty silly to me with the whole pod/saucer on a pole thing.

but this thing below, it's got this magnificent heavy industrial feel that just seems so damn in-step with the city of big shoulders.





i'm not convinced that chicago necessarily needs an observation tower like this (given the other options available in our existing skyscrapers), but if we ever do end up with one, i pray it's much more along the lines of the above than the more conventional "saucer on a stick" variety.

Here's my take on the observation tower, and the pic more broadly...

• The observation tower looks like a water tower. Not necessarily bad; very minimalist. It is unique and I like the steel structure. Reminiscent of the Chicago bridge style and also a nod to the John Hancock Center.
• LOL at thinking some people believe there will be no elevator in the observation tower. If so, the viewing deck should be around the 110 foot level. Fat conventioneer tax.

• The view from the water tower... I mean observation deck, will be interesting. The angle will actually be pretty good.
• They need to place an inflatable pig near the power plant across the river from the water tower, I mean observation tower.
• Once those buildings in the 78 are filled in, the skyline will be monstrous down there. Like another skyline added on.
• Love how the view directly to the west from the observation tower (got it!), the first 300 yards is a train yard.
• If the casino is placed there + 78 development, this will be a pretty vibrant area.

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by Pioneer

the first 300 yards is a train yard.

you can't possibly get any more authentically "chicago" than that!

[SIGSEGV]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

you can't possibly get any more authentically "chicago" than that!

yes, surely the casino can invent some sort of betting game for trainspotters?

[Chi-Sky21]

the inflatable pig balloon would be awesome.

[SIGSEGV]

Originally Posted by Chi-Sky21

the inflatable pig balloon would be awesome.

yes. we could name this portion of the Chicago River "Roger Waters".

[HomrQT]

Originally Posted by SIGSEGV

yes. we could name this portion of the Chicago River "Roger Waters".

Next to Gilmour Park.

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by SIGSEGV

yes, surely the casino can invent some sort of betting game for trainspotters?

I like the idea!

Reminds me of that Seinfeld episode where Kramer and that dude from Texas start betting on planes landing at JFK.

[ardecila]

For all the whining about traffic at the Tribune site, the traffic at The 78 might be worse. Ever tried to drive on Roosevelt between the Dan Ryan and Clark? The difference is that the traffic on Halsted and Chicago is rich people in Audis and Teslas who are screaming about their commute, and on Roosevelt it's middle-class people in Corollas and used pickups.

Originally Posted by thegoatman

The 78 will have an underground red line station. If they pick the Tribune, they need to add an L station there.

I strongly suspect the Red Line stop has been quietly canceled. There's no reason for Related to spend upwards of $300M to build a subway station unless the site will be developed with millions of SF in office space like Fulton Market. But the casino is a vast blob that will swallow up most of the land where that office space would've been built, and few people are gonna ride CTA to the casino.

However, suppose they did build the Red Line station per the original plan. The 78 site is really really big. The new Red Line station would actually be further from the 78 casino than the Tribune casino is from the Blue Line at Chicago or Grand.

I agree the Tribune site needs some transit investment, so hopefully the city gets moving on the North Branch Transitway up to Lincoln Yards. Right now Union Pacific controls the rail corridor, and they won't sell it so long as Blommer Chocolate still needs shipments. So the city might need to give Blommer Chocolate some incentives to leave, after years of giving them incentives to stay.

[Randomguy34]

^ Bally's said they'll develop the portion of the transitway that runs through their site. It'll be for bus & bike use only

Page 17: https://www.chicago.gov/content/dam/...port_FINAL.pdf

[Klippenstein]

Why can’t Blommer Chocolate just use the upper tracks and abandon the lower tracks?

[sentinel]

Originally Posted by Randomguy34

^ Bally's said they'll develop the portion of the transitway that runs through their site. It'll be for bus & bike use only

Page 17: https://www.chicago.gov/content/dam/...port_FINAL.pdf

Ultimately, I suspect it'll go the Hard Rock Chicago, because based on the report alone, it may have the 2nd largest annual economic impact ($185 million), but it will support the highest number of jobs, over 19,000.

[MAC123]

Man idk about it being used specifically for this casino, but the 78 design is amazing. I hope it gets used somewhere.

[galleyfox]

Originally Posted by sentinel

Ultimately, I suspect it'll go the Hard Rock Chicago, because based on the report alone, it may have the 2nd largest annual economic impact ($185 million), but it will support the highest number of jobs, over 19,000.

I feel like jobs are a marginal issue when looking at the big picture. Most are temporary construction jobs that will all conclude by 2026. Realistically, the permanent casino jobs should all be in the same ballpark of 2-3K.

Hard Rock

Construction jobs: 16,607
Casino jobs: 3,140 (2,713 FT)

Bally’s Tribune

Construction Phase I: 9,750
Construction Phase II: 2,500
Casino: 2002 (1,856 FT)

Rivers 78

Construction: 3,410-4,375
Casino: (3,425 FT)