CHICAGO | General Developments

[woodrow]

Thank goodness the marble is stayin. Keep with the orignal design, as much as possible

[Ned.B]

Originally Posted by wierdaaron

^I thought it was just the retail and lobby.

From following all of the Chicago Landmarks proceedings, the full scope at 333 N Mich includes:

• 3 floors of retail
• Restored lobby (primarily the ceiling, lighting, entrance vestibule, and elevators)
• Improvements to office floors and common building amenities
• Total facade cleaning and minor repairs (already half completed)
• Restored cast iron storefronts and windows (already half completed)
• Restored entrance to 1920s design
• Exterior building lighting
• Recladding the former Tavern Club rooftop addition with something more modern

[wierdaaron]

Lake Point Tower residents happy with the flyover plan because it'll keep the unwashed masses away from their private urban utopia!* http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20140...ence-around-it

*Tongue-in-cheek interpretation. I think it's good for them and us, the sidewalk around LPT is kind of tight and because it's a private building it's hard to work in some "hey, navy pier is around this giant building, keep going you're almost there!" signage.

[chicubs111]

Originally Posted by wierdaaron

So the marble is staying. I could learn to like it if they stick with that 20's gold trim motif, right now it just seems to clash with everything. I do hope they can land some attractive retail tenants, same with the rest of the "Mag Mile South" buildings. Millennium Park Plaza seems to be off to a good start with the Labriola pizza place. I wonder if the owners of all the Michigan Ave buildings south of Randolph are starting to take a close look at their retail upgrade prospects as well, or if they're waiting to see how things turn out.

With that Walgreens replacing the Bennigans I wish they'd just nix the one at 20 N Mich and open that prime space for something a little more... robust. An Al's Beef or something like that where you could get a Chicago dog and a italian beef right across from the Bean... that'd be almost magical.

They should go with black marble...that would match better with the gold trim and look much classier

[Ned.B]

Originally Posted by chicubs111

They should go with black marble...that would match better with the gold trim and look much classier

There's not much gold trim (on the outside at least). The recreated entrance is dark painted cast iron and backlit glass (the part that is glowing gold in the renderings). Only the entrance doors and revolving doors are bronze.

[Rizzo]

The walls and spandrel sections above the marble are kind of beaten up and stained looking. I wonder what the appearance would be with a good powerwash and repair.

[OhioGuy]

This isn't so much a development as it is a loss. Sad to see this icon of a wonderful Chicago neighborhood taken down today.

Chicago Tribune: Andersonville Water Tower Removed Today

Work crews demolished the historic water tower in Andersonville today because of damage caused by the harsh winter.

The tower, painted to resemble the flag of Sweden, sits atop the Swedish American Museum at 5211 N. Clark St. and has long been a landmark for the Andersonville neighborhood.

The tower was removed at 7:10 p.m., according to a spokesman at the museum.

It was damaged when water inside the tank froze over the winter months, according to museum executive director Karin Abercrombie.

From the Andersonville Chamber of Commerce Facebook page:

[munchymunch]

^^^ Ya its sad but they still might be able to repair it.

[wierdaaron]

What do they serve at "Hot Crepes All Day" and what hours do they serve it?

[Jibba]

^That's Icosium Kafe, and it's actually now closed (or closing).

I'd be surprised if they are not repairing that water tower. They had all of Clark blocked off with two huge cranes that daintily took the tower down. If they were just going to demolish it, I doubt they would have taken the same process that they underwent yesterday.

[lu9]

Grupo Habita is the hotel operator for Wicker Park's new North West Tower complex

By: Elaine Coorens

Date: 03/20/2014

http://oururbantimes.com/development...-tower-complex

Grupo Habita will be operating the new hotel complex in the North West Tower Building at North and Milwaukee Avenues by Damen Ave., as revealed during the Chicago Planning Commission meeting Thurs., Mar. 20 in the City Council Chambers.

After a quick look, it seems Grupo Habita has done some cool things in Mexico and one in Chelsea. http://www.grupohabita.mx/

Here's an example of an adaptive re-use they've done: http://www.downtownmexico.com/meet.html

[Skyguy_7]

Originally Posted by lu9

Here's an example of an adaptive re-use they've done: http://www.downtownmexico.com/meet.html

^That hotel is a beauty. That sweet 1900s era elevator definitely caught my eye. Looks like Harry took the pic

[MayorOfChicago]

Originally Posted by Jibba

^That's Icosium Kafe, and it's actually now closed (or closing).

I'd be surprised if they are not repairing that water tower. They had all of Clark blocked off with two huge cranes that daintily took the tower down. If they were just going to demolish it, I doubt they would have taken the same process that they underwent yesterday.

At a minimum the neighborhood and certainly the business groups are all for repairing and returning the water tower. It will be fought for.

[Jibba]

^Exactly. The crowd of slack-jawed looky-loos surrounding the whole procedure certainly attests to as much...

[intrepidDesign]

SoHo House


Washington + Sangamon


I can't recall a rendering for this one, but a quick google image search produced this:
http://wibiti.com/images/hpmain/983/290983.jpg

Anyone know if that's current or not?

[Link N. Parker]

Originally Posted by Skyguy_7

^That hotel is a beauty. That sweet 1900s era elevator definitely caught my eye. Looks like Harry took the pic

I saw the elevator, but something ELSE caught my eye instead, if ya know what I mean!

[marothisu]

The hotels look good, though they really need to update their websites. Such old and crap design for a company that touts design. I'm really glad that more legit hotels are starting to come up not just downtown in Chicago. I think it's needed for sure. Everytime I travel to Europe, I always think the same thing and also how Chicago needs some foreign influence on how to do hotels.

[Ch.G, Ch.G]

¡Viva México!

[denizen467]

Originally Posted by wierdaaron

What do they serve at "Hot Crepes All Day" and what hours do they serve it?

As Jibba pointed out, those crepes are now toast:

http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20140...ium-cafe-space
Middle East Bakery & Grocery Expanding into Former Icosium Cafe Space

Icosium served Mediterranean food, with some focus on unique & delicious Algerian. A loss for Andersonville and the city. I'm sure there will be many new options opening in the city before long though.

[marothisu]

So it looks as if part of New City's parking is going to actually be a few blocks away from it and not all right there? Building permit on 3/11 for a new 7 story parking structure on a vacant lot at 710 W Schiller (Sedgewick & Schiller). Architect is Jon Talty from OKW who is behind the New City architecture.