CHICAGO | Hyde Park Development

[WestsideLA]

This release says:

"He will remain engaged on selected University projects, including the...New Engineering and Science Building"

https://www.newswise.com/articles/iv...medical-center

[WestsideLA]

No real surprise but Dean Boyer confirms the University is still considering one more big dorm complex (31:40) and about 53:00 vaguely discusses the new science building. He says north of Ratner but I'm assuming he means south (by PME).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xj5V7hKq1fA

[WestsideLA]

Update on cancer hospital. UCM annual report filed with state (below). One highlight:

"As noted in our prior Annual Progress Report we are reconsidering the design of the renovation in Mitchell Hospital and have scheduled a technical assistance meeting to discuss this change. Following the technical assistance meeting we anticipate filing for a Permit Alteration to reflect those changes."

Status Report filed June 9, 2021:

On May 10, 2016 the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board granted a permit (the “Permit”) to the University of Chicago Medical Center (“UCMC”) for the Project referenced above. This Project included a newly constructed Adult Emergency Department (ED) for a Level I Trauma Center, a new Cellular Therapy Department, and renovation of the Mitchell Hospital building with the addition of 188 beds. 1. Current Status of the Project The new Emergency Department opened December 29, 2017 and approval for Level I Trauma services was approved by the Illinois Department of Public Health on May 1, 2018. The Cellular Therapy phase of the Project was completed and opened on December 31, 2018. The renovation of the Mitchell Hospital building remains ongoing. We have deployed 110 of the 188 patient beds approved for this Project to support the general growth in inpatient demand as well as accommodate additional patients using the Adult ED and Trauma Level I service. Adult ED visits have grown from the 57,201 for 2015 to 73,385 for 2020. As noted in our prior Annual Progress Report we are reconsidering the design of the renovation in Mitchell Hospital and have scheduled a technical assistance meeting to discuss this change. Following the technical assistance meeting we anticipate filing for a Permit Alteration to reflect those changes.

2. Project Costs The Project remains within approved requirements of the Permit. Attached are tables that present the costs incurred and compare current estimated costs to the permit Project Costs and Sources of Funds. Through May 31, 2021 expenses incurred are $98,951,823. As part of the Annual Project Report process we have reclassified some amounts from prior reports to reflect the proper line item. These changes were primarily in the Preplanning line and now shows interest expense from new market tax credits of $1,113,196 under “Net Interest Expense During Construction”.
Ms. Courtney Avery June 9, 2021 Page 2 38609063.1

3. Source of Funds As part of the planned Permit Alteration, we anticipate reducing or eliminating the use of debt and instead financing the Project primarily from cash and other sources. Please note that in our prior annual progress report we showed $8,849,100 in “Bond Issues” as a source of funds through August 2020. These funds are new market tax credits, and in the current report we report that amount as part of “Other Sources of Funds”.

4. Anticipated Date of Completion The Project Completion Date is June 30, 2022. At this point we are hoping to complete the Project by that date but acknowledge that there have been COVID-19 delays in the Project. Please let us know if you need further information.

The 2020 report noted: "Construction to modernize aging building infrastructure in UCMC’s Mitchell Hospital has begun and remains in progress."

The 2019 reported noted unexpectedly high cost of Mitchell renovations.

[WestsideLA]

https://chicagoyimby.com/category/study-hotels

[WestsideLA]

New website for improvements for OPC:

https://jacksonparkimprovements.org

[WestsideLA]

Construction of new south parking garage:

https://facilities.uchicago.edu/cons..._use_facility/

[WestsideLA]

Article on the new science and engineering building:

https://www.chicagobusiness.com/tech...esearch-expand

[WestsideLA]

https://urbanize.city/chicago/post/s...date-hyde-park

[SIGSEGV]

[WestsideLA]

Originally Posted by SIGSEGV

Nice pic.

[WestsideLA]

Regarding the cancer hospital...

The state released this update for the 9/24/21 meeting. Apparently UCMD has scaled back plans for Mitchell because of costs. Not sure whether it is hinting that it may eventually go for a brand new facility instead of major upgrade of Mitchell or not... Maybe more outpatient facilities...? Do not know...

https://www2.illinois.gov/sites/hfsr...0[1st].pdf

https://www2.illinois.gov/sites/hfsr...go-16-008.aspx

[sentinel]

Well, I think I have a better understanding now as to why the Obama Foundation never had any interest in the large, vacant square lot on 55th street just east of the Green Line stop, that many of our forum armchair experts thought 'would be a perfect', 'logical' or 'idiotic not to build there' location for the Obama Center. Met with an influential researcher today regarding a new space for them, and they not-so-subtly stated that UC has long-term plans to expand the University westward, in the general vacinity of Garfield Blvd/55th St, MLK Drive, all the way to Wabash. They have been purchasing many vacant lots over the past decade, with plans to build a variety of new University research and teaching facilities, housing and community outreach centers, etc. No timelines were mentioned, but the implication was that UC doesn't really have room to expand north of the current Quad/center, nor is there even a lot of space that they can expand south of the Midway, considering the already explosive growth that the south campus has experienced in the past 10 years alone. West of Washington Park is perceived as the next logical step in their continued expansion in the 21st century, in order to maintain the same level of quality as other top-tier US universities. And YES, there is something very specific and large planned for the big lot on the NW corner of Garfield Blvd/55th St and MLK Drive.

[WestsideLA]

Originally Posted by sentinel

Well, I think I have a better understanding now as to why the Obama Foundation never had any interest in the large, vacant square lot on 55th street just east of the Green Line stop, that many of our forum armchair experts thought 'would be a perfect', 'logical' or 'idiotic not to build there' location for the Obama Center. Met with an influential researcher today regarding a new space for them, and they not-so-subtly stated that UC has long-term plans to expand the University westward, in the general vacinity of Garfield Blvd/55th St, MLK Drive, all the way to Wabash. They have been purchasing many vacant lots over the past decade, with plans to build a variety of new University research and teaching facilities, housing and community outreach centers, etc. No timelines were mentioned, but the implication was that UC doesn't really have room to expand north of the current Quad/center, nor is there even a lot of space that they can expand south of the Midway, considering the already explosive growth that the south campus has experienced in the past 10 years alone. West of Washington Park is perceived as the next logical step in their continued expansion in the 21st century, in order to maintain the same level of quality as other top-tier US universities. And YES, there is something very specific and large planned for the big lot on the NW corner of Garfield Blvd/55th St and MLK Drive.

Interesting. So it sounds as though that expansion will be sooner rather than later? Will it be the new science and engineering building or something for the hospital?

[sentinel]

Originally Posted by WestsideLA

Interesting. So it sounds as though that expansion will be sooner rather than later? Will it be the new science and engineering building or something for the hospital?

No timeline on an 'West Campus' expansion, so definitely not sooner than later. The new science & engineering building will be located on the existing science quad, while a new cancer hospital will still be within the hospital campus, as far as I know on each of the latter two.

[sentinel]

Also, coincidentally, I believe the new UC president is being sworn in today, to replace Dr. Zimmer who is retiring.

[southoftheloop]

Originally Posted by sentinel

Also, coincidentally, I believe the new UC president is being sworn in today, to replace Dr. Zimmer who is retiring.

Indeed. Zimmer led the university's prolific fundraising and building boom over the past decade-plus. High hopes for President Alivisatos. The university will continue to be in good hands.

[thegoatman]

Is UC up there with Stanford, Duke, Harvard, Yale, Princeton, MIT?

Great to see more possible expansion for the university

[southoftheloop]

Originally Posted by thegoatman

Is UC up there with Stanford, Duke, Harvard, Yale, Princeton, MIT?

Yes.

[BruceP]

Originally Posted by southoftheloop

Yes.

If we're talking absolute dollar amount, not by a long shot, except for Duke:
1) Harvard: $41.9 billion
2) Yale: $31.1 billion
3) Stanford: $28.9 billion
4) Princeton: $26.6 billion
5) MIT: $18.4 billion
6-10) Etc.
11) U. of Chicago: $10.0 billion
12) Duke: $8.5 million

BUT, What may be more meaningful is endowment per student. Here, Princeton is #1 at $2.9 million and Chicago is only #39 at $449M.

BUT BUT, none of this directly correlates to quality. Many 2nd and 3rd rate schools have larger endowments per student than Chicago, while Chicago has the 2nd highest number of official Nobel laureates, after Cambridge in the UK, and well ahead of Harvard, Princeton, etc.

Having said all this, more money is always better than less money. (And all numbers are approx.)

[WestsideLA]

Originally Posted by BruceP

If we're talking absolute dollar amount, not by a long shot, except for Duke:
1) Harvard: $41.9 billion
2) Yale: $31.1 billion
3) Stanford: $28.9 billion
4) Princeton: $26.6 billion
5) MIT: $18.4 billion
6-10) Etc.
11) U. of Chicago: $10.0 billion
12) Duke: $8.5 million

BUT, What may be more meaningful is endowment per student. Here, Princeton is #1 at $2.9 million and Chicago is only #39 at $449M.

BUT BUT, none of this directly correlates to quality. Many 2nd and 3rd rate schools have larger endowments per student than Chicago, while Chicago has the 2nd highest number of official Nobel laureates, after Cambridge in the UK, and well ahead of Harvard, Princeton, etc.

Having said all this, more money is always better than less money. (And all numbers are approx.)

I'm not sure what this has to do with architecture...but if you want to go there, for one thing, just listen to Steven Chu from Stanford discuss during Alivisatos' inauguration why UChicago is the best school in the world at producing young scientists. He said Berkeley was second. Indeed, UChicago produced James Watson, who is a greater scientist than anyone ever produced by HYPSM--by a long shot.

Finally, UChicago, as this blog shows, is the most popular college by far at the Top 50 prep schools in the U.S.:

https://tophscollege.blogspot.com/20...at-top-50.html