CHICAGO | Highrise Projects & Construction, v7

[left of center]

Originally Posted by Rizzo

The term “legally” could apply to so many things. Sure they could work out some easement agreement to expand over the interstate but decades down the road,
maintenance could become an issue.

For example any structure overhead that deteriorates and damages the interstate below could hold the property owner and responsible parties for the building’s construction liable. The same the other way around for IDOT. That suspension bridge isn’t designed to look cool. It’s designed that way because it absolutely must not have any structural burden on any surrounding public infrastructure.

Not pointing at anyone here, but I’ve noticed some design professionals and urban planners often think easements are something easy when it comes to big developments. They are insanely complicated and there’s rarely consensus when it comes to maintenance. There will always be a winner or loser depending on who has the best lawyers.

While IDOT may appear old school, I certainly value their rigid position to insulate themselves against any costly maintenance or liability.

Thank you for this insight. How do you think IDOT's legal and liability positions would play out if the funds ever appeared for a project to cap the Kennedy between Hubbard and the Circle? Would you see them perpetually blocking this from ever happening? Or would they be more willing to allow it since it would be publicly owned infrastructure with a park on top and no private development?

[The Pimp]

Originally Posted by left of center

Thank you for this insight. How do you think IDOT's legal and liability positions would play out if the funds ever appeared for a project to cap the Kennedy between Hubbard and the Circle? Would you see them perpetually blocking this from ever happening? Or would they be more willing to allow it since it would be publicly owned infrastructure with a park on top and no private development?

Very difficult to expect IDOT to anything right pertaining to the Circle. The Circle has had at least 2 major redevelopments in the last 30 years and they still can't get the damn thing correct.

[left of center]

Originally Posted by The Pimp

Very difficult to expect IDOT to anything right pertaining to the Circle. The Circle has had at least 2 major redevelopments in the last 30 years and they still can't get the damn thing correct.

The expressway cap would be north of the Circle, not actually including the interchange itself. It would encompass the air rights over the Kennedy between the Circle and Hubbard's Cave. That would be its maximum potential size, and I doubt that would happen all at once. More than likely, it would start off with a few blocks and expand from there.

And agreed with the Circle redevelopment. It's way past schedule (was supposed to be complete in 2018, right?) That said, there is a very wide and complex array of infrastructure they had to work around which explains a lot of the delays and cost overruns. Although I'm sure incompetence and corruption also played minor, if not significant roles as well.

[Rizzo]

Originally Posted by left of center

Thank you for this insight. How do you think IDOT's legal and liability positions would play out if the funds ever appeared for a project to cap the Kennedy between Hubbard and the Circle? Would you see them perpetually blocking this from ever happening? Or would they be more willing to allow it since it would be publicly owned infrastructure with a park on top and no private development?

I think When it’s private money and IDOT gets to pull all the decision levers leaving developers will consulting advice, and have someone else pay for cost overuns, you’ll see some sort of cap in the future. Though I doubt it would be as elegant as anything seen in prior concepts

Maybe something like widened overpasses built independent from the current replacements that have built up landscape buffers so pedestrians can’t see the expressway. That’s all I see happening. Even if a full park provided some moderate benefits, it’s still fronted by the backsides of condo building service areas, parking decks and what would likely be off-ramp portals. Not exactly good edge conditions for quality urban space. Might look good from the sky though.

[Klippenstein]

With the new highrise development (NOMA), the casino proposal and Fulton Market development moving further North… it makes most sense to me for 90/94 to be fully capped between Lake and Green street first. Those areas are more disjointed and the caps will be easier to engineer since they are smaller spans with no entrance/exit ramps. The best thing would be connecting Fulton Market and the casino. It seems much more realistic and much more bang for your buck.

[twister244]

Originally Posted by Klippenstein

With the new highrise development (NOMA), the casino proposal and Fulton Market development moving further North… it makes most sense to me for 90/94 to be fully capped between Lake and Green street first. Those areas are more disjointed and the caps will be easier to engineer since they are smaller spans with no entrance/exit ramps. The best thing would be connecting Fulton Market and the casino. It seems much more realistic and much more bang for your buck.

I know this is going to sound a bit selfish, but I would rather see that money go towards improving the pedestrian experience for the various roads that go under the Kennedy further North (I.E., Fullerton, Western, etc). I live near Western/Fullerton and getting across the Kennedy by food/bike/etc is absolutely terrible. No bike lanes, a very dark crossing under the highway, homeless camps, etc. It's sketch as fuck, and the city really should address that first given the amount of development planned up along the river. If there's money to do both that and capping the highway, great. However, the highway does have well-lit, above ground pedestrian crossways in the Loop/NOMA/Casino area that don't feel like crossing the 38th parallel.

[SolarWind]

Originally Posted by ardecila

The street on the east is Union Ave, which is incorrectly shown as a private driveway on Google Maps. It's a full-fledged public street in the legal sense, not an alley, even though it's mostly garage entrances. The building's address is 354 N Union. The choice of address is not coincidental, usually it's negotiated with the fire department to ensure the easiest access during an emergency.

K3 is not the name of the building, that's just what forumers have dubbed it. Officially the name is just the address, 354 N Union, although I expect that they will give it a different name once the apartments start leasing out. It has always had a different owner/developer from K2. The architect (Pappageorge Haymes) is the same, but that's not unusual - that firm does a enormous volume of residential towers in Chicago for many different developers. But it does explain some of the similarities in the curtain wall design.

Yes, the interstate affected the shape of the podium and the siting of the tower. Honestly I'm surprised IDOT allowed the private bridge to be built in their air rights, they are notoriously anti-everything.

The tower will have an entrance and a car turnaround/dropoff zone on the Union St side. There will also be a pedestrian bridge built to the Jewel parking lot. So 2 different ways for residents to head east into River North, the Loop or Metra stations.

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[colemonkee]

Very interesting, thank you for the explanation! The bridge looks like it's for autos, correct? Assuming there will be a curb cut where it connects to the elevated street?

[ardecila]

Autos and pedestrians on the cantilever bridge. There will also be a driveway under the bridge for access to Green St to the west, so there are 3 auto exits from the building and 4 pedestrian exits. Really a very complex building on a weird multilevel site. Chicago has plenty of multilevel areas, but usually they pretend to be a traditional city if seen from the upper level. This is much weirder, reminds me of Hong Kong or La Defense.

Pedestrian Exits:
-East to Union St at lower level
-East to Jewel shopping center at upper level (bridge)
-West to Green St at lower level
-West to Halsted St at upper level (bridge)

Auto Exits:
-East to Union St at lower level
-West to Green St at lower level
-West to Halsted St at upper level (bridge)

Not sure why so many auto exits are needed, except that Halsted is gridlocked most of the time. The city may require the building to close the Halsted driveway during daylight hours to manage the traffic.

Floorplans here:
https://chicagoyimby.com/2021/04/354...-district.html

[rivernorthlurker]

The bridge here spans the Kennedy if you had x-ray vision. Kinda interesting, kinda weird, and definitely kind of expensive.

Originally Posted by SolarWind

May 19, 2022

August 30, 2021

[marothisu]

741 N Wells received building permits yesterday. New 21 story building with 169 units and ground floor retail

[rivernorthlurker]

Originally Posted by marothisu

741 N Wells received building permits yesterday. New 21 story building with 169 units and ground floor retail

Great to see this thing can roll right into construction once the demo is finished.

That stretch on Chicago is becoming a very active construction zone.

[LouisVanDerWright]

Originally Posted by left of center

The expressway cap would be north of the Circle, not actually including the interchange itself. It would encompass the air rights over the Kennedy between the Circle and Hubbard's Cave. That would be its maximum potential size, and I doubt that would happen all at once. More than likely, it would start off with a few blocks and expand from there.

And agreed with the Circle redevelopment. It's way past schedule (was supposed to be complete in 2018, right?) That said, there is a very wide and complex array of infrastructure they had to work around which explains a lot of the delays and cost overruns. Although I'm sure incompetence and corruption also played minor, if not significant roles as well.

The Circle was mainly delayed because they needed to shift funds and crews on an emergency basis to deal with the lakefront interchange at 55 and LSD.

What they have done with the Circle has been nothing short of miraculous regardless of cost or punctuality. I've been watching them do and it's been amazing to watch.

[Tom In Chicago]

Originally Posted by LouisVanDerWright

The Circle was mainly delayed because they needed to shift funds and crews on an emergency basis to deal with the lakefront interchange at 55 and LSD.

What they have done with the Circle has been nothing short of miraculous regardless of cost or punctuality. I've been watching them do and it's been amazing to watch.

I remember reading about a delay when construction shifted the foundation of a building along Van Buren which required some redesign along the north side of the Ike to reinforce the wall that was being built there. . .

. . .

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by ardecila

That project was about to break ground before Covid lockdowns, and Sterling Bay used a bunch of gimmicks to kickstart it. Not sure that one-off project says much about the current state of the city's hotel industry.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/colum...xfy-story.html

RIU/150 E Ontario was proposed in 2021 and now looks to break ground before the fall so IMO this is a greater vote of confidence.

It was issued building permit for new construction on 7/19 (Tuesday)

[thegoatman]

nice to see more infill in streeterville. Will have a small retail coffeeshop

[SolarWind]

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[SolarWind]

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[SolarWind]

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[SolarWind]

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