CHICAGO | 1234 W. Randolph | 460 FT | 41 FLOORS

BVictor1 · #1 Posted **Oct 9, 2022, 4:05 PM**

Seeing as the West Loop is exploding with development and we'll never get a sub-forum created... It's time for some Chicago representation.

Solomon Cordwell Buenz Architects
400 units
470'
42 Stories

This is one of the nicest SCB proposals I've seen. It's in my personal Top 5 from the firm. This design is prettier than the Bally's hotel tower proposal.

BVictor1 · #2 Posted **Oct 12, 2022, 10:10 PM**

So the committee on design had its review today and some of the changes I'll expect to see is the removal of the small plaza with the podium extending along the length of the site with retail/restaurant.

This is a change the developers/architects liked/wanted and was seemingly in their original proposal to CPD. CPD wanted the plaza/open space.

We'll likely lose one floor of podium and the developers say this reconfiguration actually allows for a more efficient parking layout.

I guess we'll see updated designs at whatever public community meeting they have.

We'll probably end up with about a 450' structure instead... Just my speculation.

Zapatan · #3 Posted **Oct 12, 2022, 11:50 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BVictor1

We'll probably end up with about a 450' structure instead... Just my speculation.

Still a good looking tower and good height for the area

r18tdi · #4 Posted **Oct 13, 2022, 3:41 PM**

Urbanize Chicago also reported on some of the items raised at the CoD meeting. Seems odd to me to hear the committee members push for the removal publicly accessible open space, but here we are.

left of center · #5 Posted **Oct 13, 2022, 5:32 PM**

I actually really liked the little plaza part of this plan. Its a shame it's going away. Now it will resemble any other tower on a podium design.

Klippenstein · #6 Posted **Oct 13, 2022, 6:30 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by left of center

I actually really liked the little plaza part of this plan. Its a shame it's going away. Now it will resemble any other tower on a podium design.

Same. Chicago is not great at making small public plazas/spaces. I guess the feedback from the review confirms that they're not valued here.

thegoatman · #7 Posted **Oct 13, 2022, 7:55 PM**

The reason the plaza is going away is because they want retail there.

untitledreality · #8 Posted **Oct 14, 2022, 3:35 AM**

All these years later and SCB still stands for Shitty Chicago Buildings.

Bravo guys, yet another turd to foist upon the innocents. They almost had a good idea going, but someone got nervous and asked for a way to 'break up the massing', then someone else decided that the base should be a contextual response to Alhambra Palace...presumably after suffering a severe head injury.

untitledreality · #9 Posted **Oct 14, 2022, 3:46 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by left of center

I actually really liked the little plaza part of this plan. Its a shame it's going away. Now it will resemble any other tower on a podium design.

Tiny miserable trash collector or not, this proposal is still just any other tower on a podium design.

At least without the pocket setback it will hold the streetfront and shave a floor off of that horribly designed podium.

r18tdi · #10 Posted **Oct 14, 2022, 2:08 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by untitledreality

They almost had a good idea going, but someone got nervous and asked for a way to 'break up the massing', then someone else decided that the base should be a contextual response to Alhambra Palace...presumably after suffering a severe head injury.

Lol

ardecila · #11 Posted **Oct 14, 2022, 2:41 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by untitledreality

Tiny miserable trash collector or not, this proposal is still just any other tower on a podium design.

At least without the pocket setback it will hold the streetfront and shave a floor off of that horribly designed podium.

Yes, bringing the height of the podium down is a good thing. Randolph is still lined with a lot of landmarked 2-story buildings, so a shorter podium is more cohesive and reduces the amount of blank facade (no matter how sculptural it may be) before you get to the genuine windows on upper floors. Alhambra is obviously not landmarked but it is typical scale for the street.

If the city eventually follows thru with its plans for Randolph, there shouldn't be a need to create off-street plazas as the whole street will become a plaza like Las Ramblas in Barcelona. Adding off-street plazas just erodes the definition of that future public space.

BVictor1 · #12 Posted **Jan 26, 2023, 5:52 PM**

Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...TPWWKLe0_NujSA

Jibba · #13 Posted **Jan 26, 2023, 6:37 PM**

I can't get past the podium. So, so bad. The quilted diagrid pattern is so hokey. Back to the drawing board for that entire part, please.

r18tdi · #14 Posted **Jan 26, 2023, 8:05 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jibba

I can't get past the podium. So, so bad. The quilted diagrid pattern is so hokey. Back to the drawing board for that entire part, please.

Yes, but have you seen SCB's podiums designs for other buildings?

Toasty Joe · #15 Posted **Jan 26, 2023, 8:29 PM**

The mishmashed facade is the real killer for me. When are we gonna get past "breaking up the facade" and realize that buildings are buildings and they don't have to apologize for it? Leave that shit in Toronto

Toasty Joe · #16 Posted **Jan 26, 2023, 9:34 PM**

I mean it's not my style but it's one continuous facade theme (aside from the podium). Doesn't look like 2 different buildings were smashed together.

HomrQT · #17 Posted **Jan 26, 2023, 10:48 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toasty Joe

The mishmashed facade is the real killer for me. When are we gonna get past "breaking up the facade" and realize that buildings are buildings and they don't have to apologize for it? Leave that shit in Toronto

I agree. Uniformity in the facade looks way better to me than mishmash.

BVictor1 · #18 Posted **Feb 7, 2023, 1:19 AM**

A few notes...

Small retail activation along Randolph

-395 units… was 400
-113 parking spaces (slight reduction)
-Slight height reduction because of 1 less floor of parking
-79 affordable units on site

-$1.9 million dollar bonus

-1,800 sq ft of retail along Randolph.

-Hopefully approved in the next few months.

-2nd or 3rd Quarter of 2024 projected construction start

Building height - 445'
T/screenwall - 460'

mh777 · #19 Posted **Feb 7, 2023, 2:15 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BVictor1

-Hopefully approved in the next few months.

-2nd or 3rd Quarter of 2024 projected construction start

Building height - 445'
T/screenwall - 460'

‘24? It takes that long to secure financing nowadays?

BVictor1 · #20 Posted **Feb 7, 2023, 3:39 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mh777

‘24? It takes that long to secure financing nowadays?

It can when approvals are still needed and if the developer has yet to close on the property. It took a bit more than a year for 1112 Carroll to start after approval. 18 months ins't unheard of.