Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Just A Few Blocks Outside Uptown...

A reader sends in the following info and link:
"While technically outside of Uptown, there is more information on a huge development at Lawrence and Ravenswood that would involve a new grocery store, fitness center, and parking garage. And guess what - little to no TIF funds!"
Read more at the Chicago Real Estate Local

Update: A reader submitted a link with photos from Monday night's community meeting regarding the project.

Update #2: Crain's is covering this development and it looks like Roundy's Supermarket is close to sealing the deal.

19 comments:

  1. Silly Uptown Update!
    A. I can't think of one single plot of land in Uptown where something like that could have been built.
    B. It's the Governments JOB to build that kind of stuff, not private enterprise. Our kids are all smart enough and could use a few million dollars taken out of the pool that could go to their education. Why waste it on kids? Or police?
    C. That Gene Schulter's Ward could use a little sprucing up! Those people in the 47th must be so embarrassed with all the druggies and the shootings that take place. Take a page out of Helen's book and show a little PRIDE in your Ward Gene!

    I was going to go for a run through the 47th Ward this afternoon, but I think I will just do laps around Wilson, Broadway & Clifton where I can feel safe.

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  2. I took some pics at the meeting and shared them with CSJ. You can take a look at them here.
    http://www.centersquarejournal.com/news/slides-from-ravenswood-station-presentation

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  3. Wait a second ...

    Schulter sends out a weekly email to his constituents?

    There was a meeting to discuss this project of which people were actually aware?

    Actually, this was the second meeting, right?

    Thre was concern over the residential aspect of the project and it got ... *gasp* voted down by the public?!

    A perspective owner of one of the stores was in attendence AND answering questions -- BEFORE the project neared completion?!

    And .. not only will there be another meeting, to hold a VOTE ... that meeting has already been scheduled!?!?

    If anyone recently heard a loud crash ,that was my jaw hitting the floor.

    Further, I just now checked a ward map and it says: 47th Ward. It did not say "Bizarro World".

    Don't those uppity 47 warders know that they are best served just shutting their damned traps and taking what the alderman gives them?

    That they should neither be seen, nor heard on matters such as these?

    And where does Schulter get off interacting with and responding to the folks he's been sworn to serve?

    Insanity I tells ya.

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  4. Well, what do we have here?

    ....a grocery store, but no fish farms?

    .....Re-thinking (and eventually removing)the housing component b/c of the current economic situation?

    ....Getting community input a year ago, and updating the community on the new plan?

    Does. not. compute.

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  5. Yo's sentiments exactly......real community interaction concerning a proposed development?! Shocking.

    The 46th seems like such a sad, hideous bubble sometimes.

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  6. These comments are hilarious. Yes, and you should see the outrage from some of our residents. They need to read these comments.

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  7. Yeah, the faux outrage from some of the people at the meeting was appalling. Rude people if ask me. Instead of looking at the bigger benefit for the neighborhood, they have to break everything down to minutiae. Sure, some concerns are warranted but it gets to be assanine when they scoff at the presenters and laugh out loud like it's some kind of joke.

    STFU and be respectful of those that have come to give the presentation and those of whom who want to hear the plan. It's not just your neighborhood pals. And BTW, when the freak did you guys get here, last year? That lot has been that way for many, many years ans some of us would like to see Lawrence avenue revitalized.

    But no, let's act like condescending pricks to the developers, that'll get us a full service grocery store within walking distance in another 10 years. Yeah, these transplants are HILARIOUS.

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  8. From the links provided, it looks like TIF money will yet again be in play. Every dollar a developer doesn't have to invest is a dollar in his or her pocket.

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  9. Yeah...I was a little annoyed with the childish nay-sayers in the audience. Thought they were very rude. I welcome the thought of a nice grocery store in the area. Beats the heck out of the seedy mom and pop stores. I guess some folks would rather have a football field of concrete instead.

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  10. http://www.dlapiper.com/patrick_thompson/

    Their attorney is the nephew of Mayor Daley.

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  11. Yes, a "major" grocery store in that part of town will be a great asset to the community. But from the looks of the drawing it appears to be way out of proportion to everything else in the neighborhood (with the possible exception of Sears). As for the "football field" - that's called FREE PARKING for Sears customers and Metra riders! There's precious little of it left in this fair city thanks to our king; cherish what's left before it disappears!

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  12. I see your point, but someone owns that "free" space and pays taxes and insurance on it. It's nice that Sears and Metra make it available to their customers for free, but the owner has the right to sell it and make a profit, right, just like you and I do on anything we own that someone else is willing to pay a premium for? At least there's some community input, unlike some other wards I'm quite familiar with. Doesn't one of the stories mention that parking will be included in the new plan?

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  13. Boohoo,
    There will be 400 parking spots for the retail and an additional 180 designated for Metra. Right now, there are only 50 spots for Metra riders. The additional spots would allow many more people living a mile or more away to park and ride.

    Gayle,
    The buildings are three stories for the front building and four stories for the rear parking structure and Sears Auto Center. How is this "out of proportion" with the rest of the neighborhood? Mixed use residential and ground floor retail right at Wolcott and Lawrence is 3 to 4 stories tall and there are large 6 story buildings on the east side of Ravenswood.

    For those who complain about added traffic... I drive on Lawrence and Ashland on a daily basis when working with clients or going to my office... or whatever. Lawrence is FOUR lanes and meant for commercial development. This will be no different than the Ashland/School street Whole Foods on the west side of Ashland in West Lakeview. That's a MUCH busier area and somehow everybody manages to get to and from their destinations.

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  14. I'm not arguing with you Eric...

    I just want to be sure you realize that height alone doesn't define proportion.

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  15. Wait let me get this straight, grocery store, fitness center, and parking garage. Sounds like Jewel osco, World Gym and a big parking garage.. right on the intersection of montrose and sheridan. Don't we already have these in our backyard?

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  16. That's 1.5 miles plus from Sheridan and Montrose.

    Given the density around these parts that's a whole other hood and target market.

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  17. I would LOVE this to go through and I live about 3 blocks away from here. Believe me, no car and having to go all the way to Jewel at Clark and Bryn Maur is not my idea of a good time. 10 blocks vs 3 blocks, I'd like to see you drag your 5 gallon laundry detergent 10 blocks. I also think the building is totally well designed for the area, it sure beats the run down beat up Sears building currently there and the tore up parking lot that hasn't been paved in a decade or more.

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  18. Are the plans for the Ravenswood Metra station rebuild, proposed originally with this project, now no longer applicable?

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