Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Kamin: "Here Is An Object Lesson In What Not To Do"

via CityScapes by Blair Kamin

With Walmart likely to build more stores in Chicago, a big design issue looms: How to tame the suburban big-box monster? A sprawling big-box store provides jobs and low-priced goods, but its vast parking lots and blank walls can dull the vitality of a city neighborhood. What works along a suburban highway can be death to an urban street.

A better way was evident Tuesday at the dedication of Wilson Yard, a $151 million North Side retail and apartment complex built on land once occupied by a Chicago Transit Authority rail yard and bus barn. While the project as a whole is a mixed blessing, with two dreary apartment buildings and an anti-urban Aldi grocery store, its new Target store does a decent job of walking the city walk. Continue Reading

5 comments:

  1. Ok,

    I just read that.

    I generally agree with his opinions on the overall Wilson Yard development.

    What I would like to see is an investigative piece on the true cost of the development to the taxpayers.

    I ain't holding my breath.

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  2. We're sure could have used Kamin's input BEFORE this was built. What good does his opinion serve now?

    Neighbors were screaming about the design plans before it was being built and nothing but crickets from Kamin. I am not impressed with this idiot.

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  3. @holy moley, he is an architecture critic. You expect too much.

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  4. Blair Kamin found Uptown? Wonders never cease...

    You can wake up hungover on Thursday and beat Blair to a Monday story.

    ReplyDelete