Sunday, January 29, 2012

Acadia and the Park Next Door - What to Expect

A couple of weeks ago we went to Acadia (1639 S. Wabash) and had a great experience. However, we were unsure how the restaurant would integrate with the park that the city was building just next door (the lot North of the restaurant). Well a reader recently sent us this email:
I talked with one of the managers while I was there, I think it was Justin, and he said the plans for the park next door are to split it into three parts. Farthest from the restaurant will be a dog park, in the middle a Jazz park. He said they are going to have a hill on the backside of the jazz area with the hill carved out and a band inside the hill for concerts. The third part closest to the restaurant will be an outdoor patio seating 30 for Acadia.
Sounds good to us. We would assume that the food and pricing will be in line with an outdoor "cafe", but haven't heard that confirmed anywhere yet.

Addition - For those looking for more Acadia information, here is a link and video from the ABC7 Hungry Hound segment:


(Hat tip: AH and Allen!)

9 comments:

Allen said...

Acadia on channel 7 news:
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?id=8521580&rss=rss-wls-article-8521580&section=resources/lifestyle_community/food/restaurants

Anonymous said...

Today's Chinatown Event: Temps are hovering near 30 degrees with some light snow that is predicted to quickly pass on by. We're still meeting at 11am in Chinatown Square, the large plaza on Archer Avenue just southwest of Wentworth.

Anonymous Coward said...

A "jazz park"? WTF is a 'jazz park'?

At what public meeting did the folks in the neighborhood demand that we have a 'jazz park'?

The story of this park development is beginning to sound sleazier and sleazier.

- AC

EPr said...

Congratulations to Arcadia - saw a nice story on WLS-7 news last night. And in general any park is good, but this whole thing.

However, not begrudging Arcadia or a park, I am just having a hard time believing public tax dollars are going to be used to build a 30 seat patio for a high end, incredibly high priced restaurant to freely use? That seems a bit, um...what's the word I am looking for...illegal.

One would assume regulations require some sort of concession bidding process for use of such a space, especially considering the big deal sensitive issue since the the shenanigans found with the Millennium Park deal.

Might not matter; been reading that the TIF funds for this and other near south park projects have not been approved due to lack of TIF funding or were not submitted in time? Disappointing.

How is the West Loop able to get all these spanking new over-the-top park projects complete, with a fraction of TIF $$, yet for years the near south TIF has been flush with the necessary money and designated projects and no progress?

The whole strategy is confusing as most of the south loop and near south parks are either bare, still in developer state, or are incomplete status for years. The only recent project completed I can think of is Printers Row, if you can call that a park. At least it has some decent architectural or historical aspects to it.

With all the other designated parks not being moved forward, someone will have to explain why this this 'Fred Anderson' dog park is turning into a head scratching boondoggle. Is it a dog park, human park, jazz park? By the time this is done, it will be a $15,000,000 dog park, including land, clean-up, engineering, construction.

I am sure it will be nice, but when hardly any of the people parks have been sufficiently completed, the question has to be asked why has this park been elevated in priority?

Anonymous Coward said...

The relevant ordinance "Intergovernmental agreement and associated conveyance of property to Chicago Park District" was passed 12/14/11 and is available from the City Clerk's Office here: http://bit.ly/yl8ozM

Tl;dr, but there's lots of discussion of costs and anticipated TIF and other funding.

There's no specification of the park design, however. The Chicago Park District has been keeping its back-office design discussions 'very hush-hush'.

- AC

Anonymous said...

Does not mean money was ever transfered - this is agreement to give the park district the land and tif money, but this cold be held up still. Shows the $4MM more, not showing the $9MM land costs.

Anonymous said...

Jazz Park? Waste of space. Id rather they put in a nice Fountain.

Anonymous said...

I hope it is safe and they keep the homeless out of there.

Anonymous Coward said...

More information comes to light, from Time Out Chicago, of all places! (Hint: Rahm is involved, and now that it's in the Park District's hands, decisions are being made behind closed doors.)

McCaskey: "We wanted two things: a little buffer between the restaurant and where the people would be, because the park is supposed to be part dog park. The other thing is we wanted a patio of about 14 seats out there. Four days later, I had a meeting with all the head people at the park district. The design is approved, and as far as I know he pushed that through for me.

Public hearing, what public hearing? We don't need no stinking public hearing!

- AC