Bike Lane Proposed for Wabash Between Roosevelt and Harrison

Wabash Avenue continues to get upgrades.  This time a bike lane has been proposed for Wabash between Roosevelt and Harrison.  This is great news as it will connect to the bike lane that was created on Wabash in 2011.

The news comes from Grid Chicago:

In addition to the Roscoe Street buffered bike lane installed last week, and a segment on Wabash Avenue installed in 2011, the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) has proposed these locations for buffered bike lanes, a total of 4.50 miles:

• Clark St from Walton to North 

• Ellsworth Dr from Garfield (55th) to King (51st) 

• Wabash Ave from Roosevelt to Harrison 

• Wells St from Chicago to Van Buren (originally proposed in 2010)

Mayor Emanuel promised 25 miles of protected bike lanes per year of his term. His first year anniversary is May 16, seven days away. The City has currently installed 2 miles of protected bike lanes.

So what's a "Buffered Bike Lane"?  It's essentially what we have on Wabash South of Roosevelt.  It's a wide lane with clear markings identifying where bikes belong.

This is different than a "protected bike lane".  A protected bike lane is what was installed on 18th street between Clark and Clinton last year.  The protected bike lane's have plastic pylons that create a barrier between motorists and bikers.

"Buffered Bike Lane" on Wabash
From Grid Chicago

"Protected Bike Lane" on 18th street
Image from Let's Go Ride a Bike

Mary Sears Academy now JTA Schools?

A reader writes:

Hello Sloopin! 

A couple things I’ve noticed around the neighborhood lately: 

Mary Sears Academy changed their name (and maybe their ownership?) to JTA Schools. And there’s a sign in their southern most window that says that space is for lease. I don’t know if that means they’re downsizing that space or planning to completely leave it eventually. 

Also, a florist opened at 1335 S. State called Henry Hampton Floral. Here’s their website.

Thanks!
C

We posted about Mary Sears in the past (March) and at the time they were sticking around.  Maybe they decided to change?  Does anyone have the scoop?

In regard to the Henry Hampton Floral, we're not 100% sure, but we think they just relocated.  If memory serves correctly, they were the florist at 828 S. Wabash.

(Hat tip:  CR!)

Shots Around the Sloop: Haze

(Hat tip: BW!)

NATO to Disrupt Mail Service in the Sloop

We imagine that we're going to be hearing more and more stories like this.  We probably won't be able to post them all, but we will try.  This one is from the Sun-Times about mail issues:

Residents and businesses in the South Loop received flyers Wednesday warning of possible delays in receiving mail and of encountering sealed or missing postal boxes starting Monday through May 22 because of the NATO Summit and the traffic tie-ups it is expected to cause. 

The flier warns of “some modest service impacts” for mail to the 606 zip codes, but doesn’t specify further.

People and businesses with post-office boxes at Postal Service sites may experience mail delays, too, and businesses are told to make sure their employees picking up mail at those facilities have valid ID and a document with the company’s letterhead authorizing the pickup. 

The height of any interruptions is expected May 18-22, and questions are referred to usps.com.

Spanglish: Cinco de "No"-yo

We like hearing rumors about the South Loop.  Sometimes they become true and sometimes they don't.  Well it appears that the rumor about Spanglish (State and Harrison) opening up on May 5th didn't come to fruition.

We were skeptical when we heard this, but optimistic.

Anyway, realizing that this date came and went, we recently walked by the storefront and like a true stalker put our eye to the window to see if we could notice anything.  Since the last time we went by it appears that some progress has been made.  We noticed tools scattered around the place and even saw something that looked like blueprints.

Does anyone have additional information on the restaurant?

The "Coming Soon" signs were displayed on the windows in July of 2011, but they probably should have said "Coming Eventually".  Regardless, hopefully Spanglish will be worth the wait.

 

Redeye Profiles Kendal Duque and His City Tavern Concept

The Redeye profiles Kendal Duque and his City Tavern concept:

Image from Redeye

Duque says the concept is “a fresh take on taverns of old,” a warm, comfortable neighborhood place with a seasonally driven menu and a wide selection of craft beer, wine and cocktails. While Duque’s food at Chicago Firehouse is geared toward the restaurant’s upscale steakhouse ambiance, he said City Tavern will be more of a reflection of his personality and skills – “the kind of place that I would want to go myself.” 

In addition to a handful of specials each day, expect seasonal dishes inspired by what’s at the markets. Duque is particularly excited about his walleye pike with wild mushrooms, pea tendrils, artichokes and a cashew vinaigrette, as well as his simply grilled Berkshire pork chop served in a sauce of its own juices with a green apple and wild arugula salad. No dish will exceed $20.

Again, the more we read the more we get excited about this addition.  The article also goes on to say that they're still planning on opening later this month.  Can't wait!

(Hat tip: MT!)

Testing Out New Comment Policy

First off, we want to pause and take a second to say thanks to everyone who has ever interacted with us in anyway.  We get a ton of emails, comments, pictures, videos, compliments and criticisms and it's truly amazing!  Without this support Sloopin wouldn't be what it is...so thank you!

Second, here at Sloopin our intentions are simple.  We want to do the best we can to provide information we think people would find interesting about the South Loop.  With this we intend to cover a wide range of topics, but all specific to the South Loop in some capacity.  Beyond that we want our readers to help create a healthy discourse that can be beneficial to the neighborhood.

Through the years, sometimes this discussion has stayed true to this intention and sometimes it has not.  Recently there has been much consternation in regard to some of our comment threads.  With that said, we are going to be testing out a new policy on comments.

For the next week or so, we will be requiring people to either have a Google account or an OpenID account to comment on Sloopin.  The goal of this is to weed out some of the unnecessary comments while also trying to generate more accountability in the comment threads.

With that said, an OpenID account is pretty wide ranging and you probably have one whether or not you know it (for more information click here).

Thanks again to everyone for making Sloopin what it is and please continue to comment!

Best,
Sloopin Crew

Movie Filming in the Sloop on Wednesday, May 9th?

A reader writes:

Hi Sloopy, 

This morning (Monday), there were signs posted on Indiana saying that the street would be closed on May 9 from 11am-8pm for "movie filming". Any idea what is going on? And how large is the film location? Just Indiana btwn 16th-18th or much larger? 

Thanks!
AA

According to the City of Chicago "What's Filming Now" page on their website, there are only two films currently filming in the city:

• Boss for STARZ Entertainment (through July 2012)
• Underemployed for MTV (through July 2012)

Based on old posts that we've done, our guess would be that Underemployed will be filming in the South Loop on Wednesday.  Does anyone have any additional information about this filming?

For more information on Underemployed click here.

(Hat tip:  AA!)

How to Make Motor Row an Instantaneous Destination? Add Three Floyd's Chicago Brew Pub

We've spent many hours pondering what it would take to really jump start development in the Motor Row district (area on Michigan South of Cermak).  Big plans are in place, but to this date nothing is really grabbing attention from a broader city standpoint.

The Green Line stop at Cermak will help and yes, Broad Shoulder Brewery is a nice start, but if Alderman Fioretti and others associated with making this happen truly want to make Motor Row a destination, they should head on over to Munster, Indiana and try to lure the boys at Three Floyds to open a Chicago brew pub in Motor Row (via Chicago Tribune):

The most revelatory news is that owner Nick Floyd is scouting locations to open a Three Floyds brewpub in Chicago. He has been looking at spaces during the last couple of weeks, and though coy about the where ("anywhere but the Loop") and when ("the near future"), he sounded resolute about it happening.

While it seems like a long shot, would it hurt to try?  As the Chicago Tribune article states the guys at Three Floyds can draw 6,000 fanatics to their brewery in Munster...yes Munster!

It would be a "unique" destination that would help put Motor Row on the map.

Just an idea...

Shots Around the Sloop: Gold Star

(Hat tip: VB!)

Roosevelt University's New Tower Adds "Sizzle to Chicago's Skyline"

Will students be gazing at the views instead of the lecturer?
 (photo from Chicago Tribune)

One of our favorite drives in all of Chicago is heading North on Lake Shore Drive from the South Side.  A couple of weeks ago we were making this drive after being out of town for a long weekend.

As you pass under the sky-bridge connecting McCormick Place to the Crown Arie Theater the image of the skyline hits you in the face and leaves you speachless.

However, this most recent trip was different.  It was a sunny day and the new Roosevelt University tower was shimmering.  It caught our eye and thought about the statement the new building made on this beautiful picture.  We loved it.

A couple of days ago, Blair Kamin, the acclaimed Chicago Tribune architecture critic, reviewed the building and offered some nice perspective:

From Chicago Tribune

Savvy architecture buffs tend to view look-at-me buildings with a wary glance. All too often, these designs are slick packages, not real places that ennoble our daily routines. Anybody who's witnessed the cacophony of shrieking skyscrapers in Dubai knows that. 

Still, there is reason to think that Roosevelt University's striking new $123 million tower in downtown Chicago (left) will amount to something more than an eye-grabbing envelope.

The 32-story tower, which flaunts a zig-zagging silhouette and an equally arresting skin of blue and green glass, represents Chicago's latest innovation in skyscraper design. It is a vertical campus, stacking everything from a student union to lecture halls to dorm suites within a single, all-encompassing structure.

The gist of the piece was that it's a beautiful building that on paper seems to be functional as well.  However, questions still remain whether or not Roosevelt University can attract more and more students to fill the tower.  The Chicago Reader had a good piece about the risk the university took by constructing the building (see Sloopin post here).  Only time will tell.

Columbia's Manifest Hits the Sloop Tomorrow, May 4th

Columbia's annual Manifest festival hits the neighborhood tomorrow, May 4th.  If you're new to the Sloop or just haven't paid much attention to Columbia, here is a brief summary of the event:

On May 4, Columbia College Chicago celebrates the work of its more than 2,000 graduating students with its annual urban arts festival. From art exhibitions to readings, from original designs to singer showcases, the talent will spill out from Columbia’s South Loop Campus and onto the streets, with main stage performances from student bands creating the musical backdrop to the Manifest 2012 showcase.

If you're out and about on Friday you will probably notice the festival.  It's always entertaining and if you have some free time checkout one of the performances (schedules here).

Here is a video from last years:
 

Apartment Building Discussed for 9th and State

Image from Chicago Journal

Seems like we've been reading a lot about South Loop real estate lately.  Yesterday it was rennovations at Park Michigan (1212 S. Michigan), Saturday it was Roosevelt Collection and today it's a new apartment building at a vacant lot on State (9th and State).

In last weeks Chicago Journal, they had a post about a shiny glass building:

A developer planning a 39-story apartment tower in the South Loop at the intersection of 9th and State Streets presented its plans to a community group last week.  

Golub & Company, owner of the site that’s now a parking lot abutting the CTA Green and Orange line tracks, showed off the tower at a meeting of South Loop Neighbors. 

The building will have a four-story base that’ll stretch from 9th south to the existing Hilti parking garage. From the middle of that will spring the full 400-foot, 39-story tower.

While the building doesn't knock our socks off, we will label this as something is better than nothing.  And by nothing we mean an eye sore of a parking lot.  We would assume this means more retail space for South State street.  Which we're always in favor of.

The article doesn't give an indication of when this could come to market, but we imagine it's still got some hurdles to jump over.  Regardless, good to see investors continuing to show interest in the Sloop!

Apartment Building at 1212 S. Michigan get Renovation; Becomes Park Michigan

New Lobby at Park Michigan (formerly 1212 S. Michigan)

About a year ago we read that the apartment building at 1212 South Michigan was up for sale.  Fast forward to today and it appears that Crescent Heights, the new owner, is renovating parts of the building (see above and below).  Also of interest is that the building is being re-branded Park Michigan.

While we don't claim to be real estate experts, this seems like a smart move.  While this building isn't state of the art like some of the newer towers to go up, it sits at a very very very prominent location (Roosevelt and Michigan) and must have amazing views.  Good to see that the new owners are investing and upgrading in the building and the neighborhood!

New amenities room at Park Michigan