Jay-Z's Former Business Partners to Develop Two Towers in South Loop

South Loop riverfront development news involving the self proclaimed "Greatest Rapper of All Time" (via chicagorealestatedaily.com):

Two former business partners of the celebrity Jay-Z are gearing up for a $180 million project on a site along the east bank of the Chicago River, across from the old Main Post Office, betting the white-hot demand for downtown apartments will continue. 

A venture that includes New York entrepreneurs Arnold “Alex” Bize and Naum Chernyavsky hopes to building two towers totaling at least 700 units on a 1.9-acre parcel along the river at Harrison Street, Mr. Chernyavsky said.

Ok, so doesn't really have much to do with Jay-Z besides an old business relationship, but it's good to hear there may be progress at this site.  Judging by the rest of the article it sounds like there is still a ways to go for the project (zoning hurdles still need to be cleared).

Anyway, last we heard the land was serving as a temporary set for the blockbuster film Divergent.

Regardless, it gives us a reason to post a Jay-Z video in honor of this story.... Jigga Man:


(Hat tip:  JJ & AR!)

A Tour of the New Jones College Prep Building

A Nice View from the Seventh Floor Terrace at Jones College Prep (via Curbed Chicago)

We all know that the new Jones College Prep (700 S. State) building is a costly, state-of-the-art building, but most of us probably won't ever step inside.  The fine peeps at Curbed Chicago recently did and have shared some thoughts/pictures of the schools amenities:

Designed by Perkins+Will, the seven-story contemporary building has an impressive presence, occupying an entire block along State Street in the South Loop. Our tour begins in the lobby, a dramatic space with three-story ceilings, soaring columns, and a wall of full-height glass outfitted with sleek metallic elements. Other highlights: the landscaped seventh-floor terrace, one of three outdoor spaces scattered throughout the building, and the bright, airy natatorium. The 276,000-square foot facility, designed to accommodate 1,200 students, boasts an impressive resume of amenities, including a fitness center, student dining area with full cooking kitchen, auditorium, art studios, green roof, theater, and an outdoor reading garden.

Attrium entrance at Jones College Prep (via Curbed Chicago)

Library in the sky (via Curbed Chicago)

$115 million apparently can buy a pretty swanky school.  Looks nice to us.

For additional pictures click here.

South Loop: Chicago's Original Hipster Haven?

Hipster Migration map (via Chicago Reader)

Love it or hate it, the "hipster" seems to be on everyones lips these days.  Typically the Sloop isn't associated with the term (unless you're talking about students from Columbia), but we recently read an interesting article on Chicagoreader.com about Chicago's hipster migration history.

We were surprised to see them list the "South Loop" as the original hipster haven.  However, back in the early 1900s, the term didn't exist - they were called "Artists".

Anyway, here is what the article has to say about their contribution to society and where they hung out:

MAJOR EXPORTS: Painting, sculpture, writing, and cultural uplift. Even then, Chicagoans were distressed about not being as cool as New Yorkers. When Harriet Monroe, future editor of Poetry magazine, wrote an ode to the 1893 Columbian Exposition, it sold so few copies that she ended up using the surplus to fuel her bedroom stove. This setback made her and her confederates determined to improve literary and artistic culture in Chicago. 

CHIEF HANGOUT: First the Auditorium Hotel, then the Fine Arts Building, after its conversion from a factory and showroom for Studebaker carriages into the 19th-century version of an arts incubator. The Little Room took its name from a short story by Madeline Wynne, one of its members, about a room that disappears and reappears in different locations. Its most successful and long-lasting incarnation was painter Ralph Clarkson's studio. In later years, it calcified into a formal social club, decidedly nonhipster.

The article goes on to show the migration of the "hipster" through the years to its current neighborhood of choice, Logan Square.  It even attempts to show the future of the group, which may be our neighbor in Pilsen.

Haberdash Opens at Roosevelt Collection

Image from Racked Chicago

Shopping options for men in the Sloop are limited, but that has now changed as Haberdash, the upscale menswear store, has officially opened up at Roosevelt Collection (150 W. Roosevelt).  Racked Chicago has some pictures inside the store.  From what we can tell it looks pretty swank.

Congrats on the opening and can't wait to take a look inside.

Oh and if you're counting that's the eighth store to open at Roosevelt Collection.

Shots Around the Sloop: Blimp

(Hat tip: BM!)

Orange Line El Tracks on 18th Get a Makeover

A reader writes about some improvements to the Orange line El trackes on 18th between Clark and State:

El track makeover snakes into sloop. Not sure if this will go all the way to Roosevelt, but it shares looks better than the rust. This is 18th between Clark and state.

You may recall that this is part of the myriad of civic improvements touted by the city government that are happening in the Sloop.

(Hat tip:  MLG!)

New Pet Adoption Center to Open inside 1101 S. Canal PetSmart

A reader sends us a link from Chicago Business:

PetSmart Charities is joining with Chicago's Anti-Cruelty Society to open on Oct. 20, a new pet adoption center inside the PetSmart store at 1101 S. Canal St. in Chicago's South Loop neighborhood. The new space will give more pets in Chicago a place to live while they wait for adopters and also free up more kennel space at the Chicago Anti-Cruelty Society's main shelter at 157 W. Grand Ave. in the River North neighborhood. PetSmart Charities said it expects the new facility will adopt out around 20 pets per week.

This gives us an opportunity to post this adorable video:

(Hat tip: KM!)

South Branch of Red Line Set For Re-Opening on Sunday

So remember when the red line El south of Roosevelt closed for five months?

Well apparently that time has passed (via Chicagoist):

The south branch of the Red Line from 95th Street to Roosevelt Road will re-open to riders Oct. 20 with promises of shorter commutes and fewer breakdowns.

CTA long said the five-month long project had to happen to modernize a stretch of the agency’s busiest rail line, which hadn’t seen an overhaul since it opened in 1969. CTA conducted a test of the newly rebuilt section last Saturday with an eight-car test train of 5000-Series rail cars traveling for a round trip, reaching a maximum speed of 55 mph throughout the ride. The project is expected to reduce round trip travel times from Roosevelt Road to 95th Street by 20 minutes.

Surprisingly we didn't hear much fuss about this inconvenience.

(Hat tip:  KG!)

Bath and Beauty Store, Sabon, Coming to Roosevelt Collection

Sabon Store on Upper East Side in NYC (via Roosevelt Collection Blog)

A reader sent us a tip that the Roosevelt Collection blog has announced that the israel based bath and beauty store, Sabon, will be opening up shop at the complex:

We are happy to announce the late fall opening of Sabon at The Shops at Roosevelt Collection! As international purveyors of hand-made bath and beauty products with natural ingredients from the Dead Sea, Sabon’s products focus on the healing of mind, body and soul as well as the universal experience of caring for one’s skin and oneself.  

Following the design of Sabon boutiques around the world, the storefront at Roosevelt Collection will feature a large stone-carved sink at the center of the shop. This basin allows the cleansing and healing of the skin to become a communal process, a visual and sensual experience for each customer. Products are shelved in cabinets and on tables reminiscent of the same furniture found in one’s home, furthering the inviting yet intimate feel of the store.

We did some googling and it seems like there stores in New York have a pretty good reputation (4 to 4.5 stars on Yelp).

Is anyone familiar with them?

(Hat tip:  SP!)

New Ping Tom Field House Ribbon Cutting Today at 2pm

A reader sends us the following email:

We've done a couple posts on the topic.  Here is one with the original concept and an updated post about the pre-fabricated walls showing up.

(Hat tip:  JB & KM!)

Shots Around the Sloop: Morning Fog

(Hat tip: DP!)

Shots Around the Sloop (Saturday Edition): Fun with Drones

Via Chicagoist:

While Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart lobbies to use drones for surveillance, they're already available to anyone with the money to spend. Case in point: Ben Raatz equipped his drone with a camera and took some stunning aerial video of Buckingham Fountain and the South Loop.

(Hat tip:  KM & DP!)

Chicago Marathon Weekend - Don't Forget

South Loop Portion of the Chicago Marathon Course

Yes, a fall Sunday can be hectic in the Sloop mostly thanks to Bears games, but Chicago Marathon Sunday tends to be the craziest.

With that said, don't forget that this Sunday is the Marathon.

For information on the race, check out their website.  For street closures click here or see below for Sloop streets:

24/ 25/26 Michigan Ave (35th St. to Roosevelt Rd.) closed between 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
26 Roosevelt Rd. (Michigan Ave. to Columbus Dr.) closed between 6 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Good luck to all the runners!

Dominick's Moving Out of Chicago; Jewel-Osco Buys 1340 S. Canal Dominick's

Dominick's at 1340 S. Canal

So apparently it's a big grocery store news week in Chicago and the Sloop.

Earlier this week it was the much anticipated opening of Mariano's at 1615 S. Clark.  Late yesterday it was news that Dominick's was closing all stores in Chicago (via Chicago Tribune):

Dominick's parent Safeway Inc. said Thursday it will leave the Chicago market by next year. 

What happens next for the 72 Chicago area Dominick's locations is still unclear. Safeway said it's trying to sell as many of the stores as quickly as it can, adding that it's likely to fetch multiple buyers as opposed to a single grocer that would take over every location.

What is clear is that Jewel-Osco has bought the Dominick's store at 1340 S. Canal (via Chicago Tribune):

Safeway issued a release late Thursday afternoon saying it had already sold four Dominick's to the operator of Jewel-Ocso stores. They are at 1340 S. Canal St. and 2550 N. Clybourn Ave. in Chicago; 14200 S. Bell Rd., Homer Glen; and 1340 Patriot Blvd., Glenview.

Apparently the Dominick's at 1340 S. Canal will transition to Jewel-Osco according to a press release on digitaljournal.com:

During a short transition period, the stores will continue to operate under the Dominick's banner until Jewel-Osco can complete their conversion to Jewel-Osco stores. Dominick's will be working with Jewel-Osco and the unions to ease the transition for store employees, and to facilitate continued employment for as many of them as possible. 

So that's surprising on many levels to us:

1. Is Jewel-Osco planning on closing their current South Loop store at Roosevelt and Wabash?
2. Is the Dominick's at 1340 S. Canal bigger or more desirable than the Jewel-Osco at Roosevelt/Wabash?
3. If Jewel-Osco is closing, what does that mean for the extremely high profile space at Roosevelt/Wabash?

Obviously some of the questions are hypothetical and will probably play out over the next couple of months or years.

To take another big leap, we've heard rumors last year about a mixed use residential/retail building replacing the Jewel-Osco - however we were always skeptical about this one.

What do you make of this new?

(Hat tip:  MR!)