Sox Still King in the South Loop

Advance Lollapalooza Tickets On-Sale Today

If you're looking to go to Lollapalooza this year and weren't one of the lucky people to snatch up an early bird ticket, today is your chance to save $25 and get an advance ticket. It usually take awhile for these tickets to sell-out especially since the official lineup hasn't been announced yet.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, the lineup will be announced next Tuesday on April 6th.

Update: Suspect Who Pointed Gun at Police Last Week Charged

An update to a hot topic last week:

A man who police shot at because he pointed a weapon at officers March 22nd
in the South Loop neighborhood near a popular restaurant where Mayor Richard M.
Daley is said to be a regular has been charged.

Giovanni Smith, 25, of the 2300 block of South Canal Street, was charged
with felony aggravated assault of a police officer and unlawful use of a weapon
according to police. The felony charges were approved Saturday at
1:30am.

For the back story check our post from last week.

Shots Around the Sloop: Flo & Santos Sign

It's coming:

(Hat Tip: PF!)

Bikram Yoga Delayed, but Plans to Open in the South Loop Eventually

A couple of weeks ago we posted about Bikram Yoga of Chicago opening up a studio at 1925 S. Michigan. A reader and emailer notified us that this studio hit a snag securing some space, so we figured we would email the studio to see what happened. Here is the response we got:

Hey Sloopin,

Thank you for sharing your energy in that fine blog. Bikram Yoga South Loop, indefatigable as Odysseyus upon the sea, aims to build and open its hot yoga room as soon as possible. Yes, we endure unexpected setbacks beyond our control. Things are clarifying but the current situation calls for quiet diplomacy. We will update you, sloopin, as soon as we have safely secured the details.

Good luck to them and hope they open in the Sloop sometime soon!

(Image from 105F.com)

YoChicago Posts About the Lot For Sale at Harrison and Wells

A link from YoChicago for the people interested in our post last Sunday about the lot that's for sale at Harrison and Wells.

Boss Man Fioretti?

We got a kick out of this article from the Chicago Reader looking at potential successors for Mayor if Daley doesn't run for another term. They size up 2nd ward Alderman, Bob Fioretti:

The City Council is hardly a bastion of independence or progressivism, and no
Daley loyalist in the bunch would run while the mayor's in the race. (Should he
retire, though, look out: "Hey, if he doesn't run, everybody in here's going for
it," one alderman says.)

But several of our bolder aldermen appear to be considering a challenge. Bob Fioretti of the Second Ward may be the most likely to pull the trigger. After just three years in office, Fioretti has become one of the real characters in local politics. His allure and his Achilles' heel are the same—he knows how to work all sides. He's comfortable cutting tax increment financing deals in the back room and then walking to the front and telling reporters about it. He's pushed to improve oversight of city contracting and the budget but voted in favor of the parking meter deal. He's a prosperous white
lawyer who spends a lot of time in the poor neighborhoods of his ward and is fairly well known on black radio.

(Hat Tip: Chicago Journal!)

Posture Perfect Pilates Moves in at 1247 S Wabash

We recently walked by the Smiling Bright office at 1247 S. Wabash and were surprised to see a sign for Posture Perfect Pilates in the window. From what it looks like, both of these businesses are sharing the retail space at 1247 S. Wabash.

There are a bunch of pilates machines in the window with a 'loft' wall separating the businesses.

Here is their website and business license application on everyblock for those interested in the business.

Good luck to PPP!

Rumor Has It...Trader Joe's Moving into Old Sams Space?

There has been a lot of speculation about what may or may not move into the empty, prime retail space at the Northeast corner of Wabash and Roosevelt (where the old Sam's used to be) and recently we received this email:

The building manager said that Trader Joe's was taking the Sam's spot and it is all but a done deal. Not sure how good the info is, but figured you might be interested.

We would love to see this and hope it's true. If anyone knows anything let us know. We will keep our ears and eyes open as well.

For some more discussion on this building check this old link.

(Hat Tip: RG!)

Police Shoot at Motorist After Vehicle Stopped

We've had a couple people email and comment about this shooting last night in the South Loop, so we thought we would link to the story and post a blurb:

Two officers got out of their vehicle and as they were approaching it the suspect -- who was in the driver’s seat -- pointed a gun at police and an officer fired at the suspect, Gaines said.

Police said the suspect -- who was the only one inside the white, 4-door vehicle which fled the scene -- is a known criminal and a search was under way as of early Tuesday for him.

(Hat Tip: ND & JDZ)

Last Chance to Check out the Field's Diamond Exhibit

Since my men's NCAA basketball bracket was super busted, it was time to get off the couch and do something besides watch basketball this weekend. So we headed to the Field Museum to check out their temporary "Nature of Diamonds" exhibit.

The exhibit has been at the museum since late October of 2009 and wraps up this Sunday (March 28th). If you're interested in Diamonds we highly suggest you check it out.

The first part of the exhibit primarily gives you the history and science behind Diamonds. The second half actually displays spectacular diamonds, rings, necklaces, and so on. Personally, we found this portion of the exhibit the best.

Since the exhibit will be gone soon, we just wanted to let everyone know that if they had interest in checking it out, they better go soon!

Big Decreases at the Prairie Point Auction

On Sunday, March 14th, another South Loop high rise auctioned off some of their remaining units. Prairie Point (1600 S. Prairie) didn't have a lot of units left, but the people who participated in the auction seem to have had a pretty good deal.

YoChicago has a nice article from last week about the auction. According to their google spreadsheet, most of the units sold at a decrease of 39 to 53% (not including parking).

High Profile South Loop Real Estate Lot Up For Sale

The empty parcel of land nestled next to the Chicago River on the west, Wells on the East and Harrison on the North is up for sale according to the Chicago Sun-Times. This high profile and huge lot has been rumored for various mixed-used developments, but those plans never materialized as a result of the economy (among other things):

The property is eight acres at the southwest corner of Harrison and Wells, which several investors have taken a crack at. It has been vacant since 1971, when the Grand Central Station rail terminal was torn down, to the horror of people who loved the architecture.

Russland Capital Group Inc. of Skokie owns the largest part of the tract, 6.6 acres, and is marketing it for $41 million. The remaining 1.5 acres is at the corner. Its owner, D2 Realty Services Inc., is trying to sell it, but a price could not be learned. It had tried to peddle it for $15 million, but the contract never closed.

Russland's part includes frontage on the Chicago River, so developers have eyed it for a residential and retail mix. The housing collapse and credit squeeze upset those plans.

It's a great piece of property and hopefully turns out well. The Sun-Times article also references that a smaller lot at that intersection is up for sale, but according to an email from a reader who lives in the area, she received an application notification for a new parking lot:

The Property is located at the southwest corner of Harrison and Wells Streets and is currently vacant. The Applicant proposes to improve the Property with a non-accessory parking lot for 218 vehicles. The parking lot will contain perimeter and internal landscaping. It will operate twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

Here is a map from the Sun-Times. The striped portion is where the proposed parking lot will be built. The other portion of the map is up for sale.

(Hat Tip: DM & FGFM!)

Annual Shamrock Shuffle Comes Through the Sloop Tomorrow

The annual shamrock shuffle race hits the downtown area tomorrow and that means various streets in the South Loop will be closed in the morning. The race starts at 9am and ends at 11:30am. The weather looks brutal tomorrow (high 30s to low 40s and a mix of rain & snow), so if you're nice head out and root them on.

For more information check this link or the map below: