Monday, November 30, 2009

New Residential Skyscraper for the West Loop

This project has been floating around for a short while now, but we're starting to see signs that things are getting serious with 108 North Jefferson Street.

The 34-story apartment block is ready to go before the Chicago Plan Commission.  It's a fairly typical Chicago building:  304 residences sitting on a parking garage podium.  While it's not a stand out building, it's certainly light years better than what's there now:  Yet another surface parking lot.

We first mentioned 108 North Jefferson in September of 2008, and again in February of 2009.  Since then it's been scaled down a little bit -- from 41 stories to 34, and from 311 residences to 304.

I've heard some people complaining that this project doesn't offer any ground floor retail, but I think they're mistaken.  On the planning documents I've seen there are clearly designated retail spaces on Jefferson Street.  Not much, maybe one or two shops could fit in there, but to say there is no retail element is a falsehood.

For you height junkies -- the roof will be at 352 feet and one inch (352.08 feet).  The total building height will be 373 feet, seven inches (373.58 feet).

And because we're all so eco-conscious these days, there will be a 9,200-square-foot green roof, and the entire project is going to basic LEED certification.

Those of you who love reading the nitty-gritty of these sorts of things will enjoy the public documents on it:































3 comments:

  1. I thought this was to be the Catalyst? I'm a local resident to this location and I would very disapointed if this future eyesore gets built instead of it. How in the world do they justify those rental prices? My guess is nothing gets built here for another 5 years.

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  2. I see the Catalyst has a Des Plaines address, and looks to be in financial trouble. Too bad, I hope this monstrosity has the same fate, and something more reasonable gets put in.

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  3. The Catalyst (http://www.areyoucatalyst.com/) is on the same block, but is not the same development.

    While I find the building unremarkable, I'm not sure I would go as far as to call it an "eyesore." I consider a surface parking lot a far worse eyesore than what the plans for this building outline.

    And to me the Catalyst doesn't look all that much different than this building.

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